Month: November 2010

Aminiyya School board threaten resignation over introduction of grade one

The board of the girls-only ‘Aminiyya School’ have expressed concern over the Education Ministry’s decision to introduce grade 1 students to the school next year, claiming that the structural integrity of the building made it a danger to minors.

Ahmed Ali, a board member of the school, told Minivan News that the board members were concerned that the school building was “very old and weak”.

“The building is 32 years-old and was built with stones, it is very weak and if minors were brought in it would be very dangerous,’’ claimed Ahmed. “We have informed the education ministry several times about the condition of the building – last Sunday the whole board went for an urgent meeting with the ministry to discuss the issue.’’

The whole board, Ahmed said declined to bring minors to the school unless the building was renewed or refurbished to a strong condition and decided to resign if the ministry acted otherwise.

‘’The education ministry said there was nowhere elsewhere to keep the students,’’ said Ahmed.

The board also claimed it opposed the introduction of grade 1 students because of “social issues”.

“This is a school for females and some of them wear short skirts up to the knees,” said Ahmed. “If minors were brought in parents will have to come inside the school compound to fetch the students. If parents can come inside the schools compound, it won’t be only parents who will come in.’’

He claimed that other people would also come into the school “and harass the students.”

Deputy Minister for Education Dr Abdulla Nazeer said the ministry was aware of the concerns of the board.

“Their main concern was the building and it’s structural weaknesses,’’ said Dr Nazeer. “We have surveyed the building to determine its condition and have included the money needed to renew the building in our budget.’’

Dr Nazeer said when the parliament approves the budget, the project to renew the building will be commence.

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Civil Court returns missing Rf10,000 to owner

The Civil Court of the Maldives has returned Rf10,000 (US$778) after the money was lost by its owner.

The Rf10,000 was found by a person the court identified as Abdulla Zuhury of Hithadhu in Seenu Atoll.

Zuhury found the money on the pavement near Sultan Park on October 22, and handed it to the Civil Court, Chief Judge Ali Sameer said.

The Civil Court then issued an announcement informing the public that it held lost Rf 10,000 and asked the owner of the money to claim for it.

A person named Mohamed, of Alimasge of Hulhudhu in Seenu Atoll, came forward to claim the money.

The court decided that Mohamed was the legitimate owner of the money after he told the court the color of the bag the money was in, the area it was found in, and the denomination of notes.

The court handed the money to him declaring that later if the court found out that he was not the owner of it, it would be handed over to the court again.

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Man sentenced for indecently exposing himself to a minor

The Criminal Court yesterday sentenced a man to three years in prison after the court found him guilty of the indecent exposure of his body to a minor in Villingili.

The court identified the offender as Mohamed Saeed, 39.

The Criminal court said the brother of the male victim received information of the incident and reported to police that Saeed was attempting to have sex with the boy inside a guest house named ‘Beach View’ in Villingili.

“When police went to the guest house after receiving the information from the victim’s brother, police attended the scene and saw Saeed standing naked near the bed,’’ said the Criminal Court. “The boy was lying on the bed when the police arrived.’’

The Criminal Court said the victim told the court that Saeed went into the toilet and came out naked.

Saeed told the court that he worked in a cargo ship and came to Male’ for his vacation.

The Court sentenced him according to the ‘Act on special actions against sexual abuse to minors’ section 22[a] and 22[b].

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Letter on the housing crisis

Dear Editor,

Suppose a woman who is working has to resign from her job for the caring and upbringing of her very young child, she cannot do it because if she resigns from the job, her family cannot afford to continue paying the monthly rent and the family shall go back to the miserable conditions that they were suffering in for ages, or even worse than that.

Here I am talking about the families who are being provided with the basic housing under an affordable housing scheme by Hulhumale’ Development Corporation (HDC). The reason why people have accepted these pigeon-hole like housing is because they had no place to live. This housing is called Row Houses by HDC.

We hear from the NSPA that families who face such difficulties shall apply for a subsidy but there is no such mechanism. For example, if one applies for a subsidy due to the above reason, this working woman must resign from her job first and then apply for a subsidy which is really a very big risk for them, and may be forced to migrate to a neighboring country where their income is enough to live and support the family.

When the number of families who are leaving behind their beloved and beautiful Maldives are at alarmingly high increase due to such unavoidable reasons, the authorities responsible usually mention that it’s because people have lot of money and that they are living abroad.

I think a responsible authority must think on the real issues before commenting blindly. Because, people are really suffering. This is not something we can hide. Maybe NSPA, HDC or the Human Rights Commission do not get many such complaints from the people but this issue is talked and discussed by the people every day and several times a day. I think people are not interested in complaining on such issues because people know very clearly the answer that they shall get and nothing would change. People do not like to go and talk to those who are at the service counters because we all have bad experiences taking about such issues.

So, I hereby request the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives, the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) and the country’s basic housing providers to please think on this critical issue before a large number of people die without enjoying their right to live in their beloved country.

Regards
Saeed

All letters are the sole view of the author and do not reflect the editorial policy of Minivan News. If you would like to write a letter piece, please submit it to [email protected]

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GMR pays US$78 million upfront fee to government

Indian infrastructure giant GMR has paid the Maldives the US$78 million upfront fee to the government for the operation of Male’ International Airport, the finance ministry has stated.

GMR has leased the airport for 25 years in partnership with Malaysia Airport Holdings. As well as the upfront fee, the GMR-MAHD consortium will pay one percent of profits until 2014 and then 10 percent until 2035, and 15 percent of the fuel trade until 2014 and 27 percent thereafter.

The consortium has previously stated that it will invest almost US$400 in upgrading and expanding the existing airport.

The controversial deal has come under fire from a coalition of opposition parties, who have opposed the privatisation on nationalistic grounds and argue that the bidding process was not transparent.

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Easy island life masked by uneasy development: Asia News Network

Everything seems so surreal in Male’, writes Jofelle Tesorio from the Asia News Network.

“The easy island life is masked by an uneasy development where buildings are built in every corner and people buy branded products, sport the newest phone technology and drive expensive cars. And yet, there is a significant number of the population who barely can afford necessities.

“The unemployment rate in the country is also quite high compared to its population yet the country will soon graduate from being an underdeveloped to middle-income country.

Read more

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Hulhule Island Hotel wins ‘Luxury Airport Hotel’ award

The Hulhule Island Hotel (HIH) near Male’ International Airport has been awarded the ‘Luxury Airport Hotel’ by the World Luxury Hotel Awards 2010, held on October 8 in Thailand.

The 136 room hotel, built in 2000, is used as a luxury stopover by tourists waiting for further transport, as well as flight crews. It is also a popular venue for Male’-based foreign workers.

This is the third year the hotel was won the award.

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Forty percent of manifesto complete, claims MDP

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) claimed at its congress last weekend that 40 percent of the party’s manifesto had been implemented since the party took office in 2008.

MDP spokesperson Ahmed Haleem told Minivan News that the congress was “very successful”, with launch of the local council election campaign representing “major progress” towards the upcoming local council elections.

During the congress the MDP launched a “Youth Wing’’ and a ‘’Womens’ Spirit Wing’’, which Minivan News understands intends to encourage “positive discrimination” towards involving women in politics.

Haleem said more than 1000 delegates took part in the congress including observers.

“All delegates were selected through primaries, unlike how it is done in other political parties in the country,’’ he said. “Other parties just call their friends to be delegates or hold a little primary at the event.”

Speaking at the Congress, President Mohamed Nasheed outlined dates for the construction of housing, claiming he would lay the foundation for flats in Male’ on November 10, the foundation for 1000 flats in Hulhumale on November 11, and 500 flats in the atolls.

A further 1000 flats would be built with the assistance of Korean aid, he said.

He also noted that projects such as land reclamation, harbour development and sewerage works were not included in the manifesto, but were also being implemented. Harbour developments had been completed in 27 islands since the party took office, Nasheed said, while further harbour developments were currently occuring at 11 islands. Projects would commence in Hoarafushi, Ihavandhoo and Dhiffushi in November, he said.

Speaking on corruption, Nasheed noted that years of accumulated corruption could not be dismissed in two years. But, he said,  “a good governance system without torture is now being created in the Maldives. The government has done away with revenge.”

MDP’s election manifesto consists of five core pledges: ‘nationwide transport’, ‘affordable living costs’, ‘affordable housing’, ‘affordable quality healthcare’, and the ‘prevention of narcotics abuse and trafficking’.

Criticising the the government’s achievements, opposition Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP) MP Ahmed Mahlouf claimed that the 40 percent implementation of the pledges announced at the congress “was more like five percent.”

“I think it’s very clearly not true,” he said. “What we saw at the MDP Congress was some deleagates criticising the President for giving dates for the launch of projects because they knew it was going to make it difficult for them to campaign.”

Mahlouf noted that while the number of poor registered in Male’ in 2008 was 2000, “now it has increased to 9000.”

“Nasheed also promised to bring down the price of goods – but now it costs Rf 300 for a kilogram of chilli. I was shocked.”

Mahlouf further claimed that the DRP had attempted “to help the MDP implement its manifesto by ensuring there was a free state media, run by a board determined by parliament, but they were against it.”

Mahlouf also noted that as for the promise to tackle corruption, “Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index now ranks the country next to Zimbabwe.”

The government contends the index reflects a growing awareness that corruption is a problem.

Image: Maurouf Khaleel

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Speaker cancels parliament after MPs continue dispute over cabinet endorsement

The parliament sitting today was again cancelled after the opposition and ruling party MPs clashed over the issue of cabinet endorsement.

Newly-appointed spokesperson of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Alhan Fahmy told Minivan News that the parliament sitting became heated after the MDP parliamentary group leader MP Moosa ‘Reeko’ Manik took a point of order saying that the cabinet endorsement should only be included in the agenda after amending parliament’s rules of procedure.

“Moosa said that parliament should only proceed with the issue after amending the rules of procedure,’’ said Alhan. ‘’He said that there was no procedure to follow when endorsing the cabinet ministers.’’

The opposition MPs disagreed and the sitting was concluded.

The Supreme Court ruled last Thursday that while article 171(i) of the parliament’s rules of procedure does not contradict with constitution, it cannot be used in endorsing cabinet ministers.

Attorney General Dr Amhed Ali Sawad said the ruling “clearly establishes that even if the Majlis does something outside its stated precinct in the constitution, such an act will be ultra vires (beyond its powers)”.

“In terms of legal precedent it has established a Supreme Court endorsement of separation of powers theory in the constitution, and identifies the separate legal precincts of the executive, legislature and judiciary,” he added.

However he noted that the Supreme Court decision left it open to the parties to resolve the deadlock – which currently shows no sign of happening.

Opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Ahmed Nihan claimed that “once again MDP MPs deliberately forced the speaker to cancel the parliament after making disruptive remarks.’’

Nihan claimed that MDP wanted to “use their power inside the parliament rather than following the rules of procedure.”

‘’If the parliament sitting is to  proceeded, than the ruling party must keep aside their stubbornness and let the sittings proceed according to the rules of procedure,’’ Nihan said.

Niahan said DRP parliamentarians have decided not to endorse ministers  “including Foreign minister Dr Ahmed Shaheed and Defence minister Ameen Faisal, for they have conducted actions against the constitution.”

He also said that DRP’s planned protests will be ongoing and it were delayed out of consideration for students’ exams.

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