Category: News in Brief

Majlis standing committees constituted

Parliament yesterday (June 30) approved a report by a select committee tasked with constituting standing committees and allocating seats on the Majlis’ 13 committees.

The select committee decision was passed with 49 votes in favour, three against, and seven abstentions at yesterday’s sitting of parliament.

A list of MPs proposed by political parties for the 13 standing committees was also passed with 57 votes in favour and three abstentions.

Following the vote, 11 of the 13 standing committees held their first meeting yesterday and elected chairs and deputy chairs. MPs of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives were elected chairs of all 11 committees.

Along with five MPs of coalition partner Maldives Development Alliance, the ruling coalition has a clear majority of 46 MPs in the 85-member People’s Majlis.

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President creates Ministry of Law and Gender

President Abdulla Yameen has today created the Ministry of Law and Gender, which is set to oversee all government functions related to families, children, women, people with special needs, and human rights.

These functions, previously under the remit of the Ministry of Health, have resulted in the change of this ministry’s title to the Ministry of Health. Dr Mariyam Shakeela was today sworn in as head of this department.

Among the new ministry’s areas of oversight are the Attorney General’s Office, the special needs facility in Kaafu Guraidhoo, and the Villingili orphanage.

“The Ministry of Law and Gender will further be mandated with tackling the issue of domestic violence, apart from those responsibilities of the Courts and the Maldives Police Service,” explained a President’s Office press release.

The President’s Office revealed that the renamed Ministry of Health will be responsible for all regional hospitals and health centres, the Food and Drug Authority, and blood services.

The minister of health will also oversee the Social Protection Agency, the ‎National Drug Agency, and the Health Protection Agency.‎

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President’s nominees forwarded to committee for vetting

A number of nominees by President Abdulla Yameen for independent institutions and diplomatic posts have been forwarded to the relevant standing committee for vetting at today’s sitting of parliament.

The nominees include President Yameen’s nephew Maumoon Hameed for the vacant post of prosecutor general, ‘Kurolhi’ Adam Zahir for a vacant seat on the Police Integrity Commission, and former MP Abdul Azeez Jamal Abubakur for the new post of Information Commissioner.

The nominees will be interviewed and vetted by the independent institutions committee.

President Yameen also nominated Aishath Zahira for deputy governor of the Maldives Monetary Authority.

Among nominees for diplomatic posts were Ahmed Shian as ambassador to the EU and non-resident high commissioner to the UK, Dr Mohamed Asim as the non-resident high commissioner to Bangladesh, Abdulla Hameed as the non-resident ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, and Fathmath Inaya as the non-resident ambassador to Singapore.

The nominees to the diplomatic posts will be vetted by the national security committee.

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Three arrested for smoking in public during fasting hours

Three men were arrested yesterday (June 29) in the capital Malé for smoking in public during fasting hours on the first day of Ramadan, police have revealed.

While a 23-year-old man was caught smoking near the Raanbaa restaurant around 10:20am, a second 23-year-old was caught smoking near the Redwave Plaza around 11:50am.

The third suspect, aged 34, was caught smoking inside the public toilets near the fish market around 5:45pm.

Police noted that all three men had criminal records for drug abuse, assault, and robbery.

In January, the Criminal Court fined a man MVR150 for drinking a Coca-cola in public during fasting hours in the month of Ramadan in 2011.

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MP Musthafa donates flour, sugar, and rice to constituents

Ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) MP Mohamed Musthafa has donated a bag of rice, flour and sugar to every household in his constituency for Ramadan.

Musthafa told local media the MVR300,000 worth of donations was intended to help his constituents in Thimarafushi and Veymandoo Islands in Thaa Atoll.

“I do this every year. Before I gave them money. But this time instead of money, I gave them staples so they can use it for Ramadan,” Musthafa told Channel News Maldives (CNM).

He said a majority of Maldivians continue to live in poverty without basic necessities. MPs must take care of their constituents, he said.

Although the public think salaries and benefits of MPs to be excessive, “it is nothing compared to all that the [MPs] have to do,” Musthafa said adding that most MPs are not able to live on their salaries.

The monthly salary of a Maldivian MP is US$7,083 – a figure considerably higher than their counterparts in many developed countries.

Musthafa claimed an MP makes MVR3.5 million (US$22,6537) in each term and said “One has to spend much more than that to even get into the Majlis.”

MP for Thaa Atoll Guraidhoo, Hassan Manik Dhon Manik also donated staples to the needy in his constituency.

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Some schools ignore government’s Ramadan instructions

Some schools in have continued holding classes for grade 9 and under, despite instructions from the Education Minsitry to stop lessons during Ramadan, reports Haveeru.

Local teachers told Haveeru that extra classes have been arranged after consultations between parents and teachers amid fears that the extended break would prevent the completion of the syllabus.

Instances of classes continuing were reported in Gaafu Dhaalu and Lhaviyani atolls.

With less than seven days’ notice, the government last week announced that school sessions would not be held for students in grades 9 and under during the month of Ramadan.

The regulations also said that school sessions for grades 10 to 12 should begin after 9am and should last a duration of three hours per day.

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India provides 74 scholarships to Maldivian students

India will provide scholarships for 74 Maldivian nationals to study in India for the 2014-2015 academic year.

The scholarships will be provided under a number of different schemes including the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), which involves all university level under-graduate and post-graduate courses in Arts, Science, Engineering, Commerce, Business Administration and Law.

The Indian High Commission in Malé has described the response to the offer as “overwhelming”:

“The grant of 39 scholarships every year to Maldivian students is an important positive step forward in strengthening and promoting our cultural ties with Maldives, and it also adds another new dimension to the already warm and friendly relations between the two countries, based on mutual trust and understanding,” read a high commission press release.

Noting the longstanding educational links between the two countries, the press release said that 5,530 Maldivians have now completed the Technology Adoption Project launched in 2011 – including 3.053 teacher certifications, 1,674 youth certifications, 803 in ICT related courses.

17 of the ICCR scholarships – which cover all expenses, including international air passages, board, lodging, and internal transport – have already been awarded, with the rest currently being processed.

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Fisheries minister to appear before Majlis for questioning

The minister of fisheries and agriculture has been summoned to the People’s Majlis to answer questions regarding government policy in Addu City, local media has reported.

Dr Mohamed Shainee is said to be appearing upon request of the Maldivian Democratic Party MP for Addu-Meedhoo Rozaina Adam, who also summoned the housing minister for similar questions last week.

The 2008 constitution empowers any member of the Majlis to summon any member of the government or cabinet to parliament for questioning, although the appearance of the Housing Minister Dr Mohamed Muiz last week was the first such instance in more than two years.

The opposition expressed concern regarding the Majlis’ oversight capabilities after disputes over the composition of key standing committees, although a compromise was reached last week.

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MIRA collected MVR11.4 million in illegal parking fines in 2013

The Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) collected MVR 11.4 million (US$0.7 million) in illegal parking fines in 2013.

This year, MIRA had collected MVR6.3 million (US$0.4 million) in illegal parking fines at the end of May.

MIRA collected MVR 6.9 million and MVR 6.2 million in 2012 and 2011 respectively.

Illegal parking carries an MVR250 for the first offense, MVR500 for the second offense and MVR750 for the third offense.

Drivers frequently complain of lack of parking space on Malé.

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