Category: News in Brief

MPs-elect to be sworn in on May 28

The 85 MPs-elect for the 18th People’s Majlis will be sworn on Wednesday, May 28.

According to the parliament secretariat, a speaker and deputy speaker will be elected through secret ballot following the swearing-in ceremony.

Article 79(a) of the constitution states, “The People’s Majlis shall continue for five years from the date of its first sitting, and shall then stand dissolved. The first sitting of the newly elected People’s Majlis shall be held immediately after the dissolution of the previous People’s Majlis.”

Article 81 states, “A person elected as a member of the People’s Majlis shall assume membership in the People’s Majlis upon taking and subscribing, before the Chief Justice or his designate, the oath of office of members of the People’s Majlis set out in schedule 1 of this constitution.”

It is also stated in the constitution that the Majlis shall elect a speaker and deputy speaker during its first sitting. Both the Progressive Party of Maldives and Gasim Ibrahim of the Jumhooree Party have recently expressed an interest in the speaker’s position.

“Until such time as a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker is elected the People’s Majlis shall be presided over by the consecutively longest serving member from among those present,” reads the constitution.

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State Trading Organisation aims to produce 1000 jobs in 3 years

The Managing Director of the State Trading Organization (STO) Adam Azim has said that the company will produce 1000 jobs within the next 3 years.

Adam Azim said that the company is looking to establish a capable work force across the Maldives, reported local media Sun Online.

“A thousand jobs will be produced with the health sector pharmacies and hypermarkets that we plan to establish,” he added.

The company has plans to invest in the development of its staff with training and education opportunities for the next four years, Azim told Sun.

“We will invest in education, regardless of the cost,” Azim said.

The state-owned STO is the country’s primary wholesaler, responsible for bringing in the vast majority of basic foodstuffs, as well as investing in oil and the tourism industry.

The company was announced bankrupt by President Yameen in November 2013, following which the companylaunched a campaign to cut operational costs by MVR50 million in 2014 (US$ 3,242,542).

More recently, in March 2014, the STO told local media that a five-star hotel it is building in Hulhumalé will be fully completed by January 2015.

STO has also announced on April 6 2014 that they will be placing three additional oil storage tanks in Kafu Fuadhoo, in a bid to increase the oil capacity.

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Jumhooree Party fined for fraudulent membership applications

For the second time this month Elections Commission has fined Jumhooree Party (JP) over fraudulent membership applications.

According to the commission, the JP used one person’s finger print on multiple party application forms – the fifth time the party has been caught doing this.

The JP have now been asked to pay a fine of MVR9,000 as per Article 48 (a) of the Political Parties Act.

The party was fined with MVR8,000 earlier this month for the same reason.

Along with the JP, the Progressive Party of Maldives was also fined MVR7,000 for submitting party application in contravention of the Political Parties Act for a third time.

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High Court throws out EC appeal against new member Habeeb

The High Court has thrown out an appeal by the Elections Commission (EC) against its newly appointed commission member Ismail Habeeb.

Habeeb was made redundant in January 2013 before contesting his dismissal at the Labor tribunal. The tribunal ordered his reinstatement in August 2013, by which time he had been appointed to the Civil Court as its senior administrator.

The EC initially demoted Habeeb on corruption allegations in 2012 claiming he had not followed due procedures in appointing an EC staff and in awarding a scholarship to another staff. But the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) cleared Habeeb of the charges.

The EC decided to appeal the tribunal’s decision at the High Court, but the commission’s lawyers failed to attend the hearing scheduled for Monday.

In the meantime, Habeeb was appointed by the People’s Majlis to the EC on March 12 to replace former member ‘Ogaru’ Ibrahim Waheed who had resigned in October 2013 citing health issues.

Habeeb’s confirmation to the EC followed the Supreme Court’s controversial removal of the commission’s President Fuwad Thowfeek and Vice President Ahmed Fayaz.

The dismissals left the EC without the three members required for a quorum to hold meetings and approve decisions, raising doubts over the commission’s ability to prepare for and conduct parliamentary elections as scheduled on March 22.

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Majlis to consider PG appointment at sitting on Monday

The Majlis has scheduled the sixth sitting of its current session for Monday April 14, when it will discuss reports on the appointment of new members to various institutions, including the post of prosecutor general (PG).

Earlier this month the independent commission’s oversight committee rejected President Abdulla Yameen’s nomination to the PG’s role, while the appointment of Dr Azeema Adam for the post of Governor of the Maldives Monetary Authority was approved.

A new member of the Police Integrity Commission was approved during the same meeting and will also be discussed on Monday.

The committee of the whole house will also review amendments to the Airport Service Charge Act and the Act on Export and Import.

The house has not convened since April 2, with local media last week reporting that nothing had been scheduled on the agenda.

Secretary-general Ahmed Mohamed told Haveeru that the hiatus allowed committees to continue their work, with Speaker of the House Abdulla Shahid urging MP’s to hasten their efforts as the 17th Majlis draws to a close.

The final sitting of the current Majlis will take place later this month before the swearing in of the 18th Majlis next month.

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Transport Minister requests audits of commercial harbours following fatal accident

The Minister of Transport Ameen Ibrahim has requested audits of the infrastructure and operations of all commercial harbours in the Maldives, following the  fatal accident at Malé’s main port on Monday (April 7).

According to local media, Ameen sent a memo requesting to conduct audits of all commercial harbours in the country within three months, and to take measures without delay to address issues based on recommendations in the audit reports.

The minister also asked Transport Authority to carry out a thorough investigation of the accident and send the investigation report as soon as possible.

Last night (April 8) Vice President Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed met with the families of the two men who died in the accident.

The government has decided to pay the salaries of the deceased to their families until the children turn 18, as well as giving MVR 50,000 to each of the families as compensation.

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Maldives police to take part in Chinese seminar

Twenty Maldivian police officers will attend a seminar alongside Chinese counterparts later this month in Shanghai, local media has revealed.

The China-Maldives Police Service Seminar will be held between April 10-23, reported Sun Online who have quoted Commissioner Hussain Waheed as expressing hope that the seminar would bring the standards of the Maldivian participants up to those of Chinese officers.

Speaking at an official inauguration ceremony last night, Chinese Ambassador to Maldives Wang Fukang hoped the seminar could further strengthen Maldives-Chinese relations while thanking local police officers for keeping Chinese tourists safe.

China now contributes more tourist arrivals to the Maldives than any other country, with recent government figures showing that 331,719 Chinese tourists visited the Maldives last year, accounting for 29.5 percent of all tourist arrivals in 2013.

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President Yameen to make official visit to Japan

President Abdulla Yameen will conduct an official visit to Japan later this month, the President’s Office has revealed.

Yameen will visit Japan between April 14 and 17, during which time he will meet with Emperor Akihito, Prime Minister Shinzō Abe, and other senior Ministers of the Japanese Government.

The President’s Office has said that Yameen will discuss ways to expand Maldivian-Japanese relations, as well as meeting with business leaders and potential investors.

Last week, the president promised that his government was to open up the Maldives in a huge way to foreign investors”.

Japan is the biggest bilateral donor to the Maldives, with data from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency showing that the east Asian nation had given over US$450 million to the Maldives in development assistance between 2004 and 2010.

Projects benefiting from Japanese aid have included the first mechanisation of fishing vessels between 1973-76, the development of Malé’s seawall between 1987-2003, and the extension of loans amounting to US$34 million for post-tsunami reconstruction.

Japan is also one of the Maldives largest trading partners, importing over US$3million worth of fish from the Indian Ocean nation in 2012.

Since winning last year’s election, President Yameen has paid official visits to Sri Lanka and India. He is currently in Saudi Arabia on an unofficial trip.

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Two more people arrested in connection with Thinadhoo death

Police have yesterday arrested two more people from the island of Thinadhoo in Gaafu Dhaalu atoll in connection with the death of Ali Rasheed,79, who was found dead inside his house last Friday (April 4).

Police have said that the two persons arrested were Maldivians aged 33 and 39.

The 33 year-old man was arrested late yesterday afternoon while the 39 year-old man was arrested last night, the police told local newspapers.

Ali Rasheed was found dead lying on the floor of his room. He was living alone following the death of his wife some years earlier.

A source from the island told online newspaper Sun that Rasheed had a six-inch laceration on his head and a swollen left eye.

Police said the death was being investigated as they suspected foul play. An investigation team was dispatched to the island.

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