Category: News in Brief

Phone calls are traced in accordance with the law: Communications Authority

The Communication Authority of the Maldives (CAM) has declared that phone calls are traced in the Maldives in “accordance with the law”.

Head of CAM Ilyas Ahmed told newspaper Haveeru that CAM gave priority to ensuring the privacy of phone calls made in the Maldives, and said it would not be easy to trace them.

He insisted that  CAM would not allow anyone to listen and record phone calls illegally.

Ilyas also stated that a normal citizen would not be able to record or listen to traced phone calls,  but said police did have the capacity.

He told local media that police and the MNDF did not have to seek permission from CAM to listen or record phone calls, and therefore CAM was not aware of the extent of the phone tapping.

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Two men to be charged with the stabbing of MP Hamdhoon’s bodyguard

Police have sent the names of two men to the Prosecutor General’s Office (PG) requesting they be charged with the stabbing of a Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) officer, who was serving as the bodyguard of Inguraidhoo Constituency MP Hamdhoon Hameed.

Police identified the two men as Ghanim Abdul Gafoor, 20 of Male’ and Ramiz Ali, 23 of Isdhoo in Laamu Atoll.

In a statement issued today, police alleged that in March 2013 the pair men assaulted the MNDF officer while he was in Lonuziyarai Magu. According to police the incident occurred at about 10:30pm.

MNDF officer Private Ibrahim Areef of the Special Protection Group was stabbed while he was near Imperial Medical Clinic. Areef sustained injuries to his head, torso and arm in the  attack.

The MNDF told the media at the time that Areef was attacked by a group of eight men. He was immediately taken to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) with the assistance of civilians and police.

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President Waheed meets with New Zealand High Commissioner accredited to the Maldives

Bernadette Cavanagh, the recently appointed High Commissioner of New Zealand accredited to the Maldives, presented her credentials to President Dr Mohamed Waheed in Male’ yesterday.

During their meeting, Dr Waheed discussed a number of issues with the commissioner, including recent political developments in the Maldives and the upcoming election scheduled for September, according to the President’s Office website.

The president also thanked the New Zealand government for assistance in strengthening the Maldives’ education sector.

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More than MVR 100,000 raised for baby born with facial scar

Parents of a baby girl born with a large black birthmark across her face have received more than MVR 100,000 (US$6,485) in donations from the public following an appeal on social media to raise funds for plastic surgery.

The father of the girl told newspaper Haveeru today that the generous response from the public has exceeded the family’s expectations.

“Doctors advised me to go for a plastic surgery,” wrote Ahmed Shareef on Facebook last week, posting a picture of his newborn.

“But plastic surgery is not available here in Maldives. And it costs a huge amount. Please help me in anyway you can if it is possible. Even I will appreciate your good prayers too.”

Speaking to Minivan News on Sunday, Shareef said he had been in touch with doctors from abroad who had given a preliminary diagnosis of Congenital Nevomelanocytic Nevus (CNN).

A nevus – the medical term for a birthmark – larger than 20 centimetres in diameter only occurs once in every half a million newborns. This is the first such case reported in Maldives, which has a population of around 350,000 people.

The scar went undetected during ultra sound scans throughout the pregnancy, Shareef explained.

For more information on this story contact Ahmed Shareef on Facebook or make donations to bank account number 101 230672 7723 at the Bank of Maldives.

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Parliament accepts bill on inclusion of women’s committee chair in island council

Parliament on Monday (June 26) accepted an amendment proposed to the Decentralisation Act by Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Rozaina Adam to reserve a seat on island councils for the chair of women’s development committees.

The bill was accepted with 38 votes in favour and sent to committee for further review.

During the preliminary debate, most MPs supported the proposal in principle while others argued against affirmative action on the basis of gender.

Elections for women’s development committees to function under island and city councils took place in November 2012 in 102 islands.

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 women; (k) Manage assets and finance of the committee.

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Bank of Maldives sends MTDC notice for repayment of Herethere development loan

The Bank of Maldives Plc Ltd (BML) has sent notice to the government-owned Maldives Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) to settle US$17.5 million overdue from a US$25 million loan provided to develop the Herethere resort in Addu City.

According to Sun Online, while the  loan requires a payment of $435,000 per month until February next year, the government tourism was sent notice by the national bank over non-payment of US$700,000 in line with the scheduled repayments.

“We wanted to sell the resort and completely pay off the bank loan. But the company’s work has come to a halt because of the delay, as the government is unable to appoint directors to the company’s board. We want to sell the resort as soon as possible and complete the repayment of the loan,” an MTDC official was quoted as saying.

Earlier this month, the MTDC board of directors decided to sell its biggest asset, Herethere resort, for US$30 million to a company with a majority stake owned by local tourism magnate ‘Champa’ Hussain Afeef.

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Original documents of transactions with Meridian Services stolen: STO lawyer

Lawyers for the government-owned State Trading Organisation (STO) claimed in the Civil Court today that original documents of business transactions with Dhivehi Qaumee Party (MP) Riyaz Rasheed’s Meridian Services had been stolen, reports Haveeru.

At today’s hearing of STO’s lawsuit against Meridian seeking to recover MVR 19.3 million (US$1.2 million) released as credit, the company’s lawyers said the theft of the documents from the STO office occurred on October 27, 2011 and were reported to police at the time.

The lawyer reportedly requested the opportunity to present witnesses to prove the authenticity of copies or other records of the stolen documents.

However, lawyers for the Vilufushi MP’s Meridian Services disputed the authenticity of the purchase orders, delivery notices and invoices submitted as evidence by STO, claiming the documents were forged.

The Meridian lawyer claimed that there were discrepancies in the purchase orders and delivery notes with inconsistent numbers and quantities as well as lack of signatures.

In response, the STO lawyer said Meridian had not submitted any evidence or a statement challenging the validity of the evidence submitted by STO.

The judge adjourned the hearing after announcing that a decision would be made at the next hearing over STO’s request to present witnesses.

On April 26, 2012, the STO issued a press statement announcing that it would file a case at Civil Court to recover MVR 19,333,671.20 (US$1,253,804.88) allegedly unpaid by Meridian Services.

STO and Meridian Services signed an oil trade agreement on March 31, 2010, which offered the company a credit facility worth MVR 20 million (US$ 1,297,016.86) for purchasing oil from STO, stipulating that payments had to be made within a period of 40 days.

However, in August 2010, STO lowered its credit limit from MVR 20 million to MVR 10 million (US$648,508.43) and shortened the payment period from 40 to 30 days, prompting Meridian Services to sue STO for alleged breach of contract.

Meridian Services however lost the first case after Civil Court Judge Abdulla Jameel Moosa ruled in favor of STO.

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MDP Youth Wing President sues police for “unlawful” confiscation of mobile

The Youth Wing President of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Aminath Shauna, is suing the Maldives Police Service (MPS) for the “unlawful” confiscation of her cell phone, reports local media.

Her mobile phone was confiscated following her arrest during a July 2012 MDP protest. As her phone was held against a court order, according to Shauna, she is seeking a Civil Court ruling that declares the police action was illegal.

“I was arrested on allegations that I obstructed police duty. After arresting me around 6pm, the [Criminal] court order to confiscate my phone was sought around 10pm,” Shauna told local media. “The court order’s date was stated as July 7, but I was arrested on July 13.”

MPS attempted to return her mobile after she filed the Civil Court case, however Shauna refused to accept the phone until the court issues its verdict.

“I said I will accept the phone only after the court makes a decision on the matter,” Shauna said.

“Moreover, only through the trial I came to know that the police are trying to place terrorism charges against me. But I was arrested on charges of obstruction of police duty,” she added.

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Lottery draw held for winners of flats under Veshi Fahi Male’ housing programme

A lottery draw among winners of flats in Male’ and Hulhumale’ under categories A and B of the Veshi Fahi Male’ housing programme took place on Sunday (June 23) to award and designate flats.

Deputy Minister of Housing Abdulla Muttalib told newspaper Haveeru yesterday (June 24) that the lottery draw took place for 100 flats in the A category and 540 flats in the B category.

He added that 100 flats in the ground floor of apartment complexes are designated for families who have dependents or children with special needs.

Muttalib also revealed that the ministry has reached an agreement with the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) to lower the advance payment from MVR 28,000 (US$1,816) to MVR 19,000 (US$1,232).

He added that agreements for the flats would be signed within the next three weeks.

While winners of flats in Male’ would be awarded the flats once construction in two areas of the capital was complete, Muttalib conceded that the work undertaken by India’s TATA company was completely stalled at present.

The Veshi Fahi Male’ de-congestion programme was a flagship project of the ousted Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) government under its manifesto pledge to provide affordable housing.

The project was launched on November 10, 2010 to ease congestion in the capital and develop the Greater Male’ Region, consisting of Hulhumale’, Vili-Male’, Thilafushi industrial island and Gulhifalhu.

Approximately 125,000 people are believed to reside in about 16,000 households in Male’ while the total number of households in the Maldives is estimated to be 46,000.

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