The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) submitted 12,000 membership forms yesterday to the Elections Commission (EC).
MDP Chairperson Ali Waheed told the press that the main opposition party’s membership would rise to over 50,000 once the new membership forms are processed.
The MDP is currently the largest political party in Maldives with 40,940 registered members.
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(0)Two masked men tied up a security guard and receptionist at the Filitheyo resort in Faafu atoll and stole a safe in the early hours of Sunday (October 26).
Police said the theft was reported around 3:20am and a team from Faafu Nilandhoo and Dhaalu Kudahuvadhoo was sent to the resort.
The two men went to the island on a speedboat, police explained, and tied up a foreign security guard and a Maldivian receptionist before stealing the safe.
According to the resort, more than MVR5,000 was stored in the safe.
Police are searching nearby uninhabited and inhabited islands to recover the safe.
Meanwhile, 10 people were arrested on Sunday at 5:00 am on charges of stealing the safe of Ernst and Young in Malé. Approximately MVR10,000 (US$648) was stolen, the police have said.
The majority were caught while attempting to flee from the police near the Ernst and Young offices.
(0)Dislikes(0)NGO Advocating the Rights of Children (ARC) has invited submissions from the public for ‘The Rights of Children Photography Competition 2014’.
According to ARC, the objective of the competition is to raise awareness on the rights of children as per the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
“Twelve photographs, one for each topic, will be selected and used in the design of ARC’s official calendar for the year 2015,” the NGO explained.
“Winners will be announced on Universal Children’s Day, the 20th of November, 2014, following an exhibition of selected photographs. The calendar will be launched on International Human Rights Day, the 10th of December, 2014. All proceeds from the calendar sales will be used to fund ARC’s H.O.P.E. Campaign against Child Abuse.”
The 12 topics or themes for the competition as well as guidelines for submission can be found on the ARC website.
(0)Dislikes(0)President Abdulla Yameen has today appointed ambassadors to the European Union, Belgium, China, and Kuwait.
Upon his return from Singapore this morning, Yameen presented a letter of appointment to Ahmed Shiaan – formerly acting high commissioner to the United Kingdom – who will become ambassador to Belgium and the European Union.
Additionally, Mohamed Faisal was appointed as ambassador to China, and Abdulla Hameed as non-resident ambassador to Kuwait.
The president also ratified the Bill to Repeal Act on the Detention and Imprisonment of Persons for More than Seven Days, and the Bill on Amendment to the Child Protection Act.
(0)Dislikes(0)Deputy Speaker and Hulhu-Henveiru MP Reeko Moosa Manik revealed plans to contest the Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) primary for the 2018 presidential candidacy.
While speaking at an MDP rally held in the carnival area last night, Moosa said the party would discredit any allegations that it has no internal democracy.
Moosa said his resignation as chairperson following the disappointing Majlis election results in March was intended to provide space and opportunity for young politicians to take charge.
“I took a step back from the front lines of the party in order to spend more time with my family after ten years of working tirelessly at the front lines of the party,” said Moosa while speaking about his absence from party activities in the recent months.
When stepping down, Reeko called upon fellow party leaders to follow his example. Former President Mohamed Nasheed made similar suggestions before standing uncontested for the party’s presidency in August.
(0)Dislikes(0)A Chinese survey team arrived in the Maldives today (October 25) to conduct a detailed survey for the Malé-Hulhulé bridge project.
The team which was due to arrive on Thursday (October 23) and start the survey work yesterday is now believed to be starting work on the technical survey in the coming week.
The survey will determine the pier points for the proposed bridge which will link the capital island Malé with the airport island of Hulhulé.
Tourism Minister and Economic Council Co-Chair Ahmed Adeeb told Haveeru last week that the survey is to be completed in the time frame of four months and is conducted with the aid of the Chinese government amounting to US$4 Million.
Adeeb also said that the construction of the bridge, which Chinese President Xi Jinpeng has suggested be called the ‘China-Maldives friendship bridge’, is scheduled to start next year with aims of completion by 2017.
(0)Dislikes(0)Maldives Civil Court Judge Aisha Shujoon Mohamed has been re-elected to the UN subcommittee on the prevention of torture and other inhuman treatment or punishment.
Shujoon was first elected for the sub-committee in 2010 and won re-election by winning 63 of the 70 valid ballots cast at a vote held in Geneva.
Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon congratulated Judge Shujune, saying that the re-election “is a true testament to Judge Shujune’s performance in the sub-committee, her integrity and conviction.”
Shujoon is one of the founding members of the Maldives Detainee Network – now the Maldives Democracy Network – as well as being outspoken on issues of bribery within the judiciary.
The 20 member UN subcommittee works with governments to prevent torture and makes unannounced visits to prisons and detention centres to ensure detainees are not being mistreated.
Late last year, the Maldives passed its first anti-torture legislation. The Anti-Torture Act declares freedom from torture as a fundamental right, penalises torture, ensures respect for human rights of criminal suspects, and prohibits torture in state custody.
(0)Dislikes(0)The Elections Commission (EC) yesterday announced official results of a by-election held on the island of Kolhufushi in Meemu atoll on Saturday (October 18) for a vacant seat on the five-member island council.
Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidate Hussain Shamil won the by-election with 355 votes while ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) candidate Mohamed Nasir received 333 votes.
Of 964 eligible voters, 694 people cast their ballots.
The by-election was called following the resignation of Councillor Ibrahim Rasheed.
Opposition leader and former President Mohamed Nasheed told the press following the MDP’s victory that the result was indicative of public dissatisfaction with the current administration.
The opposition party also won a recent by-election held in Addu City for a vacant seat on the city council for the Feydhoo constituency.
Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom – leader of the PPM – meanwhile said on social media that the ruling party “must learn” from the by-election defeats.
(0)Dislikes(0)The state will not be hiring any new employees in 2015 in a bid to reduce recurrent expenditure, Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad told parliament’s public accounts committee last night (October 22).
Jihad told MPs that government ministries and various state institutions have proposed creating more than 5,000 posts next year.
However, President Abdulla Yameen has decided to “freeze employment” during 2015, Jihad revealed.
All state institutions should consider reducing expenditure as domestic debt has reached MVR16 billion (US$1 billion), he added.
Jihad noted that the government’s economic council was currently reviewing the estimated annual state budget for 2015 ahead of submission to the People’s Majlis for approval.
President Yameen’s campaign pledge to create 94,000 new jobs would be fulfilled through spurring job creation in the private sector, he added.
In August, Jihad warned that the ballooning fiscal deficit could affect the government’s ability to pay civil servants.
Jihad explained that shortfalls in revenue of MVR1.5 billion would see the deficit increase to MVR4 billion – equal to 10.6 percent of GDP.
The government currently employs just under 25,000 civil servants, representing over seven percent of the population.
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