Author: Minivan News

STO reduces price of onions and potatoes

The State Trading Organisation (STO) has reduced the price of onions and potatoes ahead of the Islamic month of Ramadan.

The price of onions was lowered from MVR12 to MVR10 per kilo and from MVR250 to MVR220 per bag.

The price of potatoes was lowered from MVR12 per kilo to MVR9 per kilo and from MVR250 to MVR180 per bag.

The price changes took effect today. The state-owned enterprise said it was able to reduce prices as the cost of the next shipment of onions and potatoes had changed favourably.

The price of eggs meanwhile remain unchanged at MVR1.50 per egg and MVR270 per case.

Long queues were reported outside STO shops this week following hikes in the prices of eggs, onions, and potatoes in the market.

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Parliament accepts bill on expediting formation of Islamic University

The parliament today accepted for consideration a bill on expediting the establishment of the Islamic University of Maldives.

Legislation on establishing the Islamic University by upgrading the Islamic College or ‘Kulliya’ was passed and ratified in April. The law was due to come into force in August.

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Mohamed Waheed Ibrahim proposed amendments to the law to turn the college’s council into the university’s interim council. The acting vice chancellor will also appoint acting deputy vice chancellors in consultation with the council until the president makes new appointments.

The law currently states that Kulliya’s vice rectors will serve as deputy vice chancellors until new appointments are made. The acting vice chancellor will be the head of the council.

The amendments will come into effect following ratification by the president. The amendment bill was sent to committee for further review at today’s sitting with 32 votes in favour, 16 against, and two abstentions.

During today’s debate, opposition MPs accused Waheed of proposing the changes with the intention of dismissing senior officials at the college and current rector Dr Ibrahim Zakariyya Moosa in particular.

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Maldives raises US$162,000 for earthquake relief in Nepal

The Maldivian Red Crescent and the Maldivian Medical Association have raised a total of MVR2.5million (US$162,127) for the earthquake relief effort in Nepal.

The donations will support the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ humanitarian assistance effort. The IFRC has appealed for US$93million in assistance.

The MRC says it wants to donate the funds to build shelters.

Nearly 9,000 people died in Nepal after an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 on the Richter Scale struck on April 25. Another tremor of magnitude 7.3 struck on May 15, leading to more deaths.

Fundraising activities conducted across the country include a telethon, children’s evenings, and a football match between the Veteran’s club and MPs.

The public sector contributed MVR500,000 (US$32,425) while companies and civil society groups donated MVR700,000 (US$45,000), the MRC said.

The Maldives raised US$1.9million to help Palestinians who lost their homes in the Israeli offensive in Gaza last year.

The International Federation of Red Crescent (IFRC) has completed 100 housing units in Gaza with the US$1.9 million raised by the Maldivian media.

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Ramadan hours set for restaurants and shops

Restaurants and cafés are to be open from dusk to 2am during the Islamic month of Ramadan, the economic development ministry has said.

Shops can be open throughout the day, but must close by 11:00pm at night.

The first day of Ramadan begins on June 18.

In March the economic ministry changed the closing time of shops and restaurants to 10:00pm and 12:00am, respectively, following a spike in gang violence in Malé.

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Row over pink mosque in Maavah

The council of Laamu Atoll Maavah has painted the island mosque pink, the color of the ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM).

The move has sparked outrage, with some islanders now refusing to pray at the mosque, according to Raajje.mv.

The council president Moosa Faisal has pledged to repaint the mosque, and said the pink paint was a “mistake.”

The PPM holds a majority in the Maavah council.

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MNDF ‘withdrew’ former First Lady’s bodyguards

The military withdrew former first lady Laila Ali’s body guards at an anti-government protest on June 12, the office of the former president Mohamed Nasheed said in a statement today.

Noting that the constitution and the law on privileges and benefits for former presidents require the state to provide security services for the former first lady, the statement said that the Maldives National Defense Forces (MNDF) had provided body guards for other former first ladies at political rallies.

Laila, too, had been provided security at other political events, the statement said.

Nasheed is serving a 13-year jail-term on terrorism charges. His arrest and imprisonment triggered the ongoing political crisis in the Maldives.

The ex-president’s office condemned the military’s withdrawal of security guards and said that the military needs to be “depoliticized.” The statement called on the government to refrain from any acts that may undermine public trust in the military.

An MNDF spokesperson declined to comment on the matter, but said: “If security is not being provided, we will provide a reason. We will also notify them if and when we resume security.”

The police broke up the 2,000 strong sit-in at midnight. But protests continued until 4am. Some 12 people, including MP Ahmed Mahloof were arrested, and released by the court the next day.

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Adeeb will be new vice president on July 26, says PPM MP

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Mohamed Musthafa has claimed that tourism minister Ahmed Adeeb will become the new vice president on Independence Day, July 26.

The ruling party MP tweeted today: “Bro is now a brand. Independence day will dawn with the new term of the new vice president. The nation is with bro.”

Opposition supporters refer to Adeeb as “bro” over his alleged links with criminal gangs.

Musthafa’s tweet follows parliament last week accepting for consideration a constitutional amendment proposing an age limit of 30 to 65 years for the president and vice president.

The proposed amendment has fuelled speculation of President Abdulla Yameen planning to replace Vice President Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed with Adeeb, who is now 33 and ineligible for the position.

The constitution states that presidential candidates must be at least 35 years of age.

Dismissing the “rumours” last month, Adeeb told Minivan News that he has “no interest at this stage.”

In a tweet last night, PPM parliamentary group leader Ahmed Nihan also referred to Adeeb as “our vice president”. Adeeb is also the vice president or deputy leader of the PPM.

“Our vice president is the hope of this country’s youth,” the majority leader tweeted.

Adeeb is currently in Thaa atoll with several PPM MPs, including Musthafa and Nihan. The tourism minister attended the opening ceremony of a futsal pitch in Thimarafushi last night.

Last month, newspaper Haveeru suggested that the ruling coalition might also amend the constitution to authorise the president to appoint or dismiss his deputy. Alternately, the pro-government majority could remove Jameel with a no-confidence motion.

The relationship between President Yameen and Dr Jameel is reportedly under strain. His cousin, Mohamed Maleeh Jamal, was dismissed from the cabinet last month. The government did not provide a reason for the dismissal.

A three-quarters majority or 64 votes will be needed to amend the constitution. The Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and coalition partner Maldives Development Alliance controls 48 seats in the 85-member house.

The ruling coalition will need the backing of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) or Jumhooree Party (JP) MPs to pass the amendment.

Several JP MPs were among the 44 lawmakers who voted in favour of accepting the constitutional amendment last week. The bill is currently at committee stage for review.

If passed, the amendment will bar JP leader Gasim Ibrahim from contesting the next presidential election. The business tycoon will be 66 in 2018.

During last week’s parliamentary debate, PPM MP Abdul Raheem Abdulla said amending the constitution might be necessary “under some circumstances” to allow the president to replace a “disloyal” vice president.

“I’m not saying at all that we are trying to bring a particular person to the vice presidency. But if it has to be done, the PPM parliamentary is ready,” he said.

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Tourism minister pledges to open third resort in Thaa Atoll

Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb has pledged to lease a third island in Thaa Atoll for resort development.

Only one resort is operating in the south-central atoll at present.

Speaking at a ceremony to inaugurate a futsal field in Thimarafushi last night, Adeeb said the government plans to lease Kanimeedhoo for tourism. The island is located next to Thimarafushi, where the atoll airport is located.

The government in May leased Thaa Atoll Kalhufahalafushi for tourism development to a Chinese company.

Some 8,945 people live in Thaa Atoll.

President Abdulla Yameen had pledged to bring ten resorts into operation every year.

According to the central bank, three resorts were opened in 2014, which increased the total registered number of resorts to 112 in the Maldives.

The Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) said the Maldives earned US$2.6billion in tourism revenue in 2014.

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June 12: Back to the streets

Photos by Shaari

Maldivians took to the streets for a third mass protest on June 12 calling for the release of “political prisoners.” Turnout was much lower than expected at just more than 2,000 people. Thousands staged a sit-in at Malé’s central junction, but police used pepper-spray to disperse the protesters at midnight. The police also confiscated sound systems and podiums used at the sit-in.

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