Category: News in Brief

MIFCO staff threaten to strike over salary dispute

Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) employees have submitted a petition threatening to strike if salaries are not increased by 20 percent.

Haveeru reports that over 100 staff signed the petition giving a three-day notice before beginning the peaceful strike.

While MIFCO staff had refrained from complaining before in light of the company’s financial status, the petition claims that employees’ “patience has run out after seeing the unnecessary expenditure by the company.”

Alleging corrupt or incompetent practices, the petition claims that Managing Director Ali Faiz’s refusal to import spares for the cold storage unit at Koodoo and the company’s other assets had left them “beyond repair.”

The employees allege that Faiz’s overseas trips cost MIFCO over Rf6 million (US$466,900).

Likes(2)Dislikes(0)

Convict sentenced to life imprisonment arrested in Male’

A man sentenced to life imprisonment in 1998 for drug trafficking and convicted for a second time to 12 years in jail for drug possession and abuse in 2009 was arrested again in February 2011, according to the Criminal Court.

Abdulla Rashad, M. Badhuru, was taken into custody on February 12 when police officers suspected from the way he was walking that he was under the influence and discovered drugs in his fist.

“The court order summoning Abdulla Rashad on charges pressed by the state was accepted at his residence. We note that he continues to attend court without any escort from the authorities,” reads the Criminal Court statement.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

State witnesses defend MP accused of corruption

Five prosecution witnesses defended Kaashidhoo MP Ismail Abdul Hameed at Civil Court today from allegations of corruption during his time as Director of Male’ municipality waste management section.

The Independent MP for Kaafu Atoll Kaashidhoo stands accused by the state of abuse of power for undue gain in importing a Rf8.6 million barge from Indonesia in 2008 and making advance LC payment before the vessel arrived in the Maldives.

Newspaper Haveeru reports that former municipality employee Ali Rasheed however testified at court today that the barge was brand new apart from scraped paint that could be explained by its month-long journey to the country.

The state attorney pointed out that Rasheed had previously told the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) that the vessel was rust-coloured.

Three of the other witnesses backed Rasheed claiming that the rust was caused by insufficient sand glassing before applying paint.

All three insisted that the vessel was brand new.

Ismail Abdul Hameed meanwhile claimed that US$28,000 was left unpaid to the Indonesian company under an agreement between the parties to use the remaining amount for repairs if the vessel was not satisfactory.

Finance Ministry Director General Sami Ageel testified that the state did not suffer financial loss in the transaction.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Customs bill passed

The Maldives’ Customs Bill proposed by the government was passed today with 41 votes in favour, 23 against and two abstentions.

Originally submitted by ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Eva Abdulla, the legislation would take customs employees out of the civil service as uniformed state employees.

While a minister appointed by the President is to be in charge of customs, day-to-day functions will be overseen by a Commissioner General of Customs.

Once ratified, a Customs Integrity Commission will be instituted to exercise oversight of the border control institution.

The legislation also specifies stiff penalties and fines for attempted smuggling and import duty evasion while also authorising customs to either fine offenders between Rf10,000 (US$778) and Rf240,000 (US$18,670) or face up to two years in prison.

Also at today’s sitting, a bill proposed by minority opposition People’s Alliance (PA) MP Abdul Azeez to protect the Dhivehi language was passed with amendments after the legislation was vetoed by President Mohamed Nasheed.

Debate meanwhile continued on amendments to the Tourism Act proposed by opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Ahmed Mahlouf to strengthen security at tourist resorts.

A code of ethics for MPs proposed by Independent MP Mohamed Nasheed and reviewed by committee was not passed after 37 MPs voted against and nine abstained.

The code was sent back to committee for further review after neither committee recommendations nor five amendments proposed on the floor garnered majority support.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Expatriate enrollment in pension scheme to be delayed three years

President Nasheed has ratified an amendment to the Pension Act delaying the bill’s applicability to expatriate workers by three years.

The original pension act required expatriate workers to be enrolled in the Maldives Retirement Pension Scheme within 12 months.

The pension act has now been published in the government’s gazette.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

MMA to increase auction of dollars by 20 percent

The Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) has increased the amount of dollars auctioned to local banks by 20 percent, after setting a dollar exchange reference price of Rf14.75.

The MMA has previously set a limit for the sale of dollars based on its reserve of foreign currency, when dollars could only be sold at the pegged rate of Rf12.85.

The managed float of the rufiya within a 20 percent band of that rate has increased competition among local banks selling dollars, with rates at some institutions dropping to Rf13.8. Prior to the managed float, the blackmarket was hovering between Rf14.2-Rf14.8.

However while the move has increased competition with banks, many companies dealing in dollar commodities such as air travel have increased their rates of exchange to the maximum permitted Rf15.42.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

TEAM plans ‘May Day’ rally for International Workers’ Day

The Tourism Employees Association of Maldives (TEAM) has announced it intends to hold a ‘May Day’ rally on May 1 to promote workers’ rights and pressure the government to comply with international labour conventions.

“There are huge concerns about the recent regulations on strikes, which totally bans strikes on resorts,” said TEAM Vice President Maroof Zakir.

Maroof said TEAM was hoping civil service employees, taxi drivers and workers from other sectors would join tourism employees for the 4pm-6pm rally in Male’ on May 1, International Workers’ Day.

“We will start from the social centre and march down Majeedee Magu,” Maroof said.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Protest march held in Male’ over sex crime fears

A protest march jointly organised by the Health Ministry and local NGOs took place down the main street of Male’ yesterday amidst heightened concerns regarding the prevalence of sexual violence against women, minors and persons with special needs.

Police revealed last week that 27 sexual violence cases were reported in the past three weeks, including 16 cases of child sexual abuse.

Sun Online reports that participants held up placards calling on the authorities to bring sex crimes perpetrators to justice as they marched down Majeedee Magu towards the capital’s artificial beach area. The placards carried slogans such as “stop hiding secrets of criminals” and “zero tolerance for child abuse”.

Addressing participants at the artificial beach, Health Minister Dr Aminath Jameel urged the public not to refrain from reporting incidents of sexual violence against women and children.

Members of NGOs Care Society, Society of Hope for Women, Society of Women against Drugs (SWAD), JCI and the Red Crescent were joined at the march by MPs Imthiyaz Fahmy of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and Ahmed Nihan and Dr Afrashim Ali of the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) as well as film stars and senior officials of the former government.

Gender Department officials meanwhile explained that the turnout was lower than expected as the event was originally planned for Friday, but had to be cancelled at the last moment due to bad weather.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Police confirm Hulhumale’ collision death

Police have confirmed the death a 29-year old man yesterday after a motor bike he was riding reportedly collided with a pick-up truck on the island of Hulhumale’.

Police told Minivan News that the man, identified as Abdulla Saeed, died late last night after a bike he was riding along with a fellow passenger reportedly collided with a truck on the island’s main street.

Police officials told Minivan News that they were currently not sure of the speed either of the vehicles were travelling at when they collided, but claimed that no one else involved in the incident was thought to have sustained serious injuries.

Following the collision, police said that Saeed was taken to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in Male’.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)