Day: April 20, 2011

Three DRPS staff summoned in ongoing Gaamaadhoo bones investigation

Three staff from the Department of Penitentiary and Rehabilitation Service (DPRS) have been summoned to the President’s Office for questioning amid an investigation launched this week into the disappearance of files concerning bones found at the former Gaamaadhoo prison site.

Copies of the documents stored with police also went missing, but were found after several days of searching. The original kept with the DRPS is still missing, the Home Ministry has said, expressing concern that the investigation maybe have been tampered with.

Haveeru reported today that the three staff summoned were secretarial, and included two women and a man.

President Mohamed Nasheed announced on October 10 last year that DNA tests in Thailand had revealed that human bones discovered on the island a year before matched the age and estimated period of death of Abdulla Anees, Vaavu Keyodhoo Bashigasdhosuge, an inmate officially declared missing in the 1980s.

A senior source in the President’s Office told Minivan News that following the President’s announcement, police had been asked to investigate the disappearance of Abdulla Anees in light of the discovery of the bones.

“People want to see justice for what happened,” the source said. “Human remains were discovered and there is a strong reason to believe that something bad happened. However it looks like the investigation has been compromised.”

Amin Faisal, Dr Ahmed Ali Sawad and Mohamed Shafeeq were this week tasked by the President with investigating the case of the missing files, “as this disappearance points to a deliberate attempt to hide evidence to obstruct an ongoing investigation.

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Hotels, guest houses and safari vessels record rising patronage

The tourism industry has recorded a 10 percent increase in bed nights for the first three months of  2011 compared with 2010, a total of 1,852,564.

However while the majority of nights were spent at resort properties – 1,724,799 – this represented only a seven percent increase on 2010. In comparison, nights at hotels increased 25.5 percent (to 60,784) and safari vessels by 33.9 percent.

Guest houses remained a small segment of the tourism market with 7855 nights, although this represented a 25.5 percent increase on the same period last year. Guest houses continued to record very low occupancy rates of around 17 percent.

Occupancy rates for resorts increased three and a half percent on 2010 to 92.8 percent from January to March 2011, and were exceptionally strong in February – only two percent of the country’s resort rooms were empty during this month. Hotel occupancy increase 6.5 percent on last year.

Overall, occupancy rates across the tourism industry varied only marginally on 2010, dropping 0.1 percent.

Average duration of stay for the first three months of 2011 also showed little variation on the same period last year, continuing a slight downward trend of 0.1 percent to 7.5 days per visitor.

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MPs baulk at publicly declaring assets

Parliament yesterday reached an impasse on making MPs’ annual financial statements public after voting against a proposal put forward by the Ethics Committee.

According to Article 76 of the constitution, “Every member shall annually submit to the Secretary General of the People’s Majlis a statement of all property and monies owned by him, business interests and liabilities. Such declarations shall include the details of any other employment and obligations of such employment.”

Tasked by Secretary General Ahmed Mohamed in November 2010 to determine whether MPs’ financial statements should be released to other state institutions upon request, a majority of the 11-member Ethics Committee decided that the information should not be made available unless ordered by a court of law.

In a frenzied debate after the committee presented its report to the floor, MPs were however divided over the need for a public declaration of assets.

While several MPs argued that such sensitive information about MPs’ personal lives should not be made public at a time when “defamation and slander about MPs” were widespread in the media, others contended that the constitutional provision did not give MPs a choice in the matter.

“Some MPs have said the constitution does not say anything about making [the statements] public. The constitution doesn’t say that it should be released only if ordered by a court either, but that’s what we’re trying to do, and it is not acceptable,” argued MP Mohamed Thoriq of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), adding that the information should be published on the Majlis website and accessible to all citizens.

Hamdhoon Abdulla Hameed of the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) urged MPs to consider that “if this information is not revealed or made public at all, the pointed fingers will be pointing towards all of us.”

Backing the committee recommendation, Minority Leader “Reeko” Moosa Manik said that while he agreed with the constitutional principle of publicly declaring assets and wealth, it was not advisable in “today’s political atmosphere.”

The MDP parliamentary group leader remains embroiled in an acrimonious feud with private broadcaster DhiTV, owned by business magnate “Champa” Mohamed Moosa.

Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) MP Riyaz Rasheed concurred with Moosa, claiming that parliament should be concerned about concerted efforts by some media outlets to “disgrace and humilate MPs.”

“This is not being done by DhiTV’s owner or its management, we know that now” he said. “But previously we believed that it was planned and carried out by the management there. But that is not the case.”

Echoing a claim made by several MPs in past weeks, Riyaz alleged that unsuccessful candidates for parliament and their family members or associates were behind hostile media coverage of parliament.

“In truth, when the financial status of MPs is made known, some MPs will be worried and others will embarrassed,” said minority opposition People’s Alliance (PA) MP Abdul Azeez Jamal Abubakur.

“That is, those who have a lot of money might be very worried and those who do not will be embarrassed. Therefore, at a time when our status is being revealed in the media, I don’t accept at all that these facts should be available to just anyone.”

Independent MP Mohamed Nasheed meanwhile argued that MPs should not shirk from their constitutional responsibilities by blaming the media. “We will answer in the media to the things said in the media,” he said.

Impasse

At the end of the debate, the committee’s recommendation that financial statements should be released only if ordered by a court of law was put to a vote.

While the committee’s proposal was defeated 34 to 25, a motion proposed by Independent MP Ahmed Amir stating that financial statements should not be made public unless it was required for an investigation by a state institution did not pass either.

The MP for Kudahuvadhoo’s motion received 20 votes in favour and 38 votes against.

Since neither proposal was accepted, Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim declared the matter “void”.

“However, the Secretary General’s request for counsel on this matter has not been decided one way or the other,” he said. “So the Secretary General will go ahead with it according to the rules of procedure.”

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PA Nazim agreed to sell resort for Thasmeen

Minority opposition People’s Alliance (PA) Deputy Leader Ahmed Nazim agreed to sell Shaviyani Kabalifaru, which was leased for development as a resort in 2005, for main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali to raise money for a loan of over Rf2 million (US$155,600) owed to the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thasmeen’s lawyer said at yesterday’s final hearing of Nazim’s lawsuit at the Civil Court.

According to local media reports, Shaheem Ahmed, Thasmeen’s lawyer, denied that an agreement was made between the pair to pay back the loan in a month, claiming that to date Nazim has failed to find a buyer for Kabalifaru as agreed upon in November 2008.

Shaheem also denied Nazim’s claim that the loan was taken to pay back Thasmeen’s debts at the Bank of Maldives.

However Nazim’s lawyer, Mohamed Saleem, disputed both claims, demanding documentation to prove that Thasmeen gave power of attorney to Nazim to sell the resort.

Judge Hathif Hilmy adjourned the hearing after informing the parties that a judgment would be given at the next court date.

Deputy Speaker Nazim is suing Majority Leader Thasmeen to recover Rf1.92 million (US$149,400) allegedly unpaid from a loan worth Rf2.55 million (US$200,000) along with Rf100,000 (US$7,782) incurred as lawyer’s fees.

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Cabinet to reclaim 10 islands for tourism development in Male’ atoll

Cabinet has decided to reclaim and develop 10 islands in various lagoons in Male’ atoll, in an effort to cater to interest from investors and developers for tourist facilities near Male.

“Cabinet members also noted that the opportunities available to reclaim and develop islands using environmentally friendly technologies,” the President’s office observed in a statement.

The 10 islands consist of 5-10 hectares each in Male’ atoll, although the final size and shape of the islands will be left to investors.

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Court extends MP Adil’s detention

The Criminal Court has extended the detention of MDP MP for Maradhoo Hassan Adil a second time following his arrest for allegations of child abuse on April 4.

The Court extended Adil’s detention by 15 days for the second time, after police and the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) launched a joint investigation into the case.

Adil was formerly a member of the opposition-aligned Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP), before jumping to the ruling MDP in September last year.

MDP Chairperson Mariya Ahmed Didi has previously told Minivan News that if Adhil was found guilty “then of course the party should [take action]. The party does not condone such acts. But we should only speculate after the court has come to a verdict.”

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Civil servants to receive Rf150,000, scholarships, SME loans for voluntary redundancy

Cabinet yesterday launched a program to encourage civil servants to leave the government and enter the private sector or further their education.

Under the scheme, civil servants and government employees will be eligible for one of four retirement incentive packages: no assistance, a one time payment of Rf 150,000 (US$11,700), a payment of Rf 150,000 and priority in the small and medium enterprises loan scheme (for those 18-50 years of age), or a lump sum of Rf 200,000 (US$15,600) and priority in government training and scholarship programmes (for those 18-40 years of age).

In addition, government employees above the age of 55 who retire voluntarily will be given the same benefits as those released by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) at the mandatory retirement age of 65.

The deadline to apply for the program with the Ministry of Finance is May 31, 2011.

The move is likely to win the government further favour with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), following its managed float of the rufiya and passing of several tax bills through parliament, including the tourism goods and services tax (TGST) and business profit tax.

However international financial organisations such as the World bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) have regarded the country’s bloated public wage bill as the key contributor to its 20-21 percent budget deficit, arguing that the country must reduce its expenditure as well as increase its revenue.

The deficit exploded on the back of a 400 percent increase in the government’s wage bill between 2004 and 2009, with tremendous growth between 2007 and 2009. On paper, the government increased average salaries from Rf3000 to Rf11,000 and boosted the size of the civil service from 24,000 to 32,000 people – 11 percent of the total population of the country – doubling government spending from 35 percent of GDP to 60 percent from 2004 to 2006.

Political maneuverings by the opposition last year forced the government to rescind pay cuts of 15 percent, leading the IMF to comment that “significant policy slippages” were threatening the country’s economic sustainability.

Several political skirmishes over pay cuts between the Finance Ministry and Civil Service Commission (CSC) ended in court last year, with permanent secretaries of Ministries at one stage submitting multiple wage forms in an effort to appease both sides.

Head of the CSC Mohamed Fahmy told Minivan News that the commission was “very positive” about the voluntary redundancy program.

“This is an opportunity particularly for young people to advance their studies and skills,” he suggested.

“We can’t yet say how people will react, but definitely the package for people 55 years and over is very good. I think this is positive encouragement – scholarships are hard to come by, and many parents are not in a position to fund their children’s education.”

The President’s Press Secretary Mohamed Zuhair claimed that the potential short term costs of the scheme “are not relatively high compared to the benefits in the long term.”

“We need to trim down the civil service to reduce state expenditure and have a healthier private sector,” he said. “Few other countries apart from North Korea employ such a high percentage of their population in government.”

Zuhair dismissed the possibility that such an incentive program would lead to a ministerial ‘brain drain’, as talented staff with prospects outside government rushed to leave the civil service.

“The civil service will continue to provide benefits such as long term security and upward mobility – I don’t think there will be a rush,” he predicted.

Political appointees would also be eligible for the program, he added, however following the replacement of government-appointed island councillors by elected representatives, “there are not more than about 170 appointees”.

In comparison, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) has 21,000 staff under its mandate, including 19,000 permanent staff and 2000 contractors.

The remaining public sector employers fall under an assortment of 100 percent government-owned corporations, particularly prevalent in the medical, education and media sectors, a loophole that allows the government to hire-and-fire staff without being subject to the jurisdiction of the CSC.

“Staff of the corporations are no longer civil servants but are still uniformed servants of the state,” Zuhair explained.

Yesterday’s move to incentivise the departure of civil servants is likely to draw further support from the IMF, which has finished its Article IV consultation and may be weighing up the provision of further support.

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Maldives’ football champs invited to inaugural South Asia club tournament

The Maldives is expected to be among eight nations taking part in an inaugural club football tournament scheduled for later this year under the auspices of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF).

This season’s Maldivian champions will be invited along with their counterparts in Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Afghanistan to face off in a competition taking place in Dhaka, Bangladesh, between September 1 and September 15. These teams are expected to be joined by the top two sides from the national leagues of India and Bangladesh.

According to India-based newspaper, the Calcutta Telegraph, local governing body the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has claimed to have agreed to the scheduled dates for the tournament, yet added that the actual details of the competition are still to be decided.

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DRP deputy seeks audience with president over gang fears

Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP and Deputy Leader, Ali Waheed, has reportedly met with President Mohamed Nasheed in Male’ over fears of growing gang violence across the country.

According to Haveeru, the meeting with Nasheed occurred yesterday at his official residence on the behest of Ali Waheed in an attempt to raise concerns over violence linked to gangs. No official confirmation of the exact outcome of the talks has been given as yet.

However, upon departing from the president’s Muleeage residence, Ali Waheed told the newspaper that the discussion had been focused on perceived increases in gang violence.

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