Category: News in Brief

Maldives Gas limits supply to restaurants and cafes

The Madives Gas Pvt Ltd has limited the supply of bottled gas to restaurants, eateries and cafes following a delay in a shipment due to arrive next Sunday.

Managing Director Abdulla Maumoon told online news outlet CNM that a cargo boat carrying the shipment of liquified petroleum gas (LPG) was delayed due to bad weather in the region and was now expected to arrive two days late on Wednesday, August 26.

If restaurants and cafes bring two empty containers, Maumoon said the company would refill two with the remaining to be filled after the shipment arrives.

No restrictions would be placed on providing gas to households, he added, noting that one day’s worth of gas has been held in reserve.

In June 2013, resort operators and businesses across the Maldives were forced to dramatically alter menus and even temporarily close entire restaurants after weeks of disruptions to the supply of LPG.

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High Court rules MIRA has authority to confiscate documents

The High Court has ruled that the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) has the authority to seize documents during investigations of tax evasion or fraud carried out under an order by the tax appeal tribunal.

The High Court on Thursday (August 21) overturned a Civil Court ruling to the contrary in a case lodged by a company called Treasure Biz International Pvt Ltd after MIRA sent in auditors and confiscated documents from the company’s offices in December 2012.

The Civil Court in May 2013 ordered MIRA to hand over the documents and electronic equipment to the company within seven days.

A three-judge High Court panel, however, ruled (Dhivehi) that taxation laws empower MIRA officers enforcing a search order by the tax appeal tribunal to confiscate relevant documents or financial records. A specific order would not be required for seizing documents, the judges noted.

In May this year, Fuad Zahir, managing director of Treasure Biz, set up a trade union to advocate for the rights of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

MIRA has meanwhile filed tax evasion charges against Treasure Biz.

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Kodey councillors sworn in seven months after election

Three councillors-elect for the island council of Gaaf Alif Kodey took their oaths of office on Thursday (August 21) seven months after the local council elections in January, reports local media.

Independent members Murthala Saleem and Ahmed Ibrahim along with Adhaalath Party member Siyam Mohamed were sworn in by Gaaf Alif Villigili Magistrate Azeem Hassan at a ceremony at the Kodey school.

A fourth councillor-elect, Shan Mohamed, meanwhile informed the Local Government Authority (LGA) that he no longer wished to serve on the council.

Shan told Sun Online that he has moved to Malé since January’s polls and begun practicing law in the capital.

Elections Commission (EC) Director Ahmed Abubakur, however, insisted that Shan must first take the oath of office and then resign if he did not want the seat.

He added that the EC would make a decision once the LGA informs the commission of Shan’s letter.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court overturned the High Court’s annulment of the Kodey island council election.

In February, the High Court ordered a revote for the five-member island council. The decision was, however, appealed at the Supreme Court by the EC.

In its verdict (Dhivehi) – delivered more than four months after the appeal was filed – the apex court ordered a revote to be held among the two fifth-placed candidates and the sixth-placed candidate.

The fifth-placed candidates received 88 votes while the candidate in sixth place received 87 votes.

As the margin between the candidates for the last seat was just one vote, the High Court had invalidated the election after it emerged that an elderly Kodey man residing in Dhaandhoo had cast his ballot in the wrong box.

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Gayoom warns of spread of “secular ideology”

Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has warned of the spread of “secular” or “irreligious” ideology in the Maldives, reports local media.

Speaking at a ceremony held last night to hand over funds to the Progressive Party of Maldives’ (PPM) branches, the ruling party’s leader was quoted as saying that “our responsibility should be to protect the country and uphold the principles and tenets of Islam.”

Gayoom warned of “an ideology to allow other religions on Maldivian soil” as well as efforts to instil values or practices that were contrary to Maldivian traditions and culture.

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Archaeological team from India concludes survey in Maldives

A delegation from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) visited Maldives from August 14-20 on the invitation of the Government of Maldives to conduct a detailed study for a project to undertake restoration of ancient mosques in Maldives.

The 4-member team, led by Dr BR Mani, additional director general, visited several mosques in various islands and held meetings with the Maldivian delegations in the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and the Department of Heritage led by Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed and Deputy Minister of Education and Director of Heritage Department Yumna Maumoon.

Both sides welcomed the proposal for a MoU between ASI and the heritage department, and the renovation and preservation of ancient cultural heritage in the Maldives.

The ASI delegation visit is a follow-up of the visit of Shaheem’s visit to India in April 2014, during which co-operation between India and Maldives in this area was discussed.

India had previously assisted the Maldives in restoration of several ancient mosques including Hukuru Miskiy (1988), Eid Miskiy (2006), Dharumavantha Rasgefaanu Miskiy (2004) in Male and Fenfushi Hukuru Miskiy in South Ari atoll (2001).

Six of the country’s coral stone mosques are currently being considered for UNESCO world heritage site status.

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Verdict in Afrasheem murder trial due on September 7

Judge Abdulla Didi has declared today that a verdict in the murder trial of Dr Afrasheem Ali will be delivered on September 7, reports local media.

The accused Ali Shan is on trial for allegedly killing the moderate religious scholar on October 1, 2012 together with Hussain Human, who was found guilty and sentenced to death by the Criminal Court in January.

Following testimony at today’s hearing from witnesses for the defence, Judge Didi said closing statements would be heard at the next trial date on August 28.

At the last hearing, four witnesses testified that Shan was at the Jalapeno restaurant on the night that MP Dr Afrasheem Ali was murdered.

A fifth witness, Ubaidhulla Saeed, told the court today that he saw Shan at the restaurant around 9:30pm on the night the former MP was murdered.

After having coffee with friends, Ubaidhulla said he and Shan went for a motorbike ride and was in the Dolphin Cafe when he heard of the murder. Shan was with him at the time, he said.

At a previous hearing, a witness for the prosecution testified to have seen Shan holding a blood-stained knife near Dr Afrasheem’s body by the staircase of the deceased’s residence.

At a hearing in February, state prosecutors presented evidence against the accused, including two witness testimonies, the confession of Humam, and a recording of a phone call.

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Police seize alcohol from residence in Malé

Police have arrested a 30-year-old Indian national after discovering 17 bottles of alcohol in his residence in the capital Malé.

Police said Galolhu Naseemge was searched with a court warrant around 11:15am today after receiving intelligence information suggesting the male suspect was selling alcohol.

The suspect had been renting a room in the house, police noted, and the liquor was found in 500ml bottles.

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Sagaru Nasir freed after serving sentence

Ahmed ‘Sagaru’ Nasir, 60, was released from prison last week after serving a 25-year jail sentence for his part in the failed coup attempt in November 1988, reports local media.

While Nasir and his Maldivian accomplice Abdulla Luthfee were initially sentenced to death, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom commuted the sentence to 25 years in prison.

Nasir had reportedly been transferred to house arrest in 2009, but was taken back to jail in 2012 after being seen in public.

On November 3, 1998, a group of Tamil mercenaries led by Nasir and Luthfee attacked the capital and quickly took over the airport, killing 19 Maldivians, including 11 soldiers, before 1600 Indian paratroopers foiled the armed coup.

Luthfee meanwhile fled the country in 2009 after he was authorised to seek medical treatment in Sri Lanka. In 2012, police began searching for the fugitive.

Sri Lankan newspaper The Island reported Luthfee as saying on the 23rd anniversary of the November 3 coup attempt that he “wanted to get rid of Gayoom at any cost. As the election process in my country never gave a reasonable opportunity to the opposition, I felt an outside force should be used to oust Gayoom.”

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Mandhu College sets up virtual campus

Mandhu College has set up a virtual campus in collaboration with telco Ooredoo and invited applications from prospective students from across the Maldives.

The private higher education institute explained in a press release yesterday that the ‘Mandhu College Virtual Campus’ was developed over the course of nine years and has been formally launched after a trial run of one semester.

“The primary aim of the Virtual Campus is to provide easy access to aspiring students who are residing in islands other than Malé to different areas of higher education,” the press release stated.

“The Virtual Campus brings together students and lecturers in different locations to a ‘virtual classroom’, where all participants can interact freely. Students can interact with their teacher and other students in real time. Furthermore, with Mandhu College Virtual Campus, students now get an opportunity to study while carrying out their family and working obligations.

“Mandhu College and Ooredoo have worked in partnership to maximise the use of available technology to ensure that all students in the Maldives can gain easy access to higher education, and that they will be able to experience an uncompromised standard of higher education.”

The statement also noted that “students and lecturers who have experienced the facilities of the Virtual Campus have expressed their satisfaction with this mode of study and is willing to continue to progress with this opportunity.”

Speaking at a ceremony last night, Mandhu College Chairman Ibrahim Ismail ‘Ibra’ said he first envisioned the establishment of a virtual campus in 2006.

While some called it an impossible dream, “we know today that it is possible,” said the former MP and chair of the Special Majlis committee that drafted the new constitution.

Ibra said Mandhu College hoped to seek the assistance of lecturers from major international universities to conduct courses for the virtual campus, adding that that the college has decided to reduce course fees by 30 percent.

Ooredoo CEO Vikram Singha meanwhile said that the establishment of the virtual campus was “noteworthy, even on an international level.”

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