Category: News in Brief

Expatriate dies in accident at sea

An expatriate died Sunday night (August 31) in a collision of a dinghy and a speedboat in the lagoon of Gaaf Dhaal Thinadhoo.

Police said the accident at sea occurred around 7:10pm. The foreigner was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Thinadhoo regional hospital.

Police did not reveal the nationality of the deceased.

The dinghy collided with the speedboat while both vessels were entering the Thinadhoo harbour, police explained.

Three foreigners and one Maldivian were aboard the dinghy at the time. A second expatriate was taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

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Civil Court orders Elections Commission to release funds to IDP

The Civil Court has ordered the Elections Commission (EC) to issue funds from the state budget to the Islamic Democratic Party (IDP).

In a verdict delivered on Sunday (August 31), the Civil Court ordered the EC to hand over funds owed to the party from 2011 to 2013.

Judge Mariyam Nihayath ruled that the EC did not have the legal authority to withhold the money by setting conditions or criteria that were not specified in laws or regulations.

The EC had said at the trial that the funds were not released to the IDP as it had failed to pay fines and was not active as a political party.

In July, the EC reinstated eight small parties – including the IDP – dissolved for not having a minimum of 3,000 registered members.

Following the controversial dismissal of former EC Chair Fuwad Thowfeek and Deputy Chair Ahmed Fayaz for contempt of court, the EC sought the Supreme Court’s advice concerning a ruling that abolished a requirement in the Political Parties Act for a minimum of 10,000 members.

The apex court advised the EC to reinstate the dissolved parties, which are entitled to financial assistance from the state from funds allocated in the annual budget.

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Man placed under house arrest for biting his wife

The Criminal Court on Sunday (August 31) sentenced a man to six months under house arrest for biting his wife’s hand.

According to local media, Ali Mohamed, from Maafanu Season, was found guilty of assaulting his wife in November 2012.

The court noted in its verdict that the accused had previously been sentenced for a similar offence.

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High Court ceases hearing appeals challenging procedural rulings

The High Court has ceased accepting appeals challenging procedural decisions made by lower courts following a circular issued by the Supreme Court on August 24.

The Supreme Court stated in the circular (Dhivehi) that the constitutional right to appeal verdicts or judgments delivered in civil or criminal cases did not extend to rulings on procedural points raised during trials.

The apex court stated that procedural rulings could only be contested by appealing the final judgement.

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Government implements new escaped prisoner regulation

The government yesterday started implementing a new regulation on procedures regarding escaped inmates.

The regulation was made in compliance with Article 144 of the Prisons and Parole Act, 2013.

The regulation gives the authority to the director of prisons to declare that an inmate has escaped from detention, failed to return from temporary release, or taken flight while on medical release.

The new regulation obliges the most senior officer in-charge of the prison security to inform the director of prisons immediately if an inmate escapes or attempts to escape. The director must then inform the Commissioner of Prisons before submitting a detailed incident report within 24 hours.

Correctional services are subsequently obliged to inform police with a written document and to publish the escaped inmate’s picture on the media as well as informing the family of the escape.

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Kooddoo, Felivaru merged with MIFCO

The government-owned canneries Kooddoo Fisheries Complex and Felivaru Fisheries Complex have been brought back under the management of the Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO), reports local media.

The major business units or factories of MIFCO were separated from the company during the administration of former President Mohamed Nasheed and began operations as independent entities on June 1, 2010.

Privation Board Chairman Mohamed Nazeer told newspaper Haveeru yesterday that the separate entities would be dissolved and some of its board members have been appointed to a reconstituted MIFCO board of directors.

While former Felivaru Managing Director Hassan Rasheed has been appointed chairman of the board, former Kooddoo Managing Director Adhly Ismail has been appointed managing director at MIFCO.

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Immigration department discontinues quota for house maids

The department of immigration has temporarily ceased issuing quotas to employment agencies for bringing in expatriate house maids or domestic servants.

According to local media, the department would not be issuing employment approval for house maids from August 21 to November 30 as part of efforts to clamp down on illegal immigrants.

The move follows a freeze on issuing quotas for farmers, tailors and barbers earlier this month.

An immigration official told newspaper Haveeru that house maids were often thrown out by their employers.

“These immigrants survive by doing odd jobs and any other kind of work they can find. Most of these immigrants have come as housemaids. Identifying the vocation with other vocations that may facilitate human trafficking, we have decided to discontinue allowing quota for housemaids even. This move will restrict illegal immigration,” the official was quoted as saying.

He added that the restriction would encourage hiring Maldivians for vacancies.

The immigration department deported 6,400 undocumented workers between January and July this year.

A special operation to deport undocumented workers was announced on April 24, with Minister of Defence and National Security Mohamed Nazim – also in charge of the immigration department – promising “the whole Malé will be cleaned [of migrant workers]” within three weeks.

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Boat sinks with cargo at commercial harbour

A boat loading goods at the commercial harbour in Malé sank on Saturday (August 30), reports local media.

According to the Maldives Ports Limited (MPL), the accident occurred around 1:30am after it was loaded with wood and timber.

The boat reportedly became heavier than the floating point of a vessel of its size. No one was harmed in the incident.

The submerged vessel has since been pulled out with assistance from the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF).

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Civil servants receive annual bonus for the first time

Civil servants have received annual bonuses after appraisal of the work conducted by individual civil servants between January 2013 and the end of January 2014.

The bonus was given to staff with attendance of over 80 percent in the defined period, with zero unexplained absences and with no disciplinary actions being taken against them.

Those who received 95 percent and above in the appraisal received a bonus equivalent to a month’s pay. Those who received between 85 and 95 percent received two thirds of their basic salary, while those between 84.9 and 75 percent received one third of their basic monthly salary.

Should any persons have issues regarding the bonuses, the Civil Service Commission has announced that complaints can be lodged during a period of one month, which ends at the end of August.

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