Category: News in Brief

India’s free ‘Eye Camp’ visited by more than five hundred within three days

As part of India- Maldives ‘Dosti-Ekuverikan’ friendship week (20 – 26 January) the High Commission of India has conducted a free ‘Eye Camp’ providing free consultation and services for more than 500 people in Male’ and Hulhumale’.

The ‘Eye Camp’ was inaugurated by Indian High Commissioner Rajeev Shahare at Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) on 24 January.

The three day camp, where a specialist ophthalmic team will examine and provide free spectacles for those who require it, was held at IGMH on 24, 25 January and will continue at Hulhumale’ Hospital on 25 and 26 January.

According to the HCI at least 284 were served at the IGMH camp within two days. The camp in Hulhumale began today at 1430hrs and continued till 1600hrs serving 105 people from more than 250 registered for consultation. The specialist team will continue examining tomorrow from 0900am till 2100am at Hulhumale’ hospital.

The Indian team of ophthalmic specialists from ASG Eye Hospitals, Rajasthan, India consists of three senior ophthalmologists Dr Arun Singhvi, M.D., Dr Shashank Gang, M.D. and Dr Kundan Kumar Singh and Mr Manoj Sharma,ophthalmology technician.

Two ophthalmic surgeons from ASG Eye Hospitals; Dr Arun Singhvi, M.D., Dr Shashank Gang, M.D. and a senior ophthalmologist Dr Kundan Kumar Singh – all trained at the All India institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). Dr Singhvi and Dr Shashank are LASIK surgeons.

While the team came prepared for free eye surgeries as well, surgeries will not be conducted due to lack of necessary equipment. HCI says the patients who require to get or renew spectacles will received those from India within two weeks. The High Commission plans to hold a similar eye camp after a month.

The ‘Dosti-Ekuverikan’ week events also include a yoga workshop in Male’, and a blood donation camp where more than one hundred people donated blood to the National Centre for Thalassemia.

In addition to this, cultural activities – including food, music and film festivals and a National Art Competition for school children- were also held as part of celebrations. The closing ceremony for the week will be held tomorrow, coinciding with the Republic Day of India.

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President Yameen dismisses transport authority chairman, state minister for home affairs

President Abdulla Yameen dismissed Transport Authority Chairman Abdul Rasheed Nafiz and State Minister for Home Affairs Abdulla Mohamed last week, local media reports.

Both men were appointed during the previous administration of President Dr Mohamed Waheed and retained under the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) government.

Nafiz – a PPM member – told online news outlet CNM that he was informed that the new government would make senior-level changes before the end of January in line with an agreement on political appointments among coalition parties.

Nafiz was the spokesperson of President Waheed’s campaign last year.

State Minister Abdulla Mohamed is meanwhile a candidate for the Nolhivaram constituency in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

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Police arrest five in Addu City drug bust

Police arrested five people from the Hithadhoo ward of Addu City on Thursday with illicit narcotics and MVR231,845 (US$15,035) in cash.

The suspects taken into custody from the Dhunakulhi and Divine Test houses included two minors aged 17 and three men aged 23, 26 and 32.

Police searched the houses with a court warrant and found the drugs in 17 rubber packets and two larger packets. Police also found a number of packets used for packing drugs.

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Criminal Court fines man for eating during fasting hours of Ramadan

The Criminal Court has on Thursday fined a man MVR150 for eating during the fasting hours of Ramadan in 2011.

The local media identified the man as Subhee Ismail Mahir of Maafannu ward.

Online newspaper Sun reported that the Prosecutor General’s Office had charged Subhee for breaking the fast by drinking a Coca-Cola bottle standing near a shop named ‘Monalals’, without any valid reason to do so.

Sun reported the Criminal Court’s ruling as stating that this was the first time Subhee was found guilty of a crime of this type and that he is sentenced under article 88 of the penal code.

According to the paper the court ordered him to pay the fine in seven days.

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Two arrested for attempting to raid guest house using forged Police ID

Police have arrested two persons who attempted to search a guest house pretending to be intelligence officers using a forged police ID card.

According to police the pair – aged 23 and 24 -entered a room in a guest house on January 21 and started searching the place after showing a forged police ID card.

They were both arrested when police officers searched their bodies, discovering the forged police IDs.

The police’s Serious and Organized Crime department is investigating the case.

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PPM fined MVR5,000 over fraudulent membership form

The Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has been fined MVR5,000 (US$324) by the Elections Commission (EC) for submitting a fraudulent membership form last year.

According to the EC, the membership form was submitted on behalf of a dead person in violation of article eight of the Political Parties Act.

The PPM has been asked to pay the fine in 15 days.

In June 2013, the Anti-Corruption Commission discovered that two membership forms submitted by former President Dr Mohamed Waheed’s now-defunct Gaumee Ihthihaad Party “were signed by persons who had passed away prior to the forms being sent to the EC.”

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Former President Waheed’s son joins PPM

Former President Dr Mohamed Waheed’s son, Jeffrey Salim Waheed, signed for the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) yesterday.

Waheed presented his membership form to PPM leader, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, during a ceremony at the party’s office.

He later tweeted that it was “an honour to join the only political party in the Maldives that stands for nation, unity and progress.”

The former president’s son is the Maldives’ Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN.

Former President Waheed meanwhile dissolved his Gaumee Ihthihaad Party in December and joined the PPM.

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E-worker skills programme will allow women to work from home: CSC

The Civil Service Commission (CSC), the Ministry of Transport and Communication and the National Center for Information and Technology (NCIT) held discussions today on introducing a programme to allow civil servants to work from home.

Establishing mechanisms to allow women to work from home was one of President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s key campaign pledges.

The ‘E worker skills programme’ will familiarize civil servants with information and communication technology, CSC President Dr Mohamed Latheef said.

“Civil servants, from those at the lowest level to the highest levels, must be familiar with ICT [information and communication technology]. ICT is literacy of the work place,” Latheef said.

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Three MOUs signed on President’s Sri Lanka trip

After promising the signing of four agreements during his three day state visit to Sri Lanka, President Abdulla Yameen has today signed three MOUs with the Sri Lankan government.

Deals were signed concerning transnational crime and developing police cooperation, vocational training and skills development, and sports cooperation.

Accompanied by the first lady, President Yameen also met with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, following a 21 gun salute in honour of the visit.

Sri Lankan media has also reported Yameen as saying that the two countries would be looking to promote joint tourism packages.

Elsewhere, External Affairs Minister Professor GL Peiris was reported to have praised the Maldives recent political transition as a sign of maturity and foresight in all parties.

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