An Indian worker residing in Male’ has been arrested in possession of alcohol.
According to Sub-Inspector Ahmed Azhan of the Drug Investigation Department, a raid was conducted on a suspected alcohol brewing and distribution operation. The Indian man, only known as Shibu, was found with 65 bottles of alcohol that police have identified as vodka.
Police are now working to identify the man as he had no passport or other means of identification on him, and believe him to be in the country illegally.
A recent survey conducted by various travel magazines has found 80% of respondents feel that prices in the Maldives are too high.
According to Miadhu, 140 tourists were questioned over seven days as part of the survey. Many claimed they they would rather experience the true beauty of the Maldives and experience local cuisine rather than pay top dollar for imported food and sit in a room with expensive decorations.
While the development of mid-range tourist resorts has been considered, the influence of the upscale tourism sector remains strong in the country.
An opinion poll in Australia has shown that a large number of non-Muslims as well as Muslims are against religious caricatures, such as of the Prophet Mohamed (PBUH), being published reports Miadhu.
The internet vote found 160,000 people were against the publication of such material, while 60,000 agreed that it could be published.
Caricatures of the Prohpet Mohamed (PBUH) met with considerable controversy recently when they were published in countries such as Australia and Denmark.
Some organisations such as Reporters Without Borders believe that these caricatures are part of freedom of speech, Miadhu reported. However human rights advocates argue against this, claiming that such depictions stir an already volatile pot and the direct targeting of religions and religous personalities should be ceased immediately.
President of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed has met with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to discuss the need to reach an emissions reduction agreement at Copenhagen.
Rudd congratulated the President on his efforts in intervening with the delegates in the plenary to continue the talks.
Nasheed expressed his concern that low lying island nations would be some of the first victims of climate change and that an agreement would have to be reached by the end of the Copenhagen conference.
The President also met with the Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and the Prime Minster of Grenada Tillman Thomas.
The number of swine flu cases in the Maldives has climbed to 32 after seven more people, including a pilgrim returning from Hajj, tested positive yesterday.
The 27-year-old man was the first Hajj pilgrim to test positive for swine flu.
This establishes infection in Haa Alif Baarah, Hoarafushi, Thuraakunu, Dhaal Rinbidhoo, Faaf Nilandhoo and a resort island being developed in Thaa atoll, according to the health ministry.
The virus has now been detected in all regions of the country apart from seven atolls. With nine cases reported, the Male’ region has the highest incidence of swine flu, followed by five in Raa atoll, and two each from Shaviyani, Noonu, Meemu and Dhaal atolls.
Baa, Lhaviyani, Alif Alif, Vaavu, Faafu, Thaa and Gnaviyani atolls have one confirmed case each.
The number of Influenza A cases in the country currently stands at 65.
The swine flu alert is currently at level four with infection being transmitted within the general community but limited to some islands, atoll or province, the health ministry said.
Under level four, the ministry advises travelers to take precautionary measures and defer “non-essential travel, especially for those who are at higher risk of severe illness and when onward travel may result in quarantine”.
A 65-year-old man from Raa atoll Inguraidhoo who died on 18 November became the first casualty of swine flu in the Maldives.
He was the first victim not to have traveled abroad. In a statement to parliament, Health Minister Dr Aiminath Jameel said the victim was believed to have contracted the virus on a visit to Male’ to see off pilgrims to Mecca.
Prior to his death, the six people infected with the virus had traveled abroad and were released after treatment.
The number of deaths from swine flu worldwide has risen to 9,596 deaths in over 200 countries.
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
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.
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]
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.
(0)Dislikes
(0)Dislikes
(0)