Author: JJ Robinson

State reserves rise to US344.4 million: MMA

State reserves increased to US$344.4 million in July, according to the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA), a figure worth approximately 2.7 months of imports.

The data was published in the MMA’s monthly economic review for July.

Total government revenue for the first six months of the year, excluding grants, was MVR 5.4 billion (US$350 million) while total expenditure (excluding net lending) was MVR 6.8 billion (US$440 million).

While the 2013 budget projected a decline in the budget deficit to 4 percent of GDP from 13 percent in 2012, the MMA noted that according to balance of payments estimates for 2013, the current account deficit was estimated to increase to US$690.7 million, equivalent to 28 per cent of GDP.

“Of this deficit, 62 per cent is to be financed through foreign financing while 38 per cent is to be financed through the sale of T-bills and other means,” the MMA noted.

Outstanding T-bills had meanwhile increased from MVR 5.5 billion (US$356.6 million) in November 2012, to MVR 9 billion (US$583.6 million) as of May 2013.

Total tourist arrivals meanwhile increased 18 percent on the first half of 2012, largely driven by Chinese arrivals, while the average duration of stay declined 12 percent.

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UK welcomes steps towards “free, fair” elections, calls for “peaceful transition to post electoral politics”

UK Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt has issued a statement welcoming confirmation from the Maldives’ Elections Commission “that the chosen candidates of all political parties will be able to participate in the presidential elections this coming September”.

All four candidates seeking the presidency have been accepted by the commission, and the five day period to contest those candidacies in the Supreme Court expired last week.

The four candidates from top to bottom on the ballot paper are Gasim Ibrahim (Jumhoree Party), Dr Mohamed Waheed (independent, incumbent president), Abdulla Yameen (Progressive Party of the Maldives) and Mohamed Nasheed (Maldivian Democratic Party, former President).

“It is vital for the good of the citizens in this young democracy that both campaigning and elections are judged to be free, fair and peaceful,” said Burt.

“We hope that all parties will honour free and fair election results and work to ensure a peaceful transition to post electoral politics. No matter who wins, cooperation between political parties will be vital in order to work for the good of the Maldivian people, and consolidate democratic institutions,” he added.

Former President Mohamed Nasheed’s candidacy in the upcoming elections was contested last year following the filing of charges in the Hulhumale Magistrate Court over his detention of Chief Criminal Court Judge Abdulla Mohamed, in the days leading up to Nasheed’s controversial resignation.

Nasheed and the MDP contested that the charges were a politically motivated attempt to prevent him contesting the election, and challenged the authority of the court and the appointment of the panel of judges.

Both the court and the panel had been appointed by the Judicial Services Commission (JSC), which included several of Nasheed’s direct political opponents, including a rival presidential candidate, Gasim Ibrahim.

The international community reacted with calls for the presidential election to be “free, fair and inclusive”, and concerns over the state of the judiciary and the impartiality of the JSC were echoed in a special report by UN Special Rapporteur Gabriela Knaul.

“It is indeed difficult to understand why one former President is being tried for an act he took outside of his prerogative, while another has not had to answer for any of the alleged human rights violations documented over the years,” wrote Knaul, following her Maldives mission in February 2013.

The Nasheed trial subsequently stalled at the high court level, after Chief Judge of the High Court Ahmed Shareef issued an injunction.

A day later the JSC suspended Shareef for what it claimed was an unrelated matter. He is currently contesting his suspension in court.

Meanwhile, despite initial reluctance, Gasim stepped down from his position on the JSC in accordance with the commission’s regulation on members seeking elected political posts.

Nasheed’s candidacy was accepted by the Elections Commission on July 18.

“Today we submitted the election forms and begin the task of restoring democracy to our country. It has been a slippery slope but we have come a long way. Despite all the barriers and hurdles that were put in our way, we never gave up,” Nasheed stated, in a subsequent press conference.

Approximately 240,000 Maldivians will be eligible to vote in the September 7 election. Transparency Maldives, in its pre-election assessment, meanwhile warned that the election was set to unfold against a “crisis of legitimation, uncertainty of democratic transition, existing polarisations and other challenges that have been aggravated by the controversial transfer of power on 7 February 2012.”

“Political polarisation in the Maldives has grown in the wake of the failed all-party talks and events of February 7, leading to bitter mistrust between political factions and the pervading sense among parties that the loss of the upcoming elections ‘could amount to losing everything’,” Transparency stated.

Transparency will participate in monitoring the election, along with the UK, EU, Commonwealth and UN.

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ACC forwards phone bill corruption case against Supreme Court Judge

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has forwarded corruption allegations against Supreme Court Judge Ali Hameed to the Prosecutor General’s Office (PG).

While the ACC has yet to officially comment on the case, local media reported that the matter concerned the transfer of MVR 2,223 (US$144) from the judge’s state-funded telephone noted in a 2010 audit of the Department of Judicial Administration (DJA), which was subsequently repaid.

Previous reports by the Auditor General’s Office have noted that between October 2008 and December 2011, Supreme Court judges paid their phone bills amounting to MVR 281,519 (US$18,257) from the state budget, despite the fact that parliament had not allocated any phone allowances to the judges. Additionally, MVR 117, 832 (US$7640) was found to have been overspent on wages and allowances to the driver of a judge’s car.

The judge is also currently subject to investigation over his alleged appearance in multiple leaked sex videos depicting him fornicating with foreign women in what appears to be a Colombo hotel room.

A further video also appears to  show Hameed and a local businessman, Mohamed Saeed, discussing political influence in the judiciary.

Justice Hameed in the video also goes on to reveal his political ‘hook-up’ with Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom – the current Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) presidential candidate – claiming that he was one of Yameen’s “back-ups” and that his stand was “to do things the way Yameen wants”, promising to “kill off” Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP) leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali “if it comes into my hands.”

Even [Speaker of Parliament] Abdulla Shahid will know very well that my stand is to do things the way Yameen wants. That the fall of this government was brought with our participation,” he adds.

However, he also claims that he was a person who “even Yameen cannot play with” and that over time he had “shown Yameen” who he is.

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) meanwhile decided not to suspend Supreme Court Justice Ali Hameed citing “lack of evidence”, contradicting the recommendation of its own five-member committee appointed to investigate the matter.

Following the decision, JSC Deputy Chairman Abdulla Mohamed Didi and Latheefa Gasim resigned from the investigating committee. The JSC then voted not to accept their resignations.

Jumhoree Party Presidential Candidate Gasim Ibrahim, until recently a JSC member, has meanwhile publicly declared that Hameed’s sex tape was “a fake” orchestrated by “external forces” seeking to take over state assets, introduce other religions to the country, and create infighting in Maldivian society.

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Atoll Paradise attributes troubles to “lengthy delay in securing bank finance”

Tour operator Atoll Paradise has issued a statement “apologising unreservedly for any frustration caused to any of its customers due to recent cancellations.”

Atoll Paradise is one of the Maldives’ largest local tour operators. However, the Tourism Ministry last week suspended its permit amid allegations it had defrauded customers and international travel agents.

Tourism Ministry Senior Legal Officer Faseeh Zahir told Minivan News the government had have received several complaints in recent months that bookings had been cancelled by the company without being refunded.

“There are allegations of fraud and of the company not acting according to regulations. This is not just a case of one guest, we have received several complaints,” said Zahir. The company has also been fined MVR 1 million (US$65,000).

In its statement, Atoll Paradise said it “wished to make it clear that it is a reputable business organisation and the recent unfortunate developments stemmed from a lengthy delay in securing bank finance to sustain its business operations.”

Cancellations were “unavoidable”, the company said, while “strenuously emphasising” that no employee of the company “ has ever engaged in fraudulent activities towards any external parties.”

The company acknowledged it had encountered “some cash flow difficulties” in 2013, stemming from an “unexpected delay in a bank loan facility.”

“This delay is not to be blamed on anyone (neither person nor corporation), as financial proceedings can sometimes encounter unexpected obstacles and include complexities and lengthy legal clearance procedures beyond the initially expected scope,” the company contended.

“Although the management had explored all available options and done its best to avoid having to cancel any bookings, such cancellations could not be avoided anymore, if Atoll Paradise did not want to further disappoint its customers by leaving them stranded at the airport after their arrival in the Maldives,” the statement read.

“These actions, although difficult to make, were taken in accordance with the Booking Policy of the company, and all customers will be refunded with minimum delay,” the company promised.

Atoll Paradise said it was working with the Ministry of Tourism on “resolving these unfortunate issues so that all pending refunds can be processed without any further delay and normal business operations of the company can commence as soon as possible. It is important to note here that several refunds have already been processed prior to this decision by the Ministry. All customers are informed periodically on the status of their refund.”

Disgruntled customers waiting on refunds

Several of the company’s customers meanwhile contacted Minivan News following publication of last week’s article, with details of their grievances and extensive documentation and correspondence with the company.

The Barras couple initially booked their 14 night, US$24,698 holiday at Dusit Thani resort through Atoll Paradise in July 2012 for mid-February 2013. However three weeks before travelling the couple were forced to cancel their booking for medical reasons, and were promised a refund of US$23,113, including a US$350 ‘admin fee’ and five percent ‘bank charge’ on January 24, as a “one time exception”.

In a long series of successive emails, assorted company staff repeatedly apologised and promised repayment in several days, providing reasons including “It will take 1 to 2 billing cycles for the amount to be posted back to your account”, “I can only file for the refund request by Monday due to bank holidays here until Sunday”, and “we are moving all of our principal banking from three different banks to just one which is Mauritius Commercial bank.”

Several staff members informed the couple that Atoll Paradise had already paid the resort in advance, and was waiting for a refund.

The couple contacted the resort’s management directly, only to discover that the resort had never received payment from Atoll Paradise, and had cancelled the booking immediately on first request.

“The money you paid [to Atoll Paradise was not remitted to us, nor was there any communication regarding a refund since no monetary transaction had transpired between Dusit Thani Maldives and Atoll Paradise for this particular booking,” wrote Dusit Thani’s General Manager Desmond Hatton to the couple on April 9, 2013.

After waiting three months for the refund, the couple began to add their concerns about the company to others on Tripadvisor.

“Your case has been raised this with our Executive Management team, to try and get a better understanding as to when we can rectify this internal issue, as you know this has been pending a while and as such we are not delivering the exceptional service we are known for, this is very disappointing and I can assure you this matter is not being taken lightly,” the couple were informed in April by a staff member called ‘Laura’.

The Barras were then contacted by Atoll Paradise’s Director of Business Development, Chloe Esme Bagir, who informed them that “due to the extent of your unruly comments on the internet, it is now being dealt by our Legal and Accounts Department and will be reviewed in strict adherence to our published Booking & Cancellation Policy. We will reply to you once we get their decision.”

At the time of their contacting Minivan News, the couple were still awaiting payment of their refund.

“Since we didn’t go, the hotel didn’t get paid … so [Atoll Paradise] decided to keep the money for themselves. What kind of company does this?” asked Tristan Barras.

In an email to Minivan News, Atoll Paradise advised that Barras “cancelled shortly before arrival and thus lost 100 percent of the amount paid, in accordance with Atoll Paradise Booking Policy.”

Booking cancelled four days before flight: “I appreciate this will have come as somewhat of a shock”

In another case, Nitchima Chia from Thailand booked a two bedroom pool villa at Centara for six people on March 6-10 through Atoll Paradise, paying US$6,235 upfront via credit card.

Four days before the group was due to depart, having already paid US$3450 for flights from Bangkok to the Maldives, Chia was informed by Atoll Paradise that due to “unavoidable circumstances arising within our operations” their booking, among others falling between May 1-16, had been cancelled.

The company gave Chia the option to refund the full booking value, or reschedule the booking after July 1.

Noting that the group had days left to get on the plane and that the flights were non-refundable, Chia urged Atoll Paradise to move them to another hotel, or refund the full expenses of the trip: “July is impossible as the kids need to go to school during this time,” she said.

Atoll Paradise replied: “I appreciate this will have come as somewhat of a shock, however we are unable to honor any bookings within this period.”

“Atoll Paradise is in the process of relocating to a newly built office compound. This is a project we have been working on for the past 12 months to expand and grow our business. Due to this we are having difficulty in managing some our arrivals for this period efficiently,” the company wrote.

“Your booking with Atoll Paradise is cancelled and will not be reinstated.”

In another email, Atoll Paradise advised that “as only the accommodation is confirmed with us, we cannot hold any responsibility for the flights”, and urged Chia to contact her travel insurance provider.

Chia was initially promised a refund within four weeks with a “cut-off period” of eight weeks. However, on June 6 she was informed that the “refunds are taking a further delay due to lack of funding. We are confident we should receive these funds within the month of July. Please give us a little more time to settle this.”

On July 5, the company informed Chia that it understood this delay in your refund “is causing a lot of frustration for you”, and assured her that “the delay in your refund is not intentional.”

“The entire management team are working tirelessly to expedite the refund process for all our clients. Our bank has already agreed a facility for us, agreement already approved and signed. Due to lengthy legal documentation, the funds from our bank have taken longer than initially anticipated hence these delays. We anticipate the refund will be in your account end of this month and latest first week of August.”

Chia subsequently contacted the Royal Thai Consulate in Male.

Some customers, speaking about their experiences with the company on a 28-page Tripadvisor thread, reported success in securing chargeback payments direct with their credit card companies.

Police Chief Inspector Hassan Haneef meanwhile last week confirmed police had begun investigating the company over fraud allegations.

The Tourism Ministry has said Atoll Paradise’s permit will remain revoked until all alleged outstanding payments and grievances have been settled.

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High Court upholds seven year prison sentence for throwing rocks at VTV

The High Court has upheld a Criminal Court ruling sentencing a man found guilty of throwing stones at private broadcaster VTV to seven years imprisonment.

Eight men including Mohamed Hameed were given seven year sentences for throwing stones outside the station during anti-government protests on March 19, 2012.

The demonstrators were protesting the new President Dr Mohamed Waheed from giving the opening address to the first session of parliament, following his controversial arrival to power the previous month.

In addition to Hameed, the Criminal Court also sentenced Ismail Hammaadh of Maduvvari in Raa Atoll, Ahmed Hameeed and Hussein Hameed of Alifushi in Raa Atoll, Ahmed Naeem of Henveiru Ladhumaageaage, Hussein Shifau Jameel of Maafannu Nooruzeyru, Aanim Hassan of Ferishoo in North Ali Atoll, Ahmed Muheen of Galolhu Haalam and Mohamed Hameed for vandalising the channel.

The building, as well as the soldiers guarding its entrance on Sosun Magu, came under attack as police tear gas forced the protesters south, past the building from the police barricades near to the parliament building.

Appealing the sentence, Hameed argued that it was extraordinary practice for the court to impose the maximum possible sentence on a first time offender with no criminal record.

However the High Court, noting that the sentence was three to seven years, deferred to the discretion of the Criminal Court judge.

VTV is owned by MP Gasim Ibrahim, a resort tycoon, presidential candidate and member of the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) tasked with disciplining the judiciary.

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No conflict of interest as JSC member, presidential candidate: Gasim

Jumhoree Party (JP) Presidential Candidate Gasim Ibrahim has told reporters he will not step down from his position on the Judicial Services Commission (JSC), stating that he saw no conflict of interest between his bid for power and role on the judicial watchdog.

The JP held a press conference yesterday with its two recently-unveiled coalition partners, the religious conservative Adhaalath Party and the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP), following their defection from President Mohamed Waheed’s ‘Forward with the nation’ coalition last week.

According to local news outlet Haveeru, journalists repeatedly asked Gasim how he could possibly remain an impartial member of the JSC while running for president.

In response, Gasim said he saw no conflict of interest, and insisted that he would “not neglect his legal obligations” as a JSC member.

Following the investigation of Supreme Court Judge Ali Hameed sex tape scandal by a JSC subcommittee, Gasim voted against suspending the judge, in contradiction of the subcommittee’s recommendation.

Attorney General Aishath Azima Shukoor, President Waheed’s representative Latheefa Gasim, and Chair of the Civil Service Commission, Mohamed Fahmy Hassan, also voted against the judge’s suspension, citing “lack of evidence”.

Gasim meanwhile publicly declared that Hameed’s sex tape was “a fake” orchestrated by “external forces” seeking to take over state assets, introduce other religions to the country, and create infighting in Maldivian society.

His comments were followed this week with the leak of two more sex videos of the judge, including one depicting the judge fraternising with a topless woman with an eastern European accent. At one point, the judge leans right into the camera, and his face is visible.

JSC controversy

The public’s representative on the JSC, Sheikh Shuaib Abdul Rahman, has been sharply critical of the commission’s conduct and motivations, particularly its “open discussion” of its intent to eliminate Gasim’s rival presidential candidate, former President Mohamed Nasheed, from contesting the upcoming elections.

“It is common now to hear a lot of MDP and Nasheed bashing in commission meetings. This was not how things usually were before. I believe politically biased comments like this have increased since Gasim joined the JSC as a representative of the parliament,” Sheikh Rahman stated in March.

“Gasim even went to the point of asking the UN Special Rapporteur Gabriela Knaul when she held a meeting with us to state in her report that it was Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) who torched the courts. I heard him say exactly that,” Sheikh Rahman said.

Knaul’s final report to the UN Human Rights Council following her mission to the Maldives in February, was a damning indictment of the country’s judicial crisis.

The special rapporteur stated that there was near unanimous consensus during her visit that the composition of the JSC was “inadequate and politicised”. This complaint echoed that of the International Committee of Jurists (ICJ) in 2010.

“Because of this politicisation, the commission has allegedly been subjected to all sorts of external influence and has consequently been unable to function properly,” said Knaul.

The JSC was responsible for both creating the court in which Nasheed was to be tried for his detention of Chief Criminal Court Judge Abdulla Mohamed in early 2011, and appointing the panel of judges overhearing the trial.

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Two more sex videos of Supreme Court judge leaked

Two more videos apparently showing Supreme Court Judge Ali Hameed engaging in sexual relations with foreign women have been leaked on social media.

Three other videos already in circulation, including a third sex tape and two videos of the judge meeting prominent Maldivian business and political figures, recently prompted the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) to form a five-member subcommittee to investigate the matter.

The two new leaks follow the JSC’s decision last week to disregard the subcommittee’s recommendation and not suspend the judge, citing “lack of evidence”.

According to Maldivian law, the crime of fornication is subject to 100 lashes and banishment or house arrest for a period of eight months.

The courts regularly issue this sentence, overwhelmingly to women found guilty of extramarital sex. Sentences are carried out in front of the justice building next door to the Supreme Court, and occasionally attract high profile international media coverage, such as the sentencing in February this year of a 15 year-old rape victim.

Minivan News understands that one of the newly leaked videos, time-stamped January 24 2013, shows the judge fraternising with a topless woman with an eastern European accent. At one point the judge leans right into the camera, and his face is visible.

Afterwards, the woman repeatedly encourages the judge to drink wine from a minibar.

“If I drink that I will be caught. I don’t want to be caught,” the judge insists, refusing.

The room and date stamp appears to be the same as that in previously leaked footage of Hameed meeting a local businessman Mohamed Saeed, the director of ‘Golden Lane’.

In that video, Hameed asserts that he was one of Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) Presidential Candidate’s Abdulla Yameen’s “back-ups”, and that his stand was “to do things the way Yameen wants”.

“Even [Speaker of Parliament] Abdulla Shahid will know very well that my stand is to do things the way Yameen wants. That the fall of this government was brought with our participation,” he appears to add, although the audio quality is poor (01:49).

One of the men claims to have heard plans to “kill off” leader of the Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP) leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali and refers to a “second person to be killed,” however, due to the unclear audio it is not clear what the parties are referring to, or the context of the “killing”. The person believed to be Hameed then promises, “If it comes into my hands, I will kill him off.”

That video appeared shortly after police arrested Ahmed Faiz – a council member of President Dr Mohamed Waheed’s Gaumee Ihthihaad Party (GIP) and then-Project Advisor at the Housing Ministry – while he was allegedly trying to sell another sex tape of the Supreme Court Justice.

Don’t make negative statements on the judiciary: Chief Justice

Chief Judge of the Supreme Court Ahmed Faiz has meanwhile urged the public and media to refrain from making statements that would give a negative image of the judiciary.

The judiciary could only be strengthened by the amending the constitution, Faiz claimed, according to local media.

“Based on our experience up until now, we know that in order to further strengthen the judiciary, the constitution needs to be amended, relevant laws need to be amended, and relevant laws required by the judiciary need to be introduced as soon as possible,” he said.

PPM Vice Presidential candidate Dr Mohamed Jameel meanwhile declared at a party rally over the weekend that the judiciary was the “worst the country has seen in its entire history”, according to local media.

“Today’s reality is that, even if we reflect upon the magistrates in the island courts to the judges who sit in the courts of Male’, they receive higher salaries and better privileges than all of the common people. But the question is, while the system and their salaries are being upheld by taxes, do the people get their justice?” said Dr Jameel, who served as Justice Minister under former President Gayoom’s administration.

“In what country, in what way can a country’s people be made to suffer, batter the people and intimidate them, kidnap them and use the people’s money through corruption, abuse the people’s property through millions and then sell them, but have no investigation, no trial for these people, these events require you to give considerable thought to the state of the country,” he said.

Dr Jameel then blamed the judiciary for allowing former President Mohamed Nasheed’s name to appear on the ballot for the September 2013 elections.

“Some of the people who are standing for presidency should not have their names on the ballot paper if the country’s laws are being followed, if the State’s policies are properly implemented. Somebody has to be responsible for this. I believe that the blame goes on the judiciary,” Jameel said.

Supreme Court Judge Hameed with businessman Mohamed Saeed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEKk8lgMH8o

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Supposed GCHQ tap of President, daughter, son-in-law discusses martial law, foreign worker voting, ‘smear campaigns’

Documents detailing an alleged tapped conversation between President Mohamed Waheed, his daughter Widhadh Waheed and her California-based husband, former Yahoo! executive Jeremy Goodrich, are circulating on Maldivian social media networks.

The documents (page 1, page 2), attributed to the UK’s electronic eavesdropping agency GCHQ, are stamped ‘TOP SECRET STRAP 1’ and conform to the format of similar documents leaked during the recent NSA/GCHQ Edward Snowden scandal.

Official verification of the documents is impossible given the British government’s policy of not commenting on leaked classified material. A spokesperson for the British High Commission in Colombo stated “we do not comment on intelligence matters”. A spokesperson for GCHQ likewise told Minivan News, “in line with longstanding practice we never comment on intelligence matters.”

The document refers to the ‘Maldives June 2013 crisis’, and summarises an alleged 230 minute conversation between Waheed, his daughter and son-in-law, apparently intercepted on June 12.

According to the summary:

Mr Goodrich proposes concession to Adalath party in terms of allowing more Sharia law in addition to proposed punishments

Mr Goodrich suggests temporary martial law enforced from Aug 2013 to end of Dec 2013

Mr Goodrich advises the president on a number of campaign strategies, including addition of alien workers as temporary wards for voting purposes

Mr Goodrich advises on smear campaign against President Mohamed Nasheed and PPM party candidate Mr Yameen A Gayoom

Mrs Goodrich [Waheed’s daughter] suggest using social networks with marketing firm Rooster to “astroturf” a new “massive grassroot” support structure aimed at “winning hearts” of Maldivian citizens

Mr Goodrich suggests such efforts have failed previously and suggests exercising executive power

Mrs Goodrich and Mr Goodrich discuss pros and cons of both systems and come to conclusion on a hybrid system – as need arise

Dr Waheed states other coalition partners might be leaving, including DQP Party Leader Dr Hassan Saeed

Mr Goodrich asks if concessions could be given to DQP

Mrs Goodrich informs that DQP is not a long term risk and could be seen as collateral.

Dr Waheed states Adalath might join either PPM or JP

Mr Goodrich clarifies Adalath strength and suggests launching campaign to weaken leadership

Various discussion of proposed temporary martial law followed, ending with funding discussion followed by ‘NRTR’ discussions.

The document refers to an “embedded” source in the Maldives, whose identity is blacked out: “Malunet continues to furnish with highly detailed, high-value, sensitive reports on target and power structure and variances in a timely manner.”

According to the report, the “key focus has been on [the] President’s immediate power distribution and structure”. It highlights as of secondary concern a “flow of funds” to Norway via Italy.

“Funds transferred via IC/42 were intercepted at control point in Italy and further in Norway. A sum of USD 2,500,000.00 was noted in metadata. Later deposited into CHASE Bank, California, with IF: 4201840-22 and IC: 401-CHASE,” the report notes.

Response, context

The reference to ‘Rooster’ possibly refers to Rooster Creative Public Relations Ltd, which Waheed’s new government engaged in March 2012 to combat widespread negative headlines in the wake of the previous month’s power transfer, protests and police violence.

This attempt did receive some coverage in the British Media, with prominent columnist for the Daily Telegraph, Oliver Smith, writing, “The moral implications of visiting the Maldives have been called into question following the downfall of Mr Nasheed.”

The apparent leak of the GCHQ document meanwhile follows the departure last week of both the Adhaalath Party and Dr Hassan Saeed’s DQP from Waheed’s ‘Forward with the nation’ coalition.

Saeed, who was appointed Waheed’s Special Advisor following February 7 2012’s controversial transfer of power, resigned and joined Gasim Ibrahim’s Jumhoree Party (JP) in what one coalition source described as a sudden and unexpected departure.

Saeed meanwhile in a statement accused Waheed of failing to take advice from coalition partners in favour of “family members and expatriates”.

President’s Office Media Secretary Masood Imad told Minivan News he was unaware of any leaked documents or such a conversation, but dismissed the suggestion that President Waheed would take advice from his children “on political matters” over his own views and those of First Lady Ilham Hussain.

Masood questioned the credibility of the documents, describing their publication on social media as being “one of those things” and comparing it to spurious pre-2008 election allegations raised against former President Nasheed, which alleged he was conspiring with Salisbury Cathedral in the UK to blow up the Islamic Centre and build a ‘victory church’.

Son-in-law

Minivan News has contacted Jeremy Goodrich seeking to confirm whether the conversation occurred and clarify the context of his suggestions to President Waheed, and was awaiting a response at time of press.

According to his twitter profile, the former Global (Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) Leader for tech giant Yahoo! describes himself as a “bestselling self published author and digital mercenary” who is “passionately interested in a better tomorrow” and works “at the junction of social good and business profit.”

On professional networking website LinkedIn, he notes that his career highlights so far “include winning and or being nominated for prestigious marketing awards at large companies, being quoted in the Wall Street Journal on behalf of a startup I co-founded and being able to semi-retire to the tropics, travel and reflect on my career for more than a year.”

Goodrich has also self-published a 70-page novella on Amazon, illustrated by his wife Widhadh Waheed, titled ‘The Vampire Hangover’, about a martial artist who “starts his morning in a duel with a master swordsman. Afterwards he gets attacked by vampires, abused and beaten.”

A prospective sequel, ‘Ninja Vampire Hunter’, promises to include “a vampire, a djinni and a ninja, not to mention a cat fight filled with side splitting, ironically crafted innuendo.”

Read the leaked documents: Page 1, Page 2

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Former President Nasheed submits candidacy for 2013 Presidential Elections

Former President Nasheed has filed his candidacy papers with the Elections Commission to contest September’s Presidential election.

“As mandated by the Election Commission, President Nasheed sought and received clearance from the country’s judicial courts and other state institutions prior to submitting his candidature as the Maldivian Democratic Party’s Presidential candidate,” said the MDP in a statement.

A large group of MDP supporters and party leaders accompanied the former President to the commission to submit the papers.

Nasheed and the MDP maintain the former president was compelled to resign during a police and military mutiny on February 7, 2012. His successor and former vice-president, Dr Mohamed Waheed, maintain the succession was legitimate.

“Today we submitted the election forms and begin the task of restoring democracy to our country. It has been a slippery slope but we have come a long way. Despite all the barriers and hurdles that were put in our way, we never gave up. Undoubtedly because of the resilience of the people of the Maldives, we are confident of winning this election in the first round with a handsome majority,” Nasheed declared.

Following February 7’s controversial transfer of power, the former President was charged over his detention of Chief Criminal Court Judge Abdulla Mohamed, after parliament and the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) failed to taken action over its extensive list of allegation against the judge.

Nasheed and the MDP dismissed the charges as a politically-motivated attempt to convict and obstruct Nasheed from contesting the presidential elections, pointing to the presence of political opponents on the JSC, including a rival presidential candidate, which had created both the court hearing the charges and appointed the panel of judges hearing the case.

The international community reacted with calls for the presidential election to be “free, fair and inclusive”, and concerns over the state of the judiciary were echoed in a special report by UN Special Rapporteur Gabriela Knaul.

The Nasheed trial subsequently stalled at the high court level, after Chief Judge of the High Court Ahmed Shareef issued an injunction. A day later the JSC suspended Shareef for what it claimed was an unrelated matter. He is currently contesting his suspension in court.

In his statement today, Nasheed stated that he had “received clearance from the courts and other state institutions” prior to submitting his candidature to the Elections Commission.

The Elections Commission has said it will formally announce accepted candidates 48 hours after receiving submissions.

At a press conference in Male, Nasheed thanked his supporters for ensuring he would be allowed to contest the election, and expressed gratitude to both his legal team and international actors. He also thanked reporters for their coverage of the MDP’s activities since the transfer of power in February 2012.

During the press conference Nasheed noted the current rapid political realignments taking place, such as the defection of the Adhaalath Party from President Waheed’s coalition to Gasim Ibrahim’s Jumhoree Party and Waheed’s decision to run as an independent candidate.

Following Nasheed’s press conference Waheed’s remaining coalition partner, the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP), followed suit.

Also observing that several senior members of the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) had left the party, Nasheed invited the defectors to join the MDP.

Asked by reporters as to whether he was concerned about election rigging, Nasheed did not discount the possibility but said he believed that “the election will be free and fair after the voter list is properly finalised and observers, monitors and agents are able to participate.”

“When the tide has turned it becomes very difficult for anyone to swim against it,” Nasheed said.

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