Category: News in Brief

Dispute between MNCCI and Male’ City Council over night market settled

The dispute between Maldives National Chamber of Commerce and Industries (MNCCI) and Male’ City Council over the night market has been settled, reports SunFM.

SunFM reported that the City Council granted permission to hold the Night Market after the MNCCI agreed to pay Rf750 (US$58) per table.

The location of the night market has also been changed. The tables will be arranged starting from Boduthakurufaanu Magu near the State Electric Company (STELCLO) to the park near the Tsunami monument.

It will be held on the 10th of July, according to SunFM.

During the night market many of the shops in Male’ set up tables on a location determined by the MNCCI to sell different types of products at low prices, a longstanding annual event.

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President appoints new Finance Minister

President Mohamed Nasheed has appointed Ahmed Inaz as Finance Minister.

Inaz previously held the post of the Minister of State for Economic Development, said the President’s Office.

”Prior to the presentation of the Letter of Appointment, Inaz took the oath of office of the members of the Cabinet before the Supreme Court Judge Abdulla Areef,” the President’s Office said.

Former Finance Minister  Ali Hashim was dismissed from his position after it refused to approve his reappointment.

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Islamic Ministry to submerge Quran in controlled disposal

The Islamic Ministry will conduct a controlled disposal of old and worn out copies of the Quran this coming Friday, offering a new copy for every three old copies reports Haveeru.

Islamic custom dictates that the Quran cannot be disposed of in the rubbish, and thus the Ministry is holding a special disposal according to Islamic principles.

The Qurans will be submerged in water in a joint operation conducted by the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) and Male’ City Council.

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Three arrested over Badidhoo island council safe theft

Three men have been arrested in connection with the alleged theft of Rf 60,000 (US$4670) from two safes in the Island Office of Badidhoo in Dhaal atoll, during which a guard was tied up with tape.

Six men have been arrested in the case so far, however police have declined to reveal further information.

Haveeru reported that one the men arrested had run as an MDP candidate for the Island Council in the recent local council elections.

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Maldives film body reveals “grand” awards ceremony plans

The Maldives Film Association has announced its intentions to launch an awards ceremony later this year to honour local actors and directors for their work, newspaper Haveeru has reported.

The organisers of the Maldives Film Awards, which are scheduled for July 2011 and will be held in collaboration with local promotions group High Rise Maldives under a three-year deal, have said that the exact categories to be contested will be announced later this month.

According to the report, the Maldives Film Association has said it will be looking to add two foreign experts to the award’s judging panel as well as inviting high-profile Bollywood stars to be in attendance.

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Four arrested in Badidhoo safe robbery

Police arrested four people in Dhaal Badidhoo today in connection to the theft of a safe with over Rf58,000 (US$4,500) at the island council office in the early hours of Friday, reports Sun Online.

A security watchman at the council secretariat was left bound and gagged by the thieves. The 55 year-old sustained minor injuries in the assault.

An official from the council told Sun Online that today’s arrests were made after police had prohibited anyone from leaving Badidhoo without permission.

The safes at the former Badidhoo island office and health centre were robbed on two occasions in the recent past.

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Voting in progress in Kelaa by-election

Voting is in progress in Haa Alif Kelaa for the local council by-election ordered by the High Court after ruling the original poll on February 5 invalid.

The ballot box will be closed at 4pm and provisional results are expected by 7.30pm, according to the Elections Commission (EC).

Local daily Haveeru reports that over 600 Kelaa residents had voted by 11am.

Five candidates each from the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party and opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party together with one candidate from the religious conservative Adhaalath Party are competing for the five-member island council while two candidates from each party are contesting the two atoll council seats.

Speaking in Kelaa on Thursday during his ongoing tour of the northernmost atoll, President Mohamed Nasheed hailed the by-election as a sign of restoration of justice in the country.

“I am encouraged by the new reality we are seeing. Today we see a clear sign of justice being restored,” he said.

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DRP Leader in court with PA Deputy Leader

Main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali’s lawyer told the Civil Court Thursday that his client was ready to settle a disputed Rf1.92 million (US$149,400) debt to coalition partner People’s Alliance (PA) Deputy Leader Ahmed Nazim, reports Haveeru.

At Thursday’s hearing, Thasmeen’s lawyer however argued that Nazim’s lawsuit was politically motivated as “the friendship between them is gone and they have become enemies.”

Deputy Speaker Nazim’s lawyer refuted Majority Leader Thasmeen’s contention that the loan was used to finance the 2008 presidential campaign, claiming that Thasmeen needed the money to repay a bank loan.

In early 2010, before he took over the DRP leadership, Thasmeen was sued by PA Leader and potential presidential candidate Abdulla Yameen to recover US$100,000. The case was eventually settled out of court.

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BML Chairman grilled by shareholders

Bank of Maldives (BML) Chairman Adam Manik was grilled by irate shareholders at a general meeting held last night to elect two new members to the national bank’s board of directors.

New BML CEO and Managing Director Peter Horton and Adam Azim, M. Seenukarakaage, were elected to the board.

According to newspaper Haveeru, Adam Manik declined to reveal the amount of dollars released to BML daily by the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) in response to a query by a shareholder.

The Chairman said however that the bank has undertaken efforts to increase the supply of US dollars, including issuing loans in rufiyaa to be paid back in dollars.

Adam also told the 21 shareholders in attendance that efforts to collect outstanding loans dating back to 2008 were proceeding slowly due to legal obstacles.

A damning audit report published in January 2009 by the country’s first independent auditor general revealed that BML had granted loans in 2008 in excess of 40 per cent of the bank’s reserve of unimpaired capital – above the ceiling advised by the MMA.

The BML audit report alleged financial fraud and corrupt practices on a large scale, including issuing loans on the basis of political influence.

The report noted that the two largest loans, Rf577 million (US$45 million) and Rf459 million (US$36 million), were issued to Sultans of the Seas and Fonadhoo Tuna Products respectively.

The two loans amounts to 13 per cent of the total loans given by the bank in 2008. Neither loan has been paid back to date.

While the latter company is owned by opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali, Sultans of the Seas is reportedly a family business of the opposition leader.

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