Category: News in Brief

Majlis asked to approve new ambassador to India and PIC members

President Abdulla Yameen has chosen to appoint former Commissioner General of Customs Ahmed Mohamed as the Maldivian ambassador to India.

Ahmed Mohamed’s name is scheduled to be sent to the parliament which will conduct background checks on the candidate before making a decision. The Majlis returned from recess today.

It is believed that Ahmed Mohamed was dismissed from his position at customs after a disagreement with the government over the recruitment policies.

Local media has reported that his removal from the post followed his refusal to bow to government pressure to bypass regulations in the appointment of customs officials.

The current ambassador to India is Mohamed Naseer who was formerly the foreign secretary at Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

President Yameen’s nominees for the two vacant seats on the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) were also been sent to parliamentary committees for evaluation at today’s sitting of the Majlis.

The nominees for the PIC – Saeed Moosa, of special registry number 5381, and Fathimath Minhath Izzath, of Galolhu Gofi – are to be evaluated by the independent institutions oversight committee.

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Addu Council to prioritise dealing with waste management issue in 2015

Addu City Council has announced that they will be prioritising a waste management programme when drafting the budget for 2015.

The council stated that there is an even higher need for this at present due to the development of guest house tourism in the city.

Addu City Mayor Abdulla Sodiq also reflected on the importance of increasing public awareness on waste management, local media reports.

The council stated that the waste management system they intend to introduce will facilitate the conversion of recycling and the production of fertilisers through the burning of waste.

The council had previously discussed conducting a waste management program in Addu with the assistance of the Ministry of Environment.

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Media council re-opens membership application

The Maldives Media Council (MMC) has reopened the application process for new members for the third time.

In a statement released today, the home ministry said that the application would be open for applicants who want to become a member of the committee until October 22.

The MMC consists of eight members from the media and seven members from the general public who are not affiliated with the media.

Complications with the first attempted application process caused the elections to be postponed, while the second attempt was delayed after issues were raised regarding inactive media outlets still being eligible to vote.

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MIRA collects MVR835.7 million in September

The Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) collected MVR835.7 million (US$54 million) in taxes during September, 4.3 percent higher than the forecast income for the month.

MIRA explained in a press statement yesterday that the tax revenue was 24.4 percent higher than the same period in 2013.

While proceeds from tourism land rent accounted for MVR315.7 million (US$20 million), MIRA revealed that MVR302.7 million (US$19.6 million) was collected as GST (Goods and Services Tax).

As of the end of September, MIRA has collected a total of MVR9.01 billion (US$584 million), which represents a 26.3 percent increase from last year. A total of MVR8.9 billion (US$577 million) was collected by the end of 2013.

Despite record levels of government income, however, the Ministry of Finance and Treasury reduced recurrent expenditure by 20 percent this month in an effort to curb a growing budget deficit.

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Civil Court orders DRP to pay over MVR1.1 million to MTCC

The Civil Court has on Sunday ordered the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) to pay MVR1,111,438.96 (USD72,406.45) to Maldives Transport and Contract Company Plc (MTCC).

The party was taken to court by the MTCC after its failure to pay this amount for services rendered to the party during the 2008 presidential elections, in which the party’s then-leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom lost to the Maldivian Democratic Party’s Mohamed Nasheed.

The Civil Court verdict in the case orders the party to split the payment and complete payments within a period of six months.

Earlier in April, the Civil Court ordered the party to pay back a debt of over MVR700,000 (USD45,602.61) to HUB Company. The DRP was later fined by the court for ts  failure to complete payment as per court orders.

Island Aviation Services are also currently suing the party seeking repayment of debts. After backing unsuccessful candidates during the 2013 presidential election, the DRP failed to win any seats in the 2014 Majlis elections.

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Global Projects Development company hands over five apartments in Gulhi Falhu

The Global Projects Development (GPD) company handed over five two-room apartments in Gulhi Falhu to their respective owners yesterday (October 11), reports local media.

A GPD official told the press that the remaining flats in the ‘Orchid Residence’ would be handed over at a ceremony on Saturday.

Public services such as a health centre and twice daily ferry services to Malé would be available once the island is inhabited, the official explained, adding that the government gave authorisation on September 18 to continue with the Gulhi Falhu development plan.

GDP is constructing 2,500 flats in the reclaimed island west of the capital near the industrial island of Thilafushi.

The US$600 million Gulhi Falhu development project – which involved reclamation of 40 hectares of land – was launched during the administration of former President Mohamed Nasheed.

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Dr Bilal Phillips to visit the Maldives for the second time

Canadian preacher Dr Bilal Phillips is set to visit the Maldives for the second time at the end of this month in order to deliver a religious sermon upon invitation by local religious organisation Jamiyyathul Salaf.

Dr Phillips will give a sermon named ‘The call’ on the 30th of this month, and will be accompanied by British Islamic scholar Abdu Raheem Green.

Speaking to Haveeru, president of Jamiyatthul Salaf, Abdulla bin Mohamed Ibrahim said that they had received a lot of support for the initiative and informed that the programme will be conducted in various locations in the Maldives including Fuvahmulah and Addu City.

Dr Phillips was recently investigated and deported from the Philippines for inciting terrorist ideologies. He was questioned by the Phillipines police regarding links terrorist organisations including the Islamic State (IS).

The controversial preacher who frequently appears on Islamic television channel Peace TV has been banned from entering Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States of America for security reasons.

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Suspects in MDP rally attack released

All seven suspects arrested in connection with an attack on an opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) rally in Addu City on Friday night have been released.

A police media official told local media that the suspects were released last night due to lack of sufficient evidence for prosecution.

While 16 suspects were arrested from the scene after a group of masked men attacked MDP supporters at the Feydhoo harbour area with wooden planks and stones, police released nine suspects the following morning.

Police said the remaining suspects were released due to lack of evidence to hold them in remand detention, though the case remained under investigation.

Three police officers injured in the clashes were treated at the Feydhoo health centre, police said.

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Broadcasters Lobby Group calls on president to investigate ‘riding fees’

The Broadcasters Lobby Group has appealed to President Abdulla Yameen to look into the matter of cable TV provider Medianet charging a ‘riding fee’ to broadcast local channels while it charges no such fees to show international channels.

The Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC) on Thursday approved a provision whereby Medianet can charge MVR4 for each household as a ‘riding fee’ when local channels are viewed in Seenu and Kaafu atoll if channels are hosted through their network.

In the appeal to the president, the lobby group alleged that MBC is discriminating against local broadcasters and that it was an attempt to eradicate local channels, local media reports.

“As things have reached this point, we believe that it is obligatory for the head of state to look into this matter,” a press release by the lobby group read.

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