Category: News in Brief

Broadcasting Corporation chair must resign to compete in party primary: MJA

The Maldives Journalist Association (MJA) has called on Chairman of the Maldives Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) Ibrahim Umar Manik to resign after he contested in the ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) ongoing primaries yesterday.

MJA President Ahmed ‘Hiriga’ Zahir said Manik’s actions do not conform to “best practices”.

Speaking to local media, Hiriga said journalists must resign from their posts to stand for political positions.

Manik had signed on to the PPM in January, but would only resign from his position if he won the party primary. Preliminary results show Manik lost the ticket to Ibrahim Falah.

MBC’s rules of procedure do not prohibit any member from joining a political party, Manik argued previously.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

MP Mohamed Hussein joins JP

Kanditheem MP Mohamed Hussein has signed on to the Jumhooree Party on Saturday.

JP Leader Gasim Ibrahim accepted Hussein’s form and said: “I do not doubt that the Jumhooree Party and the coalition will receive majority of the support from the Kanditheem constituency and the whole of Maldives.”

Hussein has already been awarded the JP ticket to contest the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for March.

He had left the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party in April 2013, local media reports.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Six parties express interest in building airport on Felivaru

Six companies have expressed interest in building an airport on Lhaviyani Atoll Felivaru, the Transport Ministry has said.

Regional Airports Director Sami Ageel said the six parties include three domestic companies and three companies from Kuwait, Sri Lanka, and the UK.

Transport Minister Ameen Ibrahim has previously said the government would allow the winning company to establish a resort on Lhaviyani Atoll Madivaru. The government wants a 1,800 meter runway at Felivaru, he said.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Child molester handed 18 year jail term

The Fuvahmulah island court has sentenced Ahmed Nadheer, 33, to 18 years in jail for sexually abusing two girls.

Nadheer was charged under the Child Sexual Abuse Act with the crime of sexually abusing the two girls while in a position of authority on multiple counts between May 2012 and February 2013.

He confessed to the charges at court. He was convicted on February 5.

The Maldives Police Services said Nadheer has previously been convicted of assault on two occasions.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Lost diver found dead at 100 meters

A diver reported lost on February 4 has been sighted at 100 meters off the coast of Kaafu Atoll Villingili Island.

The Maldives National Defense Forces (MNDF) said it is currently holding discussions with expert foreign and local divers on retrieving Mohamed Jameel’s body.

Mohamed Waseem was among the last to see Jameel alive. Waseem told local newspaper Haveeru that he had noticed Waseem diving to an unsafe depth and had cautioned him not to do so.

Jameel, Waseem and a third man had been diving to catch live fish at the time.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

DRP to contest six seats in parliamentary elections

The Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) has announced that the party will field six candidates in the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for March 22.

Along with present leader, MP Mohamed ‘Colonel’ Nasheed – who will be standing for the Laamu Isdhoo seat – the other candidates are Badrudeen Naseem for the Kanditheemu constituency, Ismail Zakariyya for the Dhuvafaru constituency, Ahmed Shareef for the Galolhu South constituency, Assad Shareef for the Machangoalhi South constituency, and Lirqam Saeed for the Maavah constituency.

Nasheed told the press on Thursday that the constituencies were determined by the DRP council based on the party’s support in the selected islands.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

MDP and Adhaalath fined MVR 5000 over fraudulent membership forms

The Elections Commission has fined religious Adhaalath Party and opposition Maldivian Democratic Party MVR5000 (US$324) for submitting fraudulent membership forms.

According to the EC, the two parties had submitted membership forms where one individual had put fingerprints on different forms.

In January, the EC fined the ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives and its ally the Jumhooree Party for submitting membership forms on behalf of deceased people.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

MDP candidates submit applications for the parliament

Candidates contesting the People’s Majlis election on the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) ticket have submitted their applications to the Elections Commission (EC) today.

Candidates walked with former President Mohamed Nasheed from the party’s headquarters in Henveiru Ward to the EC offices in Maafannu Ward in Malé.

According to the MDP, 84 of the 85 candidates submitted their forms today.

Nasheed said he believed the MDP would win a majority in the parliamentary elections scheduled for March 22. He also said he believed candidates who had lost in the primaries held in late January were backing the winners.

Today, the MDP retracted the party ticket from Ubaidhulla Muaz who had gained the ticket for Haa Dhaal Atoll Nolhivaram constituency by default after he “refused to cooperate” with the MDP campaign.

The MDP has opened up a call for new applicants and awarded the ticket to the sole contender Ali Arif, who had previously contested and lost the party primary for Henveiru Dhekunu constituency.

The MDP held primaries to determine candidates for 56 constituencies in late January. The party ticket was awarded to 29 candidates by default due to a lack of contestants.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)