Day: September 26, 2011

Fokaidhoo islanders ‘hijack’ island council office

Islanders of Shaviyani Atoll Foakaidhoo have “hijacked” the island council since yesterday afternoon, a council member has told Minivan News.

Abdulla Nahid, one of the four Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) council members on the island told Minivan News that a group of middle-aged women and men entered the Council Office yesterday afternoon and refused to leave the office saying that they had hijacked the Council Office.

“They came here while we were having a council meeting regarding the issue of handing the power house of the island to the utilities company,’’ Nahid said. ‘’This is the real issue, there was a dispute between the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) supporters and DRP supporters on the island about handing over the power house.”

He said that while the DRP supporters opposed the utilities company, MDP supporters demanded the council hand over the power house.

‘’We called for a vote to see what the majority of the islanders want, but MDP supporters boycotted the vote and more than 90 percent opposed the idea of having the utilities company run the power house,’’ Nahid explained. “The MDP supporters sent us letter and petitions so we went for a second vote, but DRP supporters boycotted that vote and more than 90 percent of the islanders present that time voted in favor of handing over the power house.”

He said yesterday the council was about to discuss the matter during the meeting but MDP supporters arrived and told the councilors that they would not leave the office unless the council gave them a final answer.

“We told them that we have to hold a council meeting to make a decision according to the law, but they did not allow us to have a meeting and are sitting inside the council office now as well, they were there all night,’’ he said.

Nahid said that they were not obstructing the work of the council members or being violent, but just sitting down inside the council office saying that they had hijacked the office.

“They threw paper rockets at us, and sometimes make noises using a loudspeaker, but most of the time they remain quiet,’’ he said. ‘’Because they did not leave the office last night, two council members stayed up in the office and this morning did not come for work, so today we were not able to hold a meeting and the matter is being delayed.’’

He said he personally supported the MDP supporters’ idea, and had told other council members to support the idea and put the politics aside.

‘’But according to the law, I need one more council member to support my idea before we can go for a vote – if the vote is equal the Chair of the council can vote but there has been no other member to support this,’’ he said.

Nahid added that the council members did not want to use the police to move the protesters out of the council office.

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Stigma against female employment in resorts confused, workers say

The stigma against female employment in resorts presents challenges for reducing the 32 percent unemployment rate, over two-thirds of which is accounted for by women.

Sources familiar with the issue, however, claim that the stigma is “fueled by misinformation and fear”.

A recent report from Sweden’s Lund University claimed that community perceptions of resort life as ‘western’ and offensive to Islam are giving the industry a negative reputation, and are preventing women from pursuing employment in the Maldives’ most lucrative sector.

Ima* recently spoke to Minivan News about her employment in the resort sector. She was one of the first Maldivian females to be hired at a resort ten years ago, and previously lived on a local island.

“It’s very much like a family,” she said. “I know of hardly any issues with harassment from guys, people look out for each other.”

By contrast, several women working in Male’ told Minivan News that they often face sexual discrimination and harassment in the workplace. One source said there is no support against such treatment.

According to Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Eva Abdulla, “I don’t know if we have made it comfortable for women to talk to each other here.”

The thesis, “Women in Tourism: Challenges of Including Women in the Maldivian Resort Sector” was prepared by Eva Alm and Susanna Johansson during their five-month stay in the Maldives in 2010. Their findings identify “culture, religion, and women’s role in the family, the role of the family, safety, geographical spread, transportation, education and awareness” as obstacles to female employment in resorts.

Parents play a significant role in a woman’s professional future. “In the Maldives, in our religion, we are not allowed to drink or be with just any guys and things like that. So our parents are scared about that,” said one young woman quoted in the thesis.

According to the thesis, resorts are widely believed to be threatening to traditional Muslim values. At the same time, growing religious fundamentalism is projected to prevent women from participating in the local economy.

Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Rozaina Adam said a rise in fundamentalism would be an economic setback: “Instead of working, women will be lying around. That is not constructive for a growing economy and country.”

Tourism directly accounts for 30 percent of the Maldives’ GDP, and for 70 percent indirectly. Maldivian women account for a mere three percent of resort employees.

Ima said most community anxiety is due to a lack of information.

“When I go home and tell people that I work at a resort, their first perception is that I must be a good cook. But you know, they also don’t have a good idea of what my job title means. And I think that that’s a big reason behind the misperceptions in many Maldivian island communities. Many people have never been to a resort, if there was more interaction then they would understand what the resort lifestyle is. As it is, most just can’t relate to the kind of work we do here.”

One resort manager quoted in the thesis said awareness is a major challenge to promoting female employment. “Convincing the parents is difficult. They are very possessive of the girls. The parent’s perception is that they will mix with the European culture and do bad things such as drinking alcohol.”

The Maldives has one of the world’s highest divorce rates, and girls often drop out of school and get married in their late teens. Aspiration rates among youth ages 17 to 25 were recently calculated at six percent.

These statistics do not refer to the resort community.

Ima says resort life has significant benefits. “For local islanders, it can be an easy transition to resort life. Many people leave home to live or work in Male’. I think that that’s much more dangerous than working at a resort. At a resort, the lifestyle is much healthier, safer, and there is more opportunity to save.”

A source familiar with the issue told Minivan News that saving is not common for Maldivian women. She gave the example of a cleaning lady who was proud that her daughter gave her entire salary as a family contribution. “I know you want to respect your family, but how can a woman save up for herself? What option does she have for herself?” she said.

The Maldives was recently criticised for lagging behind other countries in gender equality, as defined by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). At the UNDP’s Democracy Day ceremony earlier this month, advisor Ferdinand von Habsburg-Lothringen warned that with only half of the Maldives’ work force engaged in the economy, “growth would not flourish.”

Several resorts have tried to accommodate social preferences by outsourcing tasks to local islands and providing daily transportation so Maldivian women do not have to live away from home.

Ima said that at the end of the day, success depends on the individual’s self confidence.

“The way you perceive colleagues and portray yourself matters for anybody, male or female. It’s about how you value yourself and the beliefs you hold. If you can stick to that, and show people who you are and how to respect you, then you can succeed,” she said.

*Name changed on request

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Missing student found serving drug abuse sentence in Malaysian jail

A Maldivian student reported missing in Malaysia has been found the Maldives High Commission serving a 10-month prison sentence for drug abuse, Haveeru reports.

The student allegedly dropped out of university soon after enrolling, before being arrested and sentence to jail. He is due to be released in December 2011.

The High Commission told Haveeru that the student was the only Maldivian serving a sentence in a Malaysian jail.

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Adhaalath Party condemns Christchurch College scholarships at Oxford

The Adhaalath Party has expressed concern over a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with Christchurch College at Oxford University last week to provide an annual scholarship for a Maldivian student.

The party claimed that the scholarship was the result of President Mohamed Nasheed, former Foreign Minister Dr Ahmed Shaheed and his successor Ahmed Naseem repeatedly “begging and pleading with Christian powers that Maldivians going to [Middle Eastern or Islamic universities] can only be stopped by sending Maldivian Muslim students to countries under the rule of the cross.”

The Adhaalath Party’s statement was accompanied by images of a church and what appeared to be choirboys.

In a statement last week, the Foreign Ministry noted that the scholarship “was initially discussed during President Nasheed’s visit to Oxford University in December 2010 and has now materialised into a wonderful opportunity for outstanding Maldivian students.”

“The scholarship will encourage Maldivians to study in the field of Environmental Sciences with a view to enhancing the Maldives’ capacity to manage the specific threats the country faces from climate change. On completion of their studies the scholars will return to the Maldives with exceptional expertise in this field.”

The Adhaalath party statement meanwhile claimed that Christchurch college “is a Christian religious college that offers modern education.”

“Former English Prime Ministers and Cabinet Ministers studied at the institution,” it continues. “In addition, a number of people who are Christian priests today studied there. The university also runs a Christian school for children called Christ Church Cathedral School. It is important to beware of scholarships our young ones could get from this school.”

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ACC asked to investigate Supreme Court Justice’s official trip to Addu City

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has been asked to investigate an official trip to Addu City by Supreme Court Justice Abdulla Saeed from August 30 to September 2, which took place during a four-day government holiday for Eid al-Fitr.

In a letter to the ACC last Thursday, lawyer Abdul Hameed Abdul Kareem questioned if the purpose of the visit – discussions with magistrates regarding administrative difficulties – could have been fulfilled while the courts were closed for Eid.

“I have learned that after traveling in the name of an official trip, [Justice Abdulla Saeed] spent most of this time on his Eid holiday,” reads the letter, requesting the ACC to investigate if expenses for the trip were covered by the court’s budget.

In addition, Abdul Hameed requested the commission to determine “how much time he spent at the courts” and if the Supreme Court Justice spent state funds for personal use.

A media spokesperson from the ACC told Minivan News today that the commission had received the complaint and would decide whether to conduct an investigation in due course. The complainant would be informed of the decision, the ACC official explained.

According to the Supreme Court website, “the main purpose of [Justice Abdulla Saeed’s] trip was to find out administrative difficulties faced by Addu City magistrate courts as well as to collect information needed for streamlining the judiciary.”

It adds that the former Chief Justice visited the magistrate courts during his four-day visit.

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School exams bumped up for O-level schedule

Final examinations will be held earlier than planned at most secondary schools in capital Male, in order to avoid complications with O-level scheduling.

The Education Ministry issued the change after receiving requests from schools, and extended the new schedule to some atoll schools, reports Haveeru.

O-level examinations will being on October 16 this year, and will be held until mid-November. Some eighth- and ninth- year exams will coincide with the O-levels, Haveeru reports.

Requests to close school for the four days after the Eid holidays were not honored by the ministry.

Schools will resume their studies on November 10 but will again close on November 11 for three days to mark the Republic Day.



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First sound quality workshop held for local musicians

It was an unusual scene. Some of the most popular musicians, DJ and audio artists mingled with amateur musicians doing a rhythm exercise.

The stomping of foot and sound of clapping hands were punctuated only by the sound of kass kass, a versatile rattle that originated in West Africa, used as a form of percussive expression, played by French musician Johann Berby who led the exercise.

At his prompting the rhythm changes again. Berby along with Theo Croix is conducting a sound workshop in conjunction with Alliance Française and Island Music.

Once the exercise is over all the participants sit back for what seems like music lesson interposed with life lessons.

“If you feel the rhythm its easy to play, you are the instrument,” says Berby. Strumming his guitar to emphasis his point, Johann says one can speak with ones instrument “music is a mirror of what you are, you can even impart good energy to a sick person by playing for him.”

Before calling on a participant to play the drum, while Croix played violin and he took up the bass guitar, he says “Play for everyone, share your music and knowledge.”

Making better sound

It is Berby’s concept of sharing musical knowledge that proved to be a catalyst for the first ever-sound workshop to be held in the Maldives.

The workshop of three days started on September 19 with 80 participants, and is aimed at improving the sound quality of music in Maldives.

“After performing in Maldives last year with the famous Cameroonian singer Blick Blassy, Berby proposed to us to hold a sound workshop here,” says Pauline, the directrice of Alliance Française Male’ (AFM).

Berby a talented bassist who tours with different musicians, followed up on his offer by sending a proposal, and offering to do the workshop for free. Seeing there was a need for such a workshop AFM organized it.

“Lets just say getting the sound right was difficult,” says Berby of his live performance with Blick Blassy last year in Artificial Beach. According to him good musicians can make the music sound better if the sound base is good.

A sentiment echoed by Island Music. “We had been thinking for a long time of holding a sound workshop, and this initiative by Johann and AFM came at the right time for us,” says Azmi Jaleel, Chief Operating Officer of Island Music (IM).

As a company that also has a sound reinforcement arm in addition to being distributors of music instruments in Maldives, IM had faced difficulties with live shows.

“It is difficult doing sound for a live show, when musicians also lack basic knowledge about it. We also have learnt lot of things from the workshop as has the musicians which will definitely improve this industry.”

Lack of guidance

Fathimath Fezleen, owner, singer and bassist of Detune band, says the workshop “had filled a void in the industry.”

The band, a regular performer at upmarket resorts, lacked a guiding figure on sound says Fezleen. “We don’t know the right path in making sounds as we don’t have someone telling us. This workshop has given us crucial knowledge.”

Recognising the need for such a workshop, Detune part-sponsored the workshop along with Lintel, Bandos, Mookai, Bowers & Wilkings and Beamon.

Both Fezleen and Jaleel pointed out that the workshop also allowed musicians to mingle on an even platform.

“It’s a very diverse group here, apart from musicians we also have people from TV and radio stations, and also individual producers and enthusiasts of music,” says Jaleel.

One such individual is rising hip-hop music producer Mohamed Yasif (Yes E). Despite having produced two local hit video songs, ‘Parteys’ and the catchy number ‘Reethi Kudhin,’ Yasif acutely feels the need to learn more.

“I learn via Internet, buy music courses off it and follow them.” However he laments that these courses allow for very little practical knowhow.

“We, the new producers on the scene, have no one to turn to for questions.” Yasif says even if he pays studios to record, he still faces difficulties. “We have to do our own mixing and such, hence need more knowledge.”

Yasif says this workshop would make him a better producer and his next production will rectify the mistakes he made in the past. “Even if our songs are a big hit here, if you hold up against international music scene it will fall short, as we lack technical know-how.”

In the absence of good music schools, workshops like this are a lifesaver according to Yasif.

Unique and better

Croix, a violinist and sound engineer says he found the participants very receptive. “There were lots of questions they most probably had no one to ask before.”

The workshop had both physical and theory lessons, and included aspects on how to make sound better in live shows and in studios.

Berby is all praises for Maldivian music veteran Faidh, who was the focal point in organizing the workshop. “We asked Faidh to teach in the workshop with us, but he declined.”

Berby hopes to come back and conduct more workshops, amid plans to hold them in other Asian and African countries that do not have music schools.

“Next time I would like to do a workshop, on music of different continents.” He advises Maldivian musicians to dip into their culture and roots for inspiration, to make unique music.

Amid a debate between participants and Croix on how good MP3 songs could sound, Jaleel says IM also believes this is the start of many more workshops.

“Next we will do a more detailed workshop instead of a general one.”

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Islamic Ministry denies receiving anti-gambling petition over US Green Card Lottery

The Islamic Ministry has denied knowledge of a petition reportedly submitted to the ministry demanding a stop to the US Green Card Lottery Program in the Maldives.

The program provides 55,000 ‘green card’ immigration visas to people around the world each year as a means of diversifying immigration to the US. The US Embassy recently held an information session on the program in Male’.

Several media outlets and local religious websites have reported that the petition signed by 107 persons requesting a stop to the green card program was submitted to the Islamic Ministry yesterday.

Media reports said the petition stated that the Green Card program had “hidden objectives”, and “added to the chain of activities conducted in the Maldives by non-muslims to promote gambling.”

State Islamic Minister Sheikh Hussein Rasheed Ahmed and the ministry’s Permanent Secretary Mohamed Didi both said they had no information about a petition being submitted to the Ministry against the US Green Card Lottery Program.

“I do not know whether it was submitted to the Ministry,” said Didi. “I am not saying that it was not submitted to the Ministry,” he added.

“If the petition was submitted directly to the Minister then I might not have received it yet.”

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