Day: August 30, 2011

Former President Gayoom to lead new party

The breakaway Z-faction of the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) is to form a new political party to be led by former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, reports Haveeru.

An unnamed official from the ‘Zaeem faction’ told Haveeru that a majority of the Z-DRP council and opposition parliamentary group members supported the creation of a new party at a meeting last night that took place at Gayoom’s new office in Male’.

“All the members except two or three supported creating a new political party. All the members supported the idea of Maumoon heading the party,” the member said. “It has been decided that the Zaeem [Gayoom] would announce the decision within 2-3 days.”

MP Ahmed Mahlouf, spokesperson of the opposition parliamentary group that began functioning independently of the DRP last month, told Minivan News this week that discussions on forming a new party were at an advanced stage.

Factional strife within the DRP following the uncontested election of Ahmed Thasmeen Ali in March 2010 publicly erupted in a brawl between supporters of the embattled leader and dismissed Deputy Leader Umar Naseer in a televised rally on December 14, 2010.

Following months of allegations and counter-allegations in the media, in March this year, Gayoom fired off a 12-page letter condemning Thasmeen’s leadership of the main opposition party and accusing the DRP Leader of “acting dictatorially.”

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Scottish scientists optimistic that Maldives can achieve carbon-neutral status

The Maldives could use marine energy to reach its goal of becoming the first carbon neutral nation by 2020, the Scottish Government has announced.

A report produced by the Centre for Understanding Sustainable Practice (CUSP) at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, and supported by the Scottish government, explored the use of marine energy to combat trends in global warming.

Scotland’s Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Stewart Stevenson, said CUSP looks forward to further cooperative efforts with the Maldives.

“This report furthers the understanding of the challenges and opportunities for marine energy in the Maldives, and its findings will be incorporated into the developing Maldives Renewable Energy Investment Framework.”

The CUSP report analysed the technological and socio-economic possibilities for using marine energy in the Maldives, and considered the natural resources and geographic conditions.

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Opposition split excuse to break coalition: Eurasia Review

As expected, on 16th July, the People’s Alliance (PA) led by former President Gayoom’s half brother Abdulla Yameen formally split from the main opposition coalition of DRP and PA, writes S Chandrasekharan for the Eurasia Review.

“The reasons given were general in nature and these included 1. Failure to take initiative for the making efforts needed to hold the government accountable. 2. The DRP leader Thasmeen Ali did not adequately shoulder responsibility and take the initiative that befits a majority leader and 3. Presence of serious divisions within the DRP and its failure to resolve the dispute as well as splits between DRP members in the Parliament and failure to appropriately embrace the party’s whip line.

The allegations were too general and were only excuses made to get out of the coalition. What Abdulla did not say was that it is being done at the behest of his half brother and former president Gayoom who it appears has finally decided to plunge into “active politics.”

In this process Gayoom ditched his closest ally Thasmeen Ali who was his Home Minister when the former was in power and later his running mate in the Presidential elections. Thasmeen Ali who was elected in the 3rd National Conference of th DRP in 2010 as party leader and fully endorsed by Gayoom had performed well in the parliamentary and the local elections despite the increasing popularity of President Nasheed and his party the MDP.

Soon after on the 21st, a new coalition was formed with the breakaway faction of DRP ( known as Z-DRP- Zaeem DRP), the Jhumhoree party, the People’s Alliance and the DQP. Thus, Thasmeen would lose his position even as “minority leader” of the Majlis.

Gayoom has thus once again taken over the centre stage in Maldivian politics. After getting generous retirement basis it was said that he had given an undertaking that he would retire from active politics.

Now a separate office has been opened for him (said to have been contributed by his friends!) in Male. True to his form he started in grand style in blaming the external factors for the problems faced by his country in Maldives. He did not mention that the present economic problems faced by the current regime are due to profligate spending during his days. His government is said to have left a debt of US dollars 446.5 million.”

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President extends Eid ul-Fitr greetings

President Mohamed Nasheed has extended greetings upon the arrival of Eid ul-Fitr.

Nasheed said he hoped that “all Maldivian citizens will embrace the spirit of devotion and sacrifice that the Eid ul-Fitr embodies and continue their efforts to achieve the unity of family ties and goodwill in a compassionate and selfless manner.”

Noting that Eid ul-Fitr was also an occasion to help people in need, the President highlighted that in this Eid ul-Fitr “we should remember the plight of the needy and show our generosity to them.”

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