Category: News in Brief

Parliament rejects amendments to Decentralisation Act

Parliament today rejected amendments submitted by Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Riyaz Rasheed to the Decentralisation Act to transfer land and and lagoons under local council jurisdiction or ownership to the housing ministry.

The amendments were rejected with 68 votes against, six in favour and three abstentions. Pro-government MPs also voted against the amendment bill submitted by the PPM parliamentary group deputy leader.

“I am proposing amendments to the Decentralisation Act to the [People’s] Majlis today because of the disputes concerning land between councils, city councils and the housing ministry, and because the existing land law and decentralisation law does not make clear enough to us who has ownership of land,” Riyaz had said while presenting the legislation (Dhivehi) last week.

“Therefore, I certainly believe that the state’s property should be under one institution.”

In the ensuing debate, MPs of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and Jumhooree Party (JP) accused the government of attempting to “destroy” decentralisation and render councils powerless.

The amendments would defeat the purpose of devolving decision-making powers, they contended, noting that articles 234 and 235 of the Constitution state that local councils shall have the authority to “raise funds” and “own property and incur liabilities”.

Riyaz  had argued that state assets should be under the control of the executive, alleging that councils with opposition majorities were deliberately obstructing development projects by refusing to provide land.

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PG announces policy for not prosecuting first time offenders

Prosecutor General (PG) Muhthaz Muhsin has announced a new policy for not prosecuting first time offenders for petty crimes under a “second chance programme.”

At a press conference yesterday, Muhsin explained that a special committee would consider eligibility of persons arrested by the police for various offences and sign an agreement with the offender.

As the purpose of the programme is to allow first time offenders to seek employment – which is made difficult due to a requirement for a police report – Muhsin said criminal records would be cleared once the agreement is signed.

The criteria for eligibility meanwhile includes taking into consideration the seriousness of the crime, the circumstances under which it was committed, physical or psychological harm caused, the rights of injured parties, and the penalty prescribed by law.

Persons who commit crimes for which a punishment is prescribed in Islamic Shariah would not be eligible, he noted.

In his address to the nation on Independence Day (July 26), President Abdulla Yameen revealed that criminal records have been cleared for 3,588 youth since he took office in November.

Home Minister Umar Naseer had told parliament earlier that month that criminal records of more than 2,000 youth have been cleared or expunged since the current administration took office in November.

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MP Riyaz Rasheed withdraws amendments to law on privileges and protection for former presidents

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Riyaz Rasheed has withdrawn amendments proposed to the Privileges and Protection for former President’s Act of 2009.

At today’s sitting of parliament, the PPM parliamentary group deputy leader said he decided to withdraw the bill as it required revision, adding that he would resubmit during the next session after the upcoming one-month recess.

The amendment proposed denying financial benefits and protection for former presidents if they are either convicted of a criminal offence or encourages an act that threatens Maldivian sovereignty and independence.

Similar amendments proposed by the Vilufushi MP twice before had been rejected by the previous parliament.

The 2009 law stipulates a monthly allowance of MVR50,000 (US$3,243) for a president who has served one term.

Before declaring his intention to withdraw the amendments, Riyaz suggested it could be beneficial to allow the bill to be debated on the People’s Majlis floor to “recall” the alleged misdeeds of former President Mohamed Nasheed and the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) government.

He went on to allege that the party was behind all the murders that have occurred in the Maldives, prompting MDP MP Ibrahim Shareef to object with a point of order.

PPM MPs were using the Majlis floor as “a political podium,” Shareef said.

Following the controversial transfer of presidential power on February 2012, the government had questioned Nasheed’s eligibility for state benefits on the grounds that he had not completed a full five-year term in office.

In June 2012, MDP MP Ahmed Hamza revealed that the state had spent MVR1.3 million (US$84,300) on healthcare costs for former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and his wife from 2010 to April 2012.

In November 2012, Riyaz threatened to sue the finance minister and attorney general for providing state benefits to former President Nasheed.

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Three bills sent to committee

Three bills submitted on behalf of the government by Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MPs were sent to committee for further review at today’s sitting of parliament.

While a bill on health professionals was accepted unanimously with 77 votes in favour, a bill on the health sector was also accepted unanimously with 74 votes in favour and three abstentions.

Legislation on the Communications Authority of Maldives (CAM) submitted by PPM MP Saud Hussain was accepted with the unanimous consent of 74 MPs.

The bill outlines rules governing telecommunications and postal services and proposes allowing CAM to set prices for telecommunication services, license telcos and ensure a competitive market.

If passed into law, a five-member board would be instituted to head CAM, which would function under a ministry.

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Bangladeshi dies in accident at MTCC Thilafushi site

A Bangladeshi national died in an accident at the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company’s (MTCC) site in the industrial island of Thilafushi on Saturday (August 23).

According to local media, an airbag used in docking burst and flung the Bangladeshi man – an MTCC employee – following impact.

The Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) revealed that despite no sign of visible injuries, he had died of internal injuries and bleeding.

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Bangkok Hospital to provide Aasandha healthcare coverage

The Ministry of Health has held discussions with Bangkok Hospital to provide Aasandha, the Maldives universal healthcare scheme, in Thailand.

The ministry said today that discussions with Bangkok Hospital were held between heads of Bangkok Hospital and the acting Minister of Health Mohamed Nazim, reported local media Sun Online.

The discussions reportedly included providing specialist services and medical equipment to the Maldives, establishing a mechanism to prevent shortages of drugs, improving health clinic services in the Maldives, and ensuring the availability of certain drugs at Bangkok Hospital through Aasandha.

Earlier this year, President Abdulla Yameen inaugurated the ‘Unlimited Aasandha’ universal health scheme, as a part of his presidential campaign pledge and his first hundred day programme.

At the time, Yameen assured that the new unlimited service will be an upgrade from the existing Aasandha programme introduced by President Mohamed Nasheed which encountered a number of issues, particularly with regards to sustainability.

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Construction begins on 300 flats for police

Construction work began last Thursday (August 21) on 300 flats for police officers in Hulhumalé.

According to police media, the project was inaugurated at a ceremony on Thursday by Assistant Commissioner of Police Mohamed Sodiq.

Award letters were presented to recipients of the flats last year, who have since been making down-payments.

Down-payments would have to be paid for two years, police explained, and ownership would be transferred to the selected officers after monthly rent is paid for 25 years.

Apartments were awarded to officers with at least 20 years of service and based on a points system used in other housing schemes.

In September 2013, the previous administration awarded 300 flats to police officers under a housing project to be carried out jointly by the government-owned Housing Development Corporation (HDC) and the Police Cooperative Society (POLCO).

Under the MVR580 million (US$37.6 million) ‘Blue’s Housing Project,’ 210 three-bedroom and 90 two-bedroom apartments are to be constructed in Hulhumale’.

In addition to the housing project, then-President Dr Mohamed Waheed awarded 50 flats to senior police and military officers.

The awarding of 300 flats to police officers was criticised by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) as a continuation of the patronage system established during the 30-year reign of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

“In the light of extensive exposes, such ‘patronage’ is familiar to voters from the single party dictatorship of Gayoom and I believe they will simply say to each other ‘I told you so’,” MDP MP and Spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor told Minivan News at the time.

Ghafoor said it was “very concerning” that police should be given flats exclusively instead of teachers, doctors and other civil servants. He also questioned the selection process for awarding flats.

While some of the officers may have deserved the housing, there was concern that some officers involved in the alleged “coup d’etat” on February 7 had been rewarded with flats, Ghafoor claimed.

Since the controversial transfer of presidential power that brought Dr Waheed to office in February 2012 – in the wake of a violent police mutiny instigated by officers of the Special Operations (SO) command – more than 1000 police officers were promoted, 110 new police officers were hired, arrangements were made for cheap accommodation in Sri Lanka for police officers and their families and a loan scheme was set up for police officers.

In February, President Abdulla Yameen had assured police officers that the construction of the flats would begin in March.

In a visit to the police barracks at Iskandhar Koshi, Yameen said resolving housing issues for police personnel in Malé and the atolls was a high priority of his administration.

The president also said he has personally witnessed the “difficult conditions” that officers were working in the atolls, adding that the government would “prioritise finding an adequate solution” and would strengthen police welfare mechanisms.

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Court postpones delivering verdict in Siyam alcohol possession trial

The Criminal Court has postponed a hearing scheduled today to deliver a verdict in MP Ahmed ‘Sun’ Siyam Mohamed’s alcohol smuggling and possession trial, reports local media.

At the last hearing in July, Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed had said the verdict would be delivered at the next trial date. The court has confirmed that a hearing scheduled for today has been cancelled, but did not provide an explanation.

The chief judge had taken over Siyam’s case in May after the MP for Dhaalu Meedhoo requested a change of judge.

In June, two witnesses for the prosecution testified to finding a bottle of alcohol in Siyam’s luggage. Both were customs officers.

The government-aligned Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) leader was charged with smuggling and possession of alcohol in November after a liquor bottle was found in his luggage in March 2012.

The bottle was discovered in the tourism tycoon’s bag when it was screened at the airport upon his return from a trip overseas.

The penalty for alcohol possession in the penal code is either a fine of between MVR1,000 to MVR3,000 or imprisonment, banishment or house arrest for up to three years.

Siyam’s MDA formed an alliance with the now-ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) in August to back PPM presidential candidate Abdulla Yameen.

In March 2012, an audio clip of a conversation between Siyam and Yameen was leaked on social media, in which the pair aired grievances against PPM leader and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

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Oil leaks from burst STELCO pipe

An oil pipe of the State Electricity Company (STELCO) carrying fuel to electric turbines in Malé burst open yesterday, spilling oil into the sea on the western side of the capital.

STELCO said in a press release that measures were promptly taken to mitigate damage to the coastal environment. The company said the hole in the pipe was patched and repaired.

Moreover, protection sheets were placed to prevent the leaked oil from spreading while efforts were underway to remove the oil and clean the affected area, the state’s utility company said.

STELCO assured that steps were being taken to prevent a recurrence of a similar incident.

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