Author: Minivan News

MDP schedules Kaashidhoo primary for February 5

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has announced the party will hold a primary for the Kaashidhoo constituency on Wednesday (February 5).

The MDP had initially awarded the party ticket to incumbent MP Abdulla Jabir without a primary due to a lack of contestants. However, the party retracted the ticket after Jabir voted for President Abdulla Yameen’s cabinet against a three whip line.

The MDP ordered Jabir to issue a public apology and called for new applicants for the Kaashidhoo primary. Jabir apologised to the party on Wednesday (January 29).

Aishath Mamdhooha will now be contesting against Jabir for the chance to stand in March’s parliamentary poll.

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Man sentenced to four years and six months in jail for stealing four lotion bottles

The Crminal Court has sentenced Ali Rasheed to four years and six months in jail for stealing three lotion bottles rom Lily F&B Suppliers store in Malé in 2011.

The verdict was based solely on Rasheed’s confession. According to the Crminal Court, Rasheed had been convicted of three counts of theft previously.

Under the Maldives Penal Code, if an individual is found guilty of theft for the fourth time, he or she may be sentenced to four years in jail or banishment. The Criminal Court added six months to Rasheed’s term for stealing from a shop.

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Man handed life sentence over 227.4 grams of cannabis

The Criminal Court has sentenced a man to life in jail for the possession of 227.4 grams of cannabis.

The police arrested Mohamed Naif in Hulhumalé in March 2013 near the ferry terminal. On sighting the police at the terminal, Naif had run rom the police and had thrown away a plastic bag containing cannabis, the police told the Criminal Court.

The court has also ordered Naif to pay a fine of MVR100,000 (US$6485) within a month.

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Health Ministry increases salaries of doctors

The Ministry of Health and Gender has restructured and increased doctors’ pay in January.

Health Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Geela Ali said salaries had been restructured to level foreign and local doctors’ pay. Work hours had been increased along with the salary hike, and doctors will be allowed to see patients at private clinics, she said.

However, doctors have alleged that the revisions to the doctors’ salary structure had decreased pay by as much as MVR10,000 (US$ 648).

Doctors have held meetings with the management of the public Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) over low pay, local media has reported.

The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have previously expressed concern over the Maldives’ large wage bill.

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President requests Maldivians to be vigilant of foreign forces plotting to weaken the Islamic faith

In his message to the nation on the occasion of the Maldives’ conversion to Islam, President Abdullah Yameen has warned Maldivian citizens about foreign influences working to weaken the nation’s Islamic faith.

“We should also be very vigilant of foreign influences attempting to weaken our religious faith. And I call on the beloved citizens of the Maldives be very aware of attempts by various parties to disrupt the religious unity among the people of Maldives, and never give any opportunity for such activity,” Yameen said in his statement.

The president said that the unity and brotherhood among Maldivian people is the result of building the ‘Dhivehi Ummah’ upon the stable foundations of Islam.

Yameen also requested parents and teachers to sustain a religious spirit in the hearts of children and to discipline them within the Islamic limits in order to build a well-disciplined generation.

The ‘Maldives conversion to Islam day’ marked on the first of Rabi’al Akhir every Hijri year is a public holiday. Marking the day on the date began in the year 2000 under Yameen’s bother President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s rule. Maldives converted to Islam following the monarch’s conversion in approximately 1153 AD.

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Police recover MVR200,000 stolen from shop in Eydhafushi

Police have recovered MVR200,000 and MVR68,000 worth of goods stolen from a shop in the island of Eydhafushi, Baa Atoll.

Police said that two minors and an 18 year-old man were arrested in connection with the case.

According to the police, the shop was robbed in the early hours of January 31, and was reported to police the same afternoon.

Police stated that a special police investigation team in Baa Atoll had conducted an operation, recovering the money and property, and arresting the suspects.

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Staff control fire outbreak in Safari Island Resort

A fire in Safari Island Resort this morning was controlled by staff before the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) or Police could reach there.

The MNDF said that the fire incident occurred inside a water bungalow in the resort, with the room fully destroyed by the fire before it was controlled.

No injuries were reported during the incident, the MNDF said. The incident was reported at about 4:42am, and an MNDF vessel left Male’ at 5:07am.

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LGA Vice President Ahmed Faisal resigns

Local Government Authority (LGA) Vice President Ahmed Faisal has resigned from his post at the local councils’ oversight body.

Faisal told local media that he resigned to make way for new members to work with newly-elected councils.

The LGA is tasked with monitoring local councils and coordinating with the government. Its board is comprised of a cabinet minister appointed by the president, a member from Malé City Council, four members elected from atoll councils, a member appointed by parliament to represent civil society, a member of the general public by parliament and a member of a city council elected from the Malé and Addu city councils.

Faisal was the civil society member on the LGA. Following the swearing-in of newly-elected councillors on February 26, the LGA’s board will be reconstituted.

Faisal had been outspoken about reforms to the current model of decentralisation followed in the country. He had recently suggested lengthening council terms from three to five years to allow the Elections Commission to conduct the parliamentary and local council elections simultaneously.

At a press conference last week, current LGA chair, Defence Minister Colonel (Retired) Mohamed Nazim, criticised Faisal’s recommendation and dismissed it as his “personal opinion”. The defence minister also alleged that Faisal had been pursuing a personal agenda in deciding matters related to local councils.

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Cargo boat capsizes with 12 onboard

A cargo boat en route from Malé to the Filitheyo resort in Faafu atoll capsized 15 miles off the coast of Alif Dhaal Dhiggurah in the early hours of Friday following a collision at sea.

According to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), a coastguard squadron was dispatched to rescue the crew upon receiving reports of the accident at 4:48am.

Eight men, two women and two minors were onboard when the 60-foot “3 A 28” resort supply dhoni (traditional Maldivian vessel) went under. All 12 were found by the coastguard on a lifeboat dingy and had escaped without injury.

Police meanwhile launched a search yesterday for the second boat, which allegedly sped away after the collision. The ‘Kumeri’ dhoni was found docked at the Hulhumale’ harbour.

The crew and captain were however released by the police after questioning. Newspaper Haveeru today reported a crew member of the Kumeri dhoni as saying that the crew saw 3 A 28 speeding away after the accident and were unaware that it had capsized.

The fishing boat from Faafu Magoodhoo was en route to Hulhumalé to buy ice, he said.

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