Month: April 2012

DQP MP Riyaz, PPM MP Ilham submit bill to withdraw Maldives from Commonwealth

MP of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM), Ahmed Ilham, and Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) MP Riyaz Rasheed have submitted a bill to parliament that could see the Maldives withdraw itself from the Commonwealth within 60 days of ratification.

Under the proposed bill, a decision to later rejoin the 54 member state intergovernmental organisation would require a similar act to be passed in parliament.

A PPM MP  told Minivan News on condition on anonymity that  there has been no discussion among members following the submission of the bill.

The MP emphasised that the wider party had not yet discussed a policy on leaving the Commonwealth, while also stressing the need for further dialogue with the organisation.

The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (GMAG) has increased pressure over the last month on the Maldives government to revise the composition and mandate of an independent commission established to ascertain the nature of the controversial transfer of power in February.

CMAG said that “stronger measures” would be considered against the Maldives over the next month if it failed to enact changes to the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) to ensure it was more “credible” and “independent”. These claims led to a backlash from some government-alligned MPs accusing the Commonwealth of showing “bias” and not respecting the country’s constitution.  The government of President Mohamed Waheed Hassan has stressed it remains committed to the body despite some reservations about the clarity of CMAG’s agenda.

However, after submitting the bill to parliament yesterday, MP Riyaz claimed in local media that the Commonwealth was working to “protect the interests” of one party in the country without understanding the “reality” of the situation.

Ilham meanwhile told the press that although withdrawal from the Commonwealth was not seen as the “best option”, the bill had been forwarded “in consideration” of issues that may affect the country in the future.

MPs Ilham and Rahseed were both unavailable for comment when contacted at Minivan News at time of press. PPM Parliamentary Group Leader Abdulla Yameen was also not responding.

Party discussions

The PPM MP said that he was aware that the bill had been submitted yesterday evening by two members of parties belonging to the coalition government, yet was not sure of the exact details of the proposed bill.

“It is at a  very early stage right now, I do not know myself what it is about,” he said. “From my view it is not something that has been discussed within the PPM yet.”

The PPM member added that a recently founded joint parliamentary group consisting of several coalition parties had also not had the chance to discuss any motion on leaving the Commonwealth.

“I have previously expressed my concern that [leaving the Commonwealth] is not the best way to solve this issue. It is not really a choice we can take,” he said. “I would still say that there is a chance to sit down together and discuss this matter.”

“Anything can happen in politics”

MDP spokesperson and MP Hamid Abdul Ghafoor said he suspected that even if all the PPM and DQP parties’ members backed the bill, there would not be enough support to pass the motion to leave the Commonwealth in the Majis.

“I don’t believe they could get backing for such a bill, this is simply Gayoom posturing,” he claimed. “Of course, anything is possible in politics, but I do not think the Maldivian people would support this. We are a tourism-based economy and this move would not be good for investor confidence in future.”

Ghafoor added that submission of the bill itself was “extremely revealing” of the attitude of government-aligned MPs towards establishing an independent investigation of February’s transfer of power through the CNI.

“I’m a little perplexed as to why they are acting this way.  The MPs are clearly upset about the Commonwealth’s calls and this has been seen in the increasingly xenophobic language [in Dhivehi] used by some of the parties regarding the outside world and the Commonwealth.”

Ghafoor claimed that the MDP was itself completely against leaving the commonwealth, a decision he believed would be shared by the majority of the public who were “aware of the benefits” that the organisation had  afforded to the country.

“The MDP certainly has a global outlook. Therefore the thought of leaving an international organisation like the Commonwealth in this day and age is the height of ridiculousness,” he said.  “Clearly the PPM believe that we are still in the 1930s.”

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Vice President pushes for population consolidation plan

The Vice President Waheed Deen has called for the country to prioritise a population consolidation plan to foster sustainable economic development in Maldives.

With a total population of nearly 350,000, dispersed over 196 inhabited islands spread over a distance of more than 600 miles, the Maldives is one of one of the world’s most dispersed countries. The extremely dispersed population and small island communities have been long recognised as key challenges to the sustainable social and economic development of Maldives.

“Without population consolidation we cannot achieve sustainable economic development,” Deen contended, speaking to the media first time since taking office, after parliament unanimously endorsed the resort tycoon as the Vice President on April 25.

Deen observed that islands with population below 400 still demand services such as sanitation, harbors, schools and hospitals, but the distribution of such social and economic services to the remote and least populated islands is an economic burden due the state to the high expenditures.

“So where is the economy of scale?” Deen asked. “If government continues to spend on small island populations, the expenditure will turn out to be a waste.”

According to the new VP, people need to understand that they can have access to be better services under a comprehensive sustainable economic model if they live together. He identified capital Male’, Hulhumale’ and Addu city as key examples of such development.

“Divide and Rule”

Meanwhile, the new Vice President also shared concerns over several obstacles to the resettlement of the people into larger populations.

“A policy of divide and rule has long existed among us and we need to move away from this,” said Deen, well known for his philanthropic works and praised as “the founding father of local government in the Maldives” for spearheading efforts to introduce local governance through elected councils, before resigning as Atolls Minister in August, 2008.

“Getting votes in smaller populations are easier. However, if the community grows larger, influencing or controlling the people will not be easy,” Deen explained. “So, this is a very important point people needs to think about.”

He noted that detailed discussions on the matter are yet to be had with the government, but the issue remains a top priority: “I envision that people of Maldives will live in 25 to 30 islands. Each island will be of twice that of Hulhumale’. Around 60,000 to 70,000 will live on each island. This a a dream I see. I will try to make this dream come true.”

Currently, around 130 islands have populations less than a 1000, and others between 1000-6000, while Male’ accounts for one third of the total population, where the density of the population is over 40,000 per square kilometer.

Failed initiative

Deen’s remarks today on population consolidation mark a renewed ambition to follow through on the much awaited population strategy that has been discussed for a quarter-century, but has fallen short of making any significant outcomes. The former MDP government – now replaced by a coalition of former opposition parties – had favoured connectivity and transportation, but stopped short of relocation.

Population consolidation plans originated in the 1980’s under the banner of ‘Selected Islands Development Project’. However, concerned by the inefficiency of distribution of social services and basic infrastructure in islands with small population, and counter in-migration towards capital Male’, President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s administration embarked on a revised resettlement program called the ‘National Population Consolidation Strategy and Programme’, published in 2001.

Under this proposed strategy, two regional growth centers were agreed to be created serving respectively the Northern and the Southern atolls. In addition, 85 focus islands were selected to receive a high order of services; the other inhabited islands, called primary islands would receive a minimum level of services and population would be encouraged through various forms of subsidies to move toward the focus islands and the regional centers

Resettlement of nearly 17 islands were reportedly under review during the Gayoom’s last term in office, but confronted by the aftermath of 2004 Tsunami and the pre-2008 democratic reforms, the population consolidation plans were pushed to to the background. The talks ultimately disappeared from the tables following administration of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) which lobbied for a national transportation network between the islands to boost connectivity and economic progress.

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MDP to take no confidence votes against Party President and Vice President as internal rift grows

The national council of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) will take no confidence votes against the party’s President Dr Ibrahim Didi and Vice President MP Alhan Fahmy, at the council’s 104th meeting scheduled for today.

The no-confidence motion is the second to be forwarded against the party’s leadership this month.

According to a statement from the party, the motion was put forward by the newly-elected Secretary General of the Party’s Parliamentary Group and International Spokesperson, Hamid Abdul Ghafoor, and was seconded by Mohamed ‘Ziyattey’ Ziyaadh, the former Executive Services Secretary of the President’s Office.

The MDP stated that the motion had been raised because both Didi and Fahmy had been making public statements contrary to a resolution passed on February 8, recognising that former President Mohamed Nasheed and his cabinet were ousted by illegitimate means through a coup d’état. The MDP  maintained that as the transfer of power was illegal, former President Nasheed and his cabinet should continue to sit in the National Council as senior members of government.

Facing pressure following its controversial ousting from power on February 7, the MDP’s founding leadership has come up against its ambitious new leadership, elected during the party’s internal elections in May 2011.

Ghafoor alleged that some senior figures were trying to bring about a coup within the party.

“I forwarded the resolution because [Alhan and Didi] have been making malicious statements intended to incite chaos and conflict among ordinary members of the party and the party activists. Making such statements at such a fragile time is damaging to the party,” Ghafoor told Minivan News.

A similar motion was forwarded earlier this month by the party’s Chair of Elections Committee and former head of National Social Protection Agency (NSPA), Ibrahim Waheed, calling for a “confidence assessment” of the party’s current senior leadership.

“I submitted the resolution in accordance with the MDP Constitution. The reason for the submission was that some of the party’s leaders have been issuing statements and interviews against the MDP’s Constitution, after the coup on February 7,” Waheed told Minivan News at the time.

However, the National Council at the last minute decided not to proceed with the vote.

Didi’s response

Speaking to Minivan News, MDP President Dr Ibrahim Didi stated that he did not believe such a motion could be taken. He questioned the authenticity of the scheduled National Council meeting, claiming that it was in conflict with previously set precedents.

“As a principle, the National Council is usually held in consultation with the party leadership. The reason for holding a council meeting and its agenda has to be discussed with the Party President or Vice President. Especially at such a fragile time, they did not do so,” he said.

Didi claimed said that the courts of the country had recognised him as the legitimate leader of the MDP and referred to a recent court case in which the MDP’s legal team sued the government for dismantling its protest camp at Raalhugandu in Male’.

Civil Court Judge Aisha Shujoon dismissed the case stating that it had been filed at the court by the Interim Chairperson of the party, MP Moosa Manik, who she contended did not have authority to sign on behalf of MDP according to the party’s constitution.

The case was subsequently resubmitted under Didi’s signature, and is proceeding.

“Even the courts have recognised the authority of the party leadership and I do not believe the National Council can vote me out because I am elected from a direct vote,” he said.

Didi also said that he would not participate in today’s scheduled meeting even though he was able to sit in the council as a member of former President Nasheed’s cabinet.

“I do not believe that the cabinet is legitimate because the party constitution states that the Party President has to form the party cabinet,” Didi added.

Ghafoor argued that he had proposed the motion in accordance to the party’s constitution, article 30 clause (f) which states that the National Council is able “to debate and assess the confidence of the President of the Party or the Vice President of the Party or the Chairperson or a Deputy Chairperson, if the members of the party submits a complaint disapproving their actions.”

Despite Didi’s claims, Minivan News observed that Didi was present and participated in the national council meeting held on February 8 in which the party passed a resolution recognising former President Nasheed and his cabinet.

Internal rifts

Following the controversial transfer of power on February 7, the pressures of sudden opposition have deepened existing internal rifts between senior figures of the party.

The MDP has already decided to take action against its MP, Shifaaq ‘Histo’ Mufeed, after he voted against party whip-line in the parliament session held to approve the new cabinet and vice-presidential nominee Waheed Deen.

The MDP had earlier decided to boycott the session arguing that the session was illegitimate, since the party did not recognise the legitimacy of the government of President Mohamed Waheed Hassan, and repeating the party’s allegations that Waheed came to power in a coup d’état. The party argued that the session could not be legal because it was held to approve a government that came to power by illegal means.

However, despite the party’s whip-line on its MPs to not to take part in the session, MP Mufeed participated in the session and voted in favor of approving both the cabinet of President Waheed and Vice Presidential appointee Waheed Deen.

President Waheed’s cabinet and the vice presidential appointee Waheed Deen were approved by the remainder of sitting MPs unanimously by 45 votes of the usually 77-strong chamber, including MP Mufeed’s vote.

MDP Parliamentary Group Leader, MP Ibrahim Mohamed Solih told local media that the parliamentary group would take action against MPs who went against the party whip-line.

Speaking to Minivan News, Ghafoor said that action will be taken against Mufeed in accordance with rules set up to take action against those who break the party whip-line.

“I assure that the party’s parliamentary group (PG) will look into the matter and ensure that necessary action be taken against [Mufeed] in accordance with the party constitution, if he is found to have broken the party whip-line,” he said.

“Shifaaq [Mufeed] has been a subject of controversy, even before the February 7 coup. He has been repeatedly gone against the party line,” Ghafoor alleged.

“For instance, while we were in government, during the meetings of Social Services Committee of the Parliament where he and I both sit as MDP MPs, he had supported the centralising of Thalassaemia treatment while the party had earlier approved a bill decentralising it,” he added.

While Ghafoor did not reveal what kind of action the party would be taken against the MP representing mid-Fuvahmulah constituency, he stated that if Mufeed wanted to “switch parties” he should stop “acting like a child” and “be man enough to say that the party policies no longer appeal to him”.

However, Mufeed maintained that he did not intend to switch parties but he was trying to highlight the flaws within the party leadership, and was quoted in the local media as saying that the party’s leadership was “in a coma”.

Along with MP Mufeed, other senior party figures such as MP for Nolhivaram Constituency Mohamed ‘Colonel’ Nasheed along has become vocal in criticising the party leadership, stating that the party should let go of its “militant tactics”.

Spiritual leadership?

Along with Mufeed and others, party vice president Alhan Fahmy has implied that former President Nasheed was a “spiritual leader”, and that he would not support such a leader within the party.

However, Ghafoor told Minivan News that there was no way Nasheed could be labelled a “spiritual leader”, as the National Council of the party had agreed that he was brought down illegally and was technically still the elected president.

“I don’t believe that Nasheed is a spiritual leader. Structurally he still is the elected president, and the party has agreed that he was brought down by illegal means under a resolution passed on February 8. The party’s national council has agreed that he is still technically the elected president, through the people’s vote,” said Ghafoor.

Minivan News tried contacting MP Alhan Fahmy for his comments but he had not responded at the time of press.

The National Council was scheduled to meet today 4:00pm at Dharubaaruge. Minivan News understands the no confidence motion is to be opened for debate.

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This government will not detain Nasheed, says VP Deen

Deposed former President Mohamed Nasheed will not be detained and government has no intentions to make the arrest, the new Vice President Mohamed Waheed Deen said on Sunday.

Speaking at a press conference at the President Office, Deen contended that the current administration has no intention of “seeking revenge against anyone”.

“This government will not detain Nasheed. We are not even intending to do so,” Deen said in response to a question relating to allegations that President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan administration was seeking to arrest Nasheed, who insists he was  been forced out of office in an opposition-backed coup.

Criminal court issued an arrest warrant for Nasheed, two days after he resigned, but it was not executed by the police at the time.

Meanwhile, former President Mohamed Nasheed could face charges for his alleged role in the Maldives National Defense Force’s (MNDF) decision to detain Criminal Court’s Chief Judge Abdulla. The Maldives Police Service has sent the case against Nasheed to the PG’s Office but a decision by the office to proceed the prosecution is still pending.

A second case involving Nasheed has also been sent to the PG by the police, involving the confiscation of bottles of alcohol allegedly found at his residence shortly after his three year presidency ended on February 7.

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“CMAG lacks clear mandate to place Maldives on its agenda”: government tells EU

Maldives’ permanent representative to the EU Ali Hussein Didi has criticised the Commonwealth’s involvement in the Maldives, telling the European Parliament that the Commonwealth’s Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) lacked a clear mandate to place the Maldives on its agenda.

Following former President Mohamed Nasheed’s claim he was deposed in a coup d’état, the Commonwealth suspended the Maldives from the CMAG, and said it had decided to place Maldives on its formal agenda because of “questions that remain about the precise circumstances of the change of government, as well as the fragility of the situation in the Maldives.”

However, in a statement obtained by Minivan News provided to a monthly EU parliamentary session on South Asia, Didi said the situation in the Maldives did not allow for the country to be placed on the Commonwealth’s agenda.

Didi said the enhanced mandate of the CMAG approved in Perth in October 2011 only allowed the organisation to place a country on its agenda if there was: “(1) unilateral abrogation of a democratic constitution or serious threats to constitutional rule; (2) the suspension or prevention of the lawful functioning of parliament or other key democratic institutions; (3) the postponement of national elections without constitutional or other reasonable justification; and (4) the systematic denial of political space, such as through detention of political leaders or restriction of freedom of association, assembly or expression.”

“As you would agree, the Commonwealth Ministerial Mission that visited the Maldives from 17-19 February was not able to determine whether any of the above four conditions exists in the Maldives,” Didi claimed.

But the government of Maldives will continue to extend “maximum level of cooperation” to the Commonwealth “despite the fact that, in our opinion, the CMAG lacks a clear mandate to place the Maldives on its agenda,” Didi said.

In his five page statement, Didi further criticised the CMAG for not responding to requests for assistance to the government’s inquiry into the transfer of power, and reiterated the government’s commitment to holding presidential elections in 2013. He also claimed President Nasheed was ousted in a widespread popular uprising following Criminal Court Head Judge Abdulla Mohamed’s detention and said that normalcy and stability had returned to the Maldives.

Further criticisms

The CMAG and the EU have called for an independent and impartial investigation into the transfer of power and urged the Maldives to hold an early presidential election within the calendar year.

New President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan set up a three member Committee of National Inquiry (CNI) to investigate the circumstances surrounding Nasheed’s resignation, but the CMAG has challenged the committee’s independence, and in April warned of “further and stronger” measures should the Maldives fail to review the committee’s composition and mandate.

However, Didi supported the CNI’s independence and said the Commonwealth and the United Nations had not responded to requests for technical and legal assistance for the CNI.

Spokesperson for the Commonwealth Secretariat, Richard Uku had previously told Minivan News that the CMAG remained “ready to assist the Commission as soon as broad-based political agreement is reached on its composition and terms of reference.”

Didi also acused the CMAG of failure to respect understandings reached by the Maldives government and the Commonwealth’s Special Envoy Sir Don McKinnon. He did not provide details on the nature of the understandings reached between the government and McKinnon.

“Yet, I note with regret that the understandings we reached with the Secretary General’s Special Envoy, H. E. Sir Don McKinnon has not been respected by the CMAG or the Commonwealth Secretariat. The cooperation we give to the Commonwealth is not reflected in the statements issued by the CMAG. My government would therefore need the assurance from the Commonwealth Secretary General that the organisation’s interaction with the Government of Maldives is serious and that any understanding reached with the Government would fully be respected,” Didi said in his statement.

Commission of National Inquiry

Didi said the CNI “is conducting its work in complete independence from the Executive and other branches of government.”

He  also provided details on the government’s efforts to make the CNI acceptable to President Nasheed and to solicit international assistance.

“Names of the Commission members were shared with the MDP through international partners but no response was received. Eventually, the Government had to establish the Commission with the consultation and guidance of members of the international community. Although the Commission comprises officials with immense integrity and respect in the country, it has requested both the Commonwealth and the United Nations for technical and legal experts to assist the Commission in carrying out its work. The terms of reference of the request experts were drawn up in close consultation and in complete agreement with the Commonwealth Secretariat. Despite repeated follow-ups by the Government, there has been no response from any of the two organizations to the request.”

Didi further claimed President Nasheed had not exhausted domestic legal avenues for justice.

“His own party’s Vice President Alhan Fahmy, MP, called for a parliamentary inquiry into the events that led to transfer of power. However, this was also later withdrawn from Parliament when Nasheed decided he did not want inquiry from taking place,” he claimed.

Fahmy had submitted the resolution to Majlis’ National Security 241 committee. Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs said they had walked out of the committee because the committee was chaired by MP Gasim Ibrahim who they accuse of funding the alleged coup d’état.

Early election

Didi noted the EU’s call for early elections, but said that July 2013 was the earliest date allowed for elections in the constitution. Further, an early election could not be held while the Office of the President continues to be occupied, he claimed.

“When Maldivians voted in 2008, they voted for a President and a Vice-President. Every vote that Mr Nasheed received was also received by Dr Waheed. The Vice- President is elected for the primary purpose of filling the office of the President, should it become vacant during the term of Presidency, for any reason,” the statement said.

“Normalcy has returned”

Didi also assured the EU parliament that “stability and normalcy” had returned to the Maldives.

“The political situation in the Maldives is stable and normalcy has returned to the country. All state institutions are open, and fully functional. The schools are open, and functioning as normal. Hundreds of tourists visit the Maldives every day. In short, people in the Maldives go about their lives as normal.”

According to Didi, Dr Waheed’s administration was “committed to enact reform legislation, strengthening judiciary, building capacity of independent oversight bodies, modernising the criminal justice system and fighting corruption.”

He alleged corruption was “endemic” in Nasheed’s administration and claimed that President Waheed had set up a “High Level Task Force” to ensure compliance with the Anti- Corruption Commission and Auditor General’s reports and recommendations.

Nasheed left the Maldives at the verge of bankruptcy, Didi alleged, saying that Maldives’ debt had risen from 46 percent of GDP to 88 percent of GDP during Nasheed’s tenure.

“A team of IMF officials that visited the Maldives a few days back issued a stern warning to the Government that unless painful measures are taken urgently, the Maldives faces economic and financial crises within a matter of few months,” Didi claimed.

“Widespread popular uprising”

Didi claimed President Nasheed resigned following “a widespread popular uprising” after Nasheed “abducted” Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed.

The judge was not granted access to a lawyer or family for 22 days and refused to obey a Supreme Court ruling to release the judge, spurring a series of nightly protests against Nasheed, Didi said.

“The Government’s response to the protests was the use of tear gas and arrests. Simultaneously, however, hundreds of convicted criminals were released from the prison, and were put on the streets to clash with the protesters,” the statement read.

After 22 days of protests, Nasheed’s administration ordered the police to withdraw from the streets, “and the protesters from both sides were left to fight physically and the security forces were ordered to do nothing,” Didi said.

“Reporters and protesters were getting serious injuries and taken to hospital in numbers. Eventually, the police who had been withdrawn from the site, decide, on their own volition, to go and stop the clashes and implement law and order. All of this was being broadcast live on TV and was witnessed by the people of the Maldives.”

“Following this, orders were given to arrest the police officers, who had intervened, upon their return to the Police Headquarters. At which point, majority of the police force decided to join hands and took their position on the square in front of the Police Headquarters and MNDF Head Quarters. Then began the police and armed forces stand-off. In the ensuing time, President Nasheed decided to resign,” the statement narrated.

MDP Spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor refuted claims of popular uprising saying the protesters only numbered a few hundred people consisting of “police in plain clothes and opposition party members who were paid to protest.”

Further, Ghafoor said Judge Abdulla had been granted access to a lawyer and family members, but had refused to see his family. Hamid also noted that the Human Rights Commission (HRCM) had visited the judge on January 20 and told media that the judge was in good health, and had the ability to freely roam the island.

Hamid also condemned Didi’s failure to include in his report the police’s ransacking of MDP offices in the early hours of February 7, the hijacking of state broadcaster MNBC One, and the police’s brutal crackdown on Nasheed and his protesters on February 8.

Read the government’s full statement to the EU (English)

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44 year-old man arrested for sexually assaulting six year-old

A 44 year-old man was arrested on Friday after he was accused of sexually abusing a six year-old kid on the island of Hinnavaru in Lhaviyani Atoll, police said.

Police said the man was arrested with a court warrant on Friday afternoon at about 3:25pm.

Hinnavaru Police and Police Family and the Child Protection Unit are conducting a joint investigation into the case.

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MMPRC confirms appointment of Ruder Finn for international PR

The Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) has confirmed its appointment of New-York based public relations agency Ruder Finn, following speculation in the PR industry press last week.

Ruder Finn will provide international PR in a three-month contract PR Week speculated to be worth over US$150,000 per month.

According a statement from the MMPRC, the agency will “oversee the overall media coordination and achievement of PR related solution for destination Maldives, instil confidence in the tourism industry of the Maldives, gain understanding and public acknowledgement of the Maldives in the international community, ensure sustainable development of the tourism industry, and improve the image of the destination.”

President Dr Mohamed Waheed’s spokesperson, Abbas Adil Riza, told Minivan News last week that the appointed PR firm would only be responsible for promoting tourism, and would not be involved in politics or government.

Ruder Finn’s Senior Vice President and Ethics Officer, Emmanuel Tchividjian, told PR industry publication The Holmes Report that the company would “resign its lucrative new Maldives’ tourism brief if a national enquiry finds that the country’s new government took power illegally.”

Tchividjian claimed the company had “closely examined the complexity of the current political situation in the country”.

“Accusations of a coup have been dismissed by many international organisations and governments, including the United Kingdom government who has said that they do not recognise the transfer of power in the Maldives to be a coup,” he claimed.

“We were encouraged by the desire of the current government, in place according to the country’s constitution, to focus on ensuring stability, democracy and transparency in the Maldives, including a free press.”

Ruder Finn’s resignation of an account under such circumstance is not without precedent.

The firm’s founder David Finn, cited on the website of the American Jewish Committee, a think tank and advocacy organisation “combating anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry” and “supporting Israel’s quest for peace and security”, recounts how  “some years ago a professor at the Seminary helped us make the decision to resign the sizeable Greek tourism account after three colonels seized power and installed a military dictatorship. “

The company nonetheless has a reputation for representing controversial clients, including tobacco giant Phillip Morris and Israeli airline El Al, which MPs of the Maldives government coalition last week voted to ban from landing in the Maldives.

The PR firm was also embroiled in controversy over its distribution of the incendiary film ‘Fitna’, produced by Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders, at a conference organised by Ruder Finn in 2008 called ‘Facing Jihad’.

The MMPRC has also appointed several other agencies to target specific markets, including Rooster PR (UK), Belcanto Communications (Germany) and Travel Link Marketing (China).

The MMPRC said it was also in the process of appointing PR agencies in India, Russia and the Middle East.

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24 year-old man arrested with three packets containing drugs

Police have arrested a 24 year-old man after he was found to be in possession of three packets containing illegal drugs on the island of Himandhoo in Alifu Alifu Atoll.

In a statement police said he was arrested upon his arrival to Himadhoo from the Feridhoo, an island nearby reachable in less than two hours on local boats.

The packets were found inside his mouth, according to police.

He went to Himadhoo on a speedboat he had rented, said police.

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