More than 1,500 complaints have been filed at the Elections Commission (EC) concerning the eligible voters registry for the upcoming parliamentary elections.
According to the EC, the Progressive Party of Maldives submitted 1,385 complaints while the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party made 66 complaints.
A further 120 complaints were lodged by individuals, the EC said.
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(0)Civil Court Judge Aisha Shujoon has revealed she was offered a bribe of US$5 million by a party to a case she was presiding over.
Appearing on state broadcaster Television Maldives’ (TVM) variety show ‘Heyyambo’ on Friday, Shujoon said that was the only time she was offered a bribe.
“I didn’t accept and raised my voice. So [the person] left,” she said.
Asked if she knew of cases where judges have accepted bribes, Shujoon said she was personally not aware of an instance.
(0)Dislikes(0)More than MVR100,000 (US$6,485) has been raised from a music concert organised to provide financial assistance to a long-serving Sri Lankan music teacher at Iskandhar school.
The funds were raised by Iskandhar school to finance the cancer treatment of Visaka Pahathkumbura, who taught music at the school for 30 years and retired last December.
Deputy Principal Ahmed Mausoom told newspaper Haveeru last week that a total of MVR121,000 was raised from other fund raising activities and the music show, which was organised jointly by the school and its Parent Teacher Association (PTA).
The school’s principal and deputy president of the PTA left for Sri Lanka on Thursday to hand over the funds to ‘Visaka Miss.’
(2)Dislikes(0)The State Trading Organisation (STO) has posted a record level of profits for the month of January.
STO Managing Director Adam Azim told the press on Thursday that the MVR46 million (US$3 million) earned last month was the highest monthly profit in the company’s history.
The record profit was the result of efforts to improve the financial situation of the company, Azim said, adding that STO did not raise prices “a single cent” from goods sold to the public.
Efforts were instead undertaken to make the company’s management more efficient and increase productivity, he said.
The company’s current aim was to improve cash flow and liquidity and focus on its traditional business instead of expanding to other sectors, he added.
As STO was owed almost a billion rufiyaa in unpaid bills from government-owned companies, Azim said the finance ministry has been making repayments in monthly instalments.
On ongoing projects, Azim said the company expected the residential hotel under construction in Hulhumalé to be completed by the end of the year while a project to install night lights at the Fuvahmulah airport would be finished soon.
(0)Dislikes(0)The Juvenile Court has postponed the sentencing of four minors charged with terrorism for their alleged involvement in the arson attack on Thinadhoo Court on February 8, 2012.
A verdict was due on February 6, but the court postponed sentencing to Thursday. However, the court local media a verdict will now be delivered on February 24.
A court official told newspaper ‘Haveeru’ that the sentencing had to be postponed because the four minors and their lawyers did not attend court today. The official had said that the court will take action against them.
Protests erupted across the country on February 8, after a brutal police crackdown on an opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) protest against the party was ousting from power the previous day.
Protestors on Gaaf Dhaalu Atoll Thinadhoo Island set fire to the police station, magistrate court, atoll council office, and all police vehicles. Nine policemen were attacked and subsequently treated at the Thinadhoo Regional Hospital. Police officials at the time declared the area unsafe for local policemen as “MDP supporters have threatened to attack the residences of policemen.”
The police initially requested the Prosecutor General (PG) to charge 108 persons in connection with the unrest.
The PG pressed terrorism charges against the minors under article 6 (b), with reference to article 2 (f,g) of the Terrorism Prevention Act. Article 6 (b) states that any person found guilty of the act of terrorism shall be sentenced between 10 and 15 years imprisonment or banishment.
(0)Dislikes(0)Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) Coast Guard Commander Colonel Mohamed Ibrahim has said that the coastguard faces huge challenges in retrieving the body of a dead diver from 100 meters underwater.
Mohamed Jameel was reported missing on February 3 while diving near Villingili Island last week.
Speaking on Maldives Broadcasting Corporation’s Raaje Miadhu, Mohamed said MNDF divers had discovered Jameel’s fishing net at 70 meters on the third day of the search. The MNDF sighted Jameel’s body at 100 meters the next day.
The MNDF held discussions with expert divers in the Maldives and provided them technical assistance to recover the body however, after diving in the area, divers told MNDF that they were not able to retrieve the body due to the depth.
The MNDF spoke to technical officials of a local ‘Whale Submarine,’ but were unable to recover the body because the currents were too strong for the submarine in the area. Mohamed said there were hanging rocks in the area and it requires a strong hydraulic arm.
According to MNDF, the search team also had foreign diving instructors dive in the area and during the two days they tried visibility was low in the area and currents were too strong.
(0)Dislikes(0)The Maldives Media Council (MMC) members have appointed Abdulla Muaz as their new president.
The former president of the council, Husham Mohamed, resigned on 9 February after saying that the council did not have adequate legal authority.
The MMC website stated that Muaz received six votes from the council while the one of the other two candidates got five votes.
In July 18, 2012 MPs voted 53-1 against a recommendation by the Finance Committee to dissolve the MMC and transfer its mandate to the Maldives Broadcasting Commission.
(0)Dislikes(0)The Criminal Court has decided to close down after official work hours due to budget restrictions, ‘Vnews‘ has reported.
According to the report, the court has no funds to pay overtime allowances for court employees and the Ministry of Finance has not responded regarding the matter.
The Civil Court has taken the same measure for lack of funds to pay overtime allowances.
(0)Dislikes(0)President Abdulla Yameen has nominated Dr Azeema Adam as the new Governor of the Country’s central bank, the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA).
Dr Azeema’s nomination comes after Yameen had nominated Ibthishama Ahmed Saeed, an associate director at the Bank of Maldives, before withdrawing her name amid suggestions the candidate was not qualified for the role.
Local media today reports that Dr Azeema – currently Assistant Governor and Chief Economist, Monetary Policy, Research at the MMA – holds a PhD in Economics a Master’s Degree in International Development and Finance. Dr Azeema’s 2012 thesis examined exchange rate issues in the Maldives.
The governor’s position became vacant after Dr Fazeel Najeeb tendered his resignation at the end of December. In his parting speech, Najeeb warned the government against having to print additional money to meet the “far too hefty expenses of many state institutions”.
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