Author: Minivan News

MNDF marks ‘Victory Day’ with special ceremony, unveiling of memorial monument

The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) marked ‘Victory Day’ with a special ceremony, a parade, the unveiling of a new monument and a silent drill on Friday (November 2).

The special ceremony commemorated the events of November 3, 1988 – when an attempted coup by Sri Lankan mercenaries led by a group of Maldivians was foiled with Indian military assistance .

As part of the event, a memorial monument at the southwestern side of Bandaara Koshi, the main military headquarters, was unveiled by President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan.

The southwestern corner of the military headquarters was blown up during the attack in the early hours of November 3, 1988.

The ceremony meanwhile included the screening of an animated video showing the attack on the military headquarters, a seven-gun salute, 30 seconds of silence in memorial of the fallen, a performance by the military’s ‘Pipe’ band and the launching of a book about the 1988 coup.

Military officers performed a silent drill after the ceremony.

In his address at the ceremony, Chief of Defence Forces Major General Ahmed Shiyam said that although the Maldives might not come under military attack in modern times, the “effects of ideological attacks to poison the minds of our youth and destroy our nationhood are evident all around us.”

A parade meanwhile took place across the capital this morning following dawn prayers in a large congregation of military officers.

MNDF Captain Hussain Ali told newspaper Haveeru on Thursday that an event at the Republic Square including fireworks that had originally been planned for tonight was now postponed until after November 12 due to adverse weather.

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Chris de Burgh to perform in Maldives

Singer-songwriter Chris de Burgh, famous for the 1986 love song ‘Lady in Red’, arrived in the Maldives on Wednesday for a performance in Sun Island Resort and a show in Male’ on the night of November 4.

Private broadcaster Villa TV – owned by Jumhooree Party Leader and MP Gasim Ibrahim, chairman of the Villa Group, which also operates Sun Island – reported that the show in Male’ will take place at the Galolhu stadium and tickets are available for MVR750, 550 and 400 from the seated rows.

Tickets from rows without seats are available for MVR100, according to local event manager Think Association. Tickets are being sold from Le Cute, Sea House, Oxygen Cafe’, Symphony Restaurant and Pop Joy.

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Committee approves amendment for secret ballot for second time

Parliament’s General Affairs Committee has approved for a second time an amendment proposed to the rules of procedure to conduct no-confidence motions through secret ballot.

The amendment would come into effect if it is passed by a vote at the Majlis floor.

A previous decision by the committee was declared void by the Counsellor General Fathmath Filza on the grounds that the committee meeting on October 23 where it was voted through took place in violation of the rules.

The committee meeting took place without either the chair or deputy chair in attendance.

Newspaper Haveeru reported  on Thursday that the amendment by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Mohamed Shifaz was approved again at a meeting Wednesday night. The former ruling party has a voting majority on the committee.

Independent MP for Dhaalu Atoll Kudahuvadhoo and Deputy Chair of the General Affairs Committee, Ahmed Amir, told the newspaper that the amendment was approved with four votes from MDP MPs and three against.

“Although the committee’s decision was overturned earlier, the decision for a secret ballot [for no-confidence motions] will be valid this time,” Amir was quoted as saying.

MDP MP Shifaz proposed the amendment last week after MP Amir withdraw a similar amendment to the house rules to conduct no-confidence motions through secret ballot.

Shifaz’s amendment however does not apply to no-confidence motions against the Speaker or Deputy Speaker of parliament.

The MDP has submitted no-confidence motions against both Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed and President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik.

While a minister can be removed from his post through a simple majority of the 77 MPs in parliament, a two-thirds majority or 52 votes would be needed to impeach a sitting president.

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Committee decision on secret ballot overturned

Parliament’s Counsellor General Fathmath Filza has informed the General Affairs Committee that a decision to approve an amendment to the parliamentary rules of procedure was void as the meeting where it was voted through last week took place in violation of the rules.

An anonymous member of the committee told Sun Online yesterday that the committee meeting last week took place in the absence of both the chair and deputy chair.

The issue had to be tabled in the committee’s agenda again, the anonymous MP explained.

The meeting on October 23 was presided over by Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Ali Azim while the amendment was reportedly voted through by four MPs of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

The former ruling party has a majority on the General Affairs Committee.

The amendment to the rules of procedure to conduct no-confidence motions through secret ballot was proposed by MDP MP Mohamed Shifaz after a similar amendment was withdrawn by Independent MP Ahmed Amir, who is also deputy chair of the committee.

The committee’s chair is DRP MP Abdulla Abdul Raheem.

The amendment to parliament’s standing orders or rules of procedure would have to be approved in a vote at the Majlis floor to become official.

The MDP has submitted no-confidence motions against both Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed and President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik.

While a minister can be removed from his post through a simple majority of the 77 MPs in parliament, a two-thirds majority or 52 votes would be needed to impeach the president.

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Dhiraagu disconnects phone lines from Laamu Gan Regional Hospital

Local telecom provider Dhiraagu has disconnected the phone lines of Laamu Gan Regional Hospital over an unpaid bill of MVR 600,000 (US$38,910) owed for setting up a network at the hospital’s new building, reports Haveeru.

Fathmath Barriya, head of the regional hospital, told the newspaper yesterday that the hospital was now unable to use its phone or fax and that Laamu residents were unable to call the ambulance number.

She explained that construction of the new building was completed on June 2011 and Dhiraagu had billed the hospital at the time.

Asked for help, the Health Ministry had instructed the hospital to settle the bill from its budget through monthly instalments, Barriya said. However, she added that the hospital did not have funds in its budget to pay the outstanding amount.

Dhiraagu has informed the hospital that the phone line would be connected when it submits an assurance in writing to settle the bill in monthly payments, she said.

She further noted that although the ministry made the contract with Dhiraagu, the former head of the hospital signed it. Employees involved in the project insisted that the ministry was supposed to pay for the project, she said.

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PPM moves into former DRP head office

The Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) have moved into the former head office of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) at the Henveiru Themaa house on Boduthakurufaanu Magu, in front of the stage at the artificial beach in Male’.

PPM Interim Deputy Leader and MP Abdul Raheem Abdulla told newspaper Haveeru that the official opening of the office would take place today (Thursday).

A press conference was held by PPM at its new office yesterday.

While the blue of DRP has been painted over in recent weeks by the magenta of PPM, the party’s logo was also put up outside the building.

The PPM was formed in October 2011 following a year-long split within the DRP and a public spat between former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and DRP Leader and MP Ahmed Thasmeen Ali.

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STO, MTCC release third quarter earnings

The State Trading Organisation (STO) made a net profit of MVR104 million (US$6.7 million) in the third quarter of 2012.

According to STO’s income statement for the quarter that ended on September 30, the government company’s turnover was MVR 1.8 billion (US$117 million) while it made an operating profit of MVR 187 million (US$12 million).

Operating profit for 2012 so far stands at MVR 345.5 million (US$22 million).

Meanwhile, the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) reported a profit of MVR 3.8 million (US$246,433) after taxes.

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New deputy prosecutor general appointed

Prosecutor General (PG) Ahmed Muizz has appointed Deebanaz Fahmy as his new deputy following the resignation of former Deputy Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem.

Newspaper Haveeru reported yesterday that Deebanaz, formerly an attorney at the PG office, is the daughter of Assistant Prosecutor General Ahmed Hameed Fahmy.

An official from the PG office told the newspaper that Deebanaz has been working in prosecution for nine years.

Former Deputy PG Hussain Shameem confirmed to Minivan News earlier this month that he had left his post as Deputy Prosecutor General in order to pursue further education in the United Kingdom.

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Man sentenced to two year’s banishment for stealing RAM from mother’s computer

The Criminal Court on Tuesday sentenced a man to two years banishment for stealing two pieces of RAM from his mother’s computer.

According to the Criminal Court, Ahmed Arushad, of Male’ municipality special register 5269, confessed to stealing the memory chips from his mother Waleedha Abdulla’s computer at Henveiru Madhoshimaage on January 7, 2012.

The court noted that this was Arushad’s second conviction and banished him under article 131(a) of the penal code.

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