Day: December 16, 2009

Circus in parliament as MPs reject bill banning sale of alcohol

Parliament has narrowly rejected a bill outlawing the sale of alcohol in inhabited islands, airports and other places frequented by Maldivians.

Of the 57 MPs in attendance, 28 voted against proceeding with the legislation, while 23 voted in favour and six abstained.

Several MPs from the two main parties vociferously raised points of order when independent MP Muttalib, who proposed the legislation, in his closing statement after the debate, told DRP MP Ali Azim to repent for his remarks and called on the authorities to take action against him.

Azim had argued against the legislation, claiming it was not a “sensible” or “necessary” law.

However Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim did not allow any points of order, leading to pandemonium in the chamber. The sitting was temporarily called off after almost every MP walked out in protest and quorum was lost.

Muttalib also accused MDP MP Mariya Ahmed Didi of opposing the bill because of her “close association” with the Holiday Inn in Male’, and accused MDP MP Mohamed Mustafa of defrauding pilgrims to “steal their money”.

After the sitting resumed at 11am, Muttalib said MPs would have to “bear responsibility” when the government authorised sale of alcohol in hotels in Male’.

A number of Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party-People’s Alliance coalition (DRP-PA) MPs joined several independents and all the MPs of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) in either abstaining or voting against the bill.

Among the MPs who opposed the legislation were Thohdhoo MP Ali Waheed, Galolhu South MP Ahmed Mahlouf, Vili-Maafanu MP Ahmed Nihan, Mid-Henveiru MP Ali Azim, Villigili MP Mohamed Ramiz, Feydhoo MP Alhan Fahmy of the DRP and Maavashu MP Abdul Azeez Jamal Abukaburu and Isdhoo MP Ahmed Rasheed Ibrahim from the People’s Alliance.

Mid-Henveiru MP Ali Azim
Mid-Henveiru MP Ali Azim

Unconstitutional

During the debate, several MPs argued the bill was unconstitutional as it would indirectly authorise the sale of alcohol.

Article 10(b) of the constitution states no law contrary to any tenet of Islam shall be made or enacted in the Maldives.

Machangaoalhi North MP Mariya Ahmed Didi, chairperson of MDP, argued tourist resorts should also be considered inhabited islands.

“The constitution states all Maldivians have equal protection under the law. Therefore, if we are to give protection to people in inhabited islands, we must provide it to people in resorts,” she said, adding resort workers spend most of the year living in the resorts.

Ungoofaru MP Dr Afrashim Ali of the DRP, a religious scholar, said MPs were mistaken when they argued a law was not needed to ban a practice forbidden in Islam, as it was necessary to devise regulations to protect Maldivian society from social ills such as alcohol.

He added flaws and imperfections in the bill could be remedied at committee stage.

His DRP colleague, Mid-Henveiru MP Ali Azim said MPs should consider whether such a law was needed and whether it would protect Islam in the country.

“My thinking on this is very different. We have to consider who we are trying to forbid alcohol to. We are trying to make it illegal for expatriates and foreigners who visit the Maldives. I don’t think this is a reason we should make it illegal,” he said.

With the economy reliant on the tourism industry, he continued, it did not make sense to outlaw the sale of alcohol only in parts of the country as this would not prevent Maldivians gaining access to it.

Azim said the bill was backed by “the Jews” as part of a long-term plan to weaken the country and introduce other religions.

Meanwhile People’s Alliance MP Abdul Azeez spoke in favour of the bill and urged MPs to send it to committee, but voted against it.

“Unacceptable”

Speaking to Minivan News today, Mauroof Zakir, spokesperson for the coalition of NGOs and associations campaigning against the sale of alcohol in inhabited islands, said the reasons given by MPs for rejecting the bill were “unacceptable”.

“We agree that there are problems with the bill, but throwing it out doesn’t solve anything,” he said. “While [parliament] has the power to send it to committee and cut and trim it, the things they said were intended to mislead the public.”

The coalition was considering proposing another bill, he said, and planned to stage protests and employ civil disobedience if the government enforced the revised regulations on the sale of alcohol.

Last month, the government revised the regulations on the import and use of alcohol to revoke over 800 liquor permits issued to expatriates in favour of authorising hotels to serve foreigners under strict supervision.

The Economic Development Ministry argued lax monitoring of the liquor permits had resulted in a black market for alcohol in the capital Male’.

But, the Ministry’s revised regulations were withdrawn following public pressure before it could be enforced and were sent to a parliamentary committee for consultation.

Under the regulations, tourist hotels in inhabited islands with more than 100 beds would be authorised to sell alcohol to foreigners, but the hotel bar should not be visible from outside or employ Maldivians.

Further, an inventory of the alcohol in storage and daily sales has to be maintained and made available to police on request, while the storage room has to be monitored by CCTV cameras.

Alcohol could not be kept at mini-bars in the hotel rooms and expatriate employees at the bar would be subject to police clearance.

Zakir said the coalition would begin work “immediately” on filing a case at the Supreme Court to abolish regulations made 50 years ago that gave authority to the Economic Development Ministry to allow the import and use of alcohol.

Following today’s vote, he said, the coalition expected the revised regulations to be enforced.

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Coral spawning creates red sea in Addu

Spawning coral have turned patches of ocean pinkish red around Villingili island on Addu atoll, in photos released by the Shangri-La resort’s Eco Centre.

Manager of the Eco Centre Estelle Davies said the phenomenon was very interesting because the coral were spawning in December according to southern hemisphere patterns.

“The only documented coral spawning in the Maldives is during March and April, which I believe is synchronous with northern hemisphere timing,” Estelle explained. “So even though Addu is part of the Maldives, true to its position, it seems to be following the Southern Hemisphere spawning [patterns].”

Estelle said islanders in the area had described similarly coloured water in previous years, but had been unsure what it was.

“You should have heard some of the rumours – people thought it was red paint, or someone killing fish,” she said. “It certainly smelt of living animal, which of course is what coral is.”

Microscope analysis suggested the coral spawn was only one or two species, she said: “I was expecting far more – there’s over 200 species here. I suspect acropora, porites or montipora as the eggs were less than a mm in diameter.”

Coral was often mistaken for a plant when it was really an animal, Estelle explained, that reproduces both sexually and asexually.

“Some species are hermaphrodites and release an egg already fertilised ” she said.

Estelle said she hoped pilots flying through the area would report any red streaks they saw across the ocean.

“I think pilots are the most likely to see evidence of this happening,” she said.

Anyone who spots a similar occurance in the region can contact the Shangri-La’s Eco Centre at [email protected]

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Man rides motorcycle into the sea

A man was admitted to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in a critical condition on Tuesday after crashing his motorcycle into the sea, reports Haveeru.

Abdulla Muaz (21), of Jawaahirumaage/Laamu Fonadhoo, suffered severe head injuries after he skidded off the causeway onto rocks between Laamu atoll Maandhoo and Kadhdoo. His passenger suffered cuts and bruises but was otherwise unharmed.

His father, Mohamed Jameel, told Haveeru that his son was still unconcious and doctors had intially put his chance of recovery at less than 40 per cent.

“However later they said that his condition seemed to be stabilising,” Jameel said.

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Six men arrested for dismantling DRP camp

Six men who attempted to remove a temporary Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) campaign office in Haa Alifu atoll Dhidhdhoo were arrested by police after a confrontation with those inside, Haveeru reports.

Police said the six men were taken into custody “to keep the peace”, and were later cautioned and released.

Dhidhdhoo Councilor Ahmed Shareef claimed that no authorisation to set up a political camp, or ‘jagaha’, in the harbour area had been given as the area was a commercial zone.

Leader of the DRP jagaha, Mohamed Naseer Nasru, said no permission had been sought for the camp because many others had previously been built in the area.

“There is no justification for this; it’s just plain unfair,” he told Haveeru. “We asked them not to take the place apart as we are willing to pay the rent for it.”

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Maldives ‘easiest country in which to pay tax’

The Maldives has been crowned ‘the easiest country in which to pay tax’ for the second year running by the World Bank’s Doing Business in 2010 report, ahead of Qatar and Hong Kong.

The report measures the regulatory environment of most of the world’s economies, scoring them on factors such as the ease of starting a business, obtain construction permits, get credit and enforce contracts.

Overall the Maldives was ranked 87th out of 183 countries in the survey, a fall of 16 places on last year largely attributable to the increased difficulty of starting a new business (37th to 49th in 2010) and employ workers (6th to 41st in 2010).

Gaining credit within the country, trading across borders and closing a business continued to be major impediments to private economic development, the report indicated.

“The regulatory environment for businesses can influence how well firms cope with the economic crisis and are able to seize opportunities when recovery begins,” the report said.

Where business regulation is transparent and efficient, it is easier for firms to reorient themselves and for new firms to start up. Efficient court and bankruptcy procedures help ensure that assets can be reallocated quickly. And strong property rights and investor protections can help establish the basis for trust when investors start investing again.”

The World Bank report also revealed that despite possessing a multi-billion dollar tourist industry, the economically-troubled Maldives has the world’s third-lowest total commercial tax rate of 9.1 per cent behind Timor-Leste and Vanuatu.

Two bills on taxation have passed committee stage and are to be put before parliament for a vote, including one on corporate taxation and another on administrative framework structures. Next year’s budget relies heavily on taxation, although the legislation has not yet been passed.

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Fire victim evacuated to Sri Lanka with 65 percent burns

A man who was critically burned in a fire on Saturday at Dhaalu atoll Vaanee school has been evacuated to Sri Lanka for medical treatment, reports Haveeru.

Twenty-one year-old Abdulla Hussain from Alivilaage/Vaanee suffered burns to almost 65 per cent of his body, and currently requires a respirator to breathe. Doctors at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) said the fire had scorched Hussain’s lungs, and a subsequent infection had filled them with fluid causing him to struggle to breath.

“Because of that we decided to send him abroad in case his condition got worse,” Dr Abdulla Ubaid told Haveeru.

Another man injured in the fire, 21 year-old Ibrahim Rasheed of Hiyaleege/Vaanee, suffered burns to 40 per cent of his body. He is still in intensive care but is recovering, doctors said.

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Maldives welcomes home SAFF finalists

Thousands of Maldivians welcomed home the national football team last night, filling Republican Square to the brim following the team’s narrow defeat to India in the SAFF final held in Bangladesh.

Goal.com reported that despite the Maldivian team’s unlucky defeat, their prowess on the field has made them “the soccer power of South Asia” while “captain Ali Ashfag has been acclaimed as the best player in the region.”

The team were greeted at Male International Airport by officials from the airport and the Football Association, as well as vice president Dr Mohamed Waheed. The group travelled to Republican Square in a brightly coloured boat where they were led through the crowds of spectators to the back of a pick up truck. The team then toured the streets of Male, to the delight of cheering supporters, disembarking at Lonuziyaaraiykolhu to shake hands with assembled fans.

The muted celebrations after Sunday’s defeat in a 3:1 penalty shoot-out were forgotten as thousands thronged the streets, cheering and honking the horns of their motorcycles.

The victorious Indian team had less of a welcome, after their flight home to Mumbai was delayed by more than 12 hours. After two hours sleep at what a senior player described as “a third class hotel”, the team returned to the airport at 5am only to be told the flight would not depart until later that evening.

“We haven’t slept for the last two nights,” said Indian coach Sukhwinder Singh, when he finally arrived back in Mumbai.

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