Author: Minivan News

38 year-old man arrested on suspicion of molesting six year-old boys

A 38 year-old man has been arrested in the island of Ihavandhoo in Haa Alif atoll on suspicion of molesting three 6 year-old boys, reports Sun Online.

A police media officer confirmed that the suspect was taken into custody on October 29 but declined to reveal further information.

The suspect is reportedly from Meemu atoll and was married to a woman from the island. He had previously been arrested on drug-related charges.

Newspaper Haveeru meanwhile reported yesterday that the suspect had sexually abused six under-aged boys.

A resident of Ihavandhoo told the paper that the man had been living in the island for many years and had two children. The male victims, aged 6 to 12, were however not related to the suspect.

The Ihavandhoo islander claimed that the man took his victims to boat sheds and that the abuse had been going on for some time.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Resolution on fuel subsidies for fishermen sent to committee

A resolution (Dhivehi) submitted by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Mohamed Rasheed ‘Kubey’ calling on the government to issue without delay MVR 100 million (US$6.4 million) allocated for fuel subsidies to fishermen from the 2012 state budget was sent to committee at yesterday’s sitting of parliament.

The resolution was accepted and sent to the Economic Affairs Committee for further review with 42 votes in favour and five abstentions.

On October 17, parliament’s Finance Committee approved guidelines for the Fisheries Ministry to issue the subsidy directly to fishing boat owners.

However, Auditor General Niyaz Ibrahim then questioned the legality of issuing the subsidy, suggesting that it could be in violation of the Public Finance Act.

Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shafeeu told Sun Online yesterday that legal issues remained to be resolved before releasing the funds.

“We requested the AG [Attorney General] for advice, because subsidies cannot be provided without a [specific] law. The AG said that if it’s identified as a basic right, it can be provided based on the former Supreme Court’s ruling. But it involves legal problems. We are prepared to provide subsidies, we just have to follow the legal procedures,” he was quoted as saying.

Shafeeu said that the subsidies could not be released until the legal issue was resolved but expressed hope that it could be done before November 15, leaving one and a half months for the ministry to release funds to 1,053 vessels registered for the subsidy.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

STO obtains US$32 million loan facility for construction of five-star hotel in Hulhumale’

The State Trading Organisation (STO) and Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of Thailand co-signed a US$32 million syndicated loan agreement on October 30.

Under the agreement, Exim Thailand and Bank of Maldives will jointly finance STO’s construction of the 5-star, 250-room Radisson Blu Hotel in Hulhumalé.

In a press release yesterday (November 5), STO revealed that according to the agreement 85 percent of the loan must be paid to contractors from Thailand or used to purchase construction material and equipment from Thailand.

The disbursement of the loan is to begin in 2013.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Government entertainment company to be dissolved

The government has decided to dissolve the 100 percent government-owned Maldives Entertainment Company Ltd (MECL) and made an announcement on Thursday seeking a liquidator.

The announcement invited interested parties to submit proposals before November 27.

According to the terms of reference for the liquidation, the government “decided to liquidate the company, given the level of engagement by the private sector in the development of the industry, and to allow their maximum engagement in the development of the industry.”

In June 2011, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) discovered irregularities and discrepancies in the entertainment company’s finances.

“Even though records of expenditure were kept, the figures in the records and the actual amount withdrawn from the [corporation’s] bank account differs,” the ACC found.

“While company records show that MVR676,262.95 (US$43,800) was spent, the bank account showed that MVR807,703.95 (US$52,300) was withdrawn for expenses. Therefore, MVR134,470 was withdrawn from the bank without any record [of how the money was spent].”

Discrepancies in income statements meanwhile revealed that MVR524,121 (US$33,900) worth of income was not entered into QuickBooks (accounting software) records.

Moreover, as a result of the corporation’s spending exceeding its revenue, MECL had outstanding debts amounting to MVR122,178.98 (US$7,900), owed to various parties for purchases and services as of June 2011.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court suspends all cases

The Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court has announced that it has suspended all ongoing cases following an injunction issued by the High Court on Sunday halting the trial of former President Mohamed Nasheed.

The High Court granted the temporary injunction or stay of the former President’s trial pending a ruling on procedural points raised by Nasheed’s legal team, which included the legitimacy of the Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court.

In its announcement on Monday, the Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court said it has suspended proceedings on cases involving marriage, divorce, guardianship, family matters, property lawsuits, civil cases, criminal cases involving extension of detention periods as well as other matters that could be affected by the questions raised over its legal status.

Meanwhile, at Sunday’s hearing of Nasheed’s appeal at the High Court, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) revealed that it had filed a case at the Supreme Court to determine the legitimacy of the court.

Writing in his personal blog last month, Independent MP Mohamed ‘Kutti’ Nasheed explained that a magistrate court could not legally be established at Hulhumale’.

The Judicature Act states that magistrate courts should be set up in inhabited islands aside from Male’ without a division of the trial courts (Criminal Court, Civil Court, Family Court and Juvenile Court).

According to appendix two of the constitution, Hulhumale’ is a district or ward of Male’ and not a separate inhabited island. The former magistrate court at Hulhumale’ – controversially set up by the JSC before the enactment of the Judicature Act in October 2010 – should therefore have been dissolved when the Judicature Act was ratified.

Meanwhile, local media reported yesterday (November 5) that the Supreme Court ordered the Civil Court to send over all files and documents on a case submitted by a lawyer, Ismail Visham, over a year ago challenging the legitimacy of the Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court.

The Supreme Court had issued a writ of mandamus ordering the lower court to suspend its hearings and had taken over the case. The apex court had however not conducted any hearings on the case.

A court official told local media that a hearing on the case of the Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court’s legal status has not been scheduled.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

CCHDC allays fears of disease outbreak

The Centre for Community Health and Disease Control (CCHDC) has allayed fears of an outbreak of diseases in islands affected by flooding caused by heavy rainfall last week.

At a press conference on Sunday, Fathmath Nazla Rafeeq, officer in charge at the CCHDC, said the biggest threat was the spread of diarrhea caused by damaged sewage systems in islands hit hardest by the flooding.

She revealed that there was an outbreak of fever in the island of Kelaa in Haa Alif atoll. The centre has supplied chlorine and medicines to the island in the northernmost atoll, she added.

Nazla also appealed to the public to be wary of the spread of dengue by taking measures to prevent mosquito breeding.

Meanwhile, the Maldives Red Crescent sent teams of volunteers to Haa Alif Hoarafushi, Haa Dhaal Hanimaadhoo and Laamu Gan reportedly to provide information on prevention of communicable diseases and managing hygiene.

The teams will also participate in cleaning up efforts, the Red Crescent said in a press release, including 45 trained volunteers working at Hoarafushi to assess the cost of damages caused by severe flooding.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Education Ministry questions ACC order to review awarding of scholarships

The Education Ministry has questioned instructions by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to review the awarding of scholarships from the Zakat (alms for the poor) fund, reports Haveeru.

State Minister for Education Aminath Ali denied the ACC’s claim that deserving recipients were denied scholarships due to flaws in the selection process, carried out jointly by the Education Ministry, Zakat Fund Committee and the Islamic Ministry.

Of 812 applicants, 320 were selected for the scholarships, she revealed.

“ACC had highlighted that though orphans deserved a mandatory nine points, that process had not been followed. We had requested the Islamic Ministry to define orphans before the process was selected. Islamic Ministry advised that orphans over the age of 18 who are employed would only receive a certain amount of points,” the state minister was quoted as saying.

She revealed that some students who were not chosen for the scholarships had filed complaints with the ACC, after which two officials from the commission examined the selection process and all relevant documentation.

She added that the ACC investigators had not questioned any officials from the ministry.

The state minister also denied claims by the ACC that the last stage of the selection process was carried out only by the Education Ministry despite the regulations stating equal involvement of both the Education and Islamic Ministries.

Aminath Ali went on to characterise the ACC’s order for a review as “bizarre” and questioned the purpose of the order, accusing the commission of violating the rights of students who deserved the assistance.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Elections scheduled on Wednesday for women’s committees

Elections are due to take place in 102 islands on Wednesday for women’s committees to work with the existing island councils.

Local Government Authority (LGA) Chief Executive Officer Dr Ahmed Shukuree however told local daily Haveeru yesterday (November 4) that there were no candidates from 44 islands. The LGA plans to fix a date for elections in the 44 islands after sharing information on the importance of the committees, he said.

While elections would be held in 102 islands, constituencies where only one candidate applied, such as in some areas of Male’ and Addu City, would not require an election, Shukuree said.

Aside from nine-member committees for three islands, five member committees would be elected in 159 islands and seven members committees in 26 islands, according to the LGA.

Under article 36 of the landmark Decentralisation Act (Dhivehi), the powers and responsibilities of women’s committees are: (a) Advise island council on matters related to island development and municipal services provided by the council; (b) Own properties and conduct business activities with others in the name of the committee; (c) Sue and be sued in the name of the committee; (d) Conduct various activities for income generation and for the development of women; (e) Work to uphold the rights of women; (f) Work to increase religious awareness amongst women; (g) Work to increase political participation of women; (h) Work to increase the numbers of women enrolled in higher  education; (i) Work to improve the health condition of women; (j) Gather important information related to the women; (k) Manage assets and finance of the committee.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Man jumps into sea to avoid arrest

A 35 year-old man jumped into the sea to avoid arrest in the island of Dhagethi in Alif Dhaal Atoll on November 2.

According to police media, the suspect was waiting at the jetty to claim a box sent on a speedboat from Male’ on Friday afternoon and police were tipped off that the box contained illegal narcotics.

The suspect however jumped into the sea to escape when police attempted to take him into custody.

Police officers meanwhile jumped in after the suspect and apprehended him. Two rubber packets of suspected drugs were found in his possession when he was checked at the Dhagethi police station.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)