Day: November 20, 2013

President Yameen nominates three names for Elections Commission vacancy

President Yameen has sent the names of three individuals who applied to fill in the vacancy in the Elections Commission (EC) following the resignation of commission member Ibrahim ‘Ogaru’ Waheed.

Earlier in October, Waheed stepped down from the five-member commission citing that doctors had advised him to not work in a stressful environment.

President Yameen sent a letter to parliament today (November 20) nominating former Deputy Commissioner of Police during former President Mohamed Nasheed’s administration, Mohamed Rishwan, former EC Director General Ismail Habeeb, and the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM)’s Elections Committee Chair, Mohamed Tholal.

According to local media reports, both Tholal and Habeeb have been previously sacked from prior positions at the Elections Commission.

Both the individuals however contested their dismissal in the Labor Tribunal, but the tribunal had only ordered Habeeb to be reinstated – which never happened, as Habeeb was later was appointed to the Civil Court as its Senior Administrator in March 2013.

Tholal, although he challenged the dismissal from the commission, later was appointed to a political position shortly after former President Mohamed Waheed Hassan took over power on February 7, 2012.

Former Deputy Commissioner of Police Mohamed Rishwan – after his retirement from the police force – applied for the membership of Police Integrity Commission (PIC) but upon the request of parliament’s Independent Institutions Oversight Committee, former President Mohamed Waheed Hassan withdrew his name.

The committee at the time noted that there were pending cases involving Rishwan.

In October 2011, the PIC found that Rishwan had ordered subordinates to cut the hair of a number of youth in police custody while he was serving as deputy commissioner in July 2010.

Following its investigation, the PIC asked the Prosecutor General’s Office to press charges against the former deputy commissioner.

Rishwan retired from the police service in July 2011.

According to the constitution, the parliament will appoint a member to the Elections Commission through a vote taken in its floor after a committee interview. The individual who attains the highest number of votes during the parliamentary vote will be nominated to the commission.

The parliament has not yet announced a date as to when the interviewing and nomination of the nominees will take place.

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State to appoint lawyer for Filipino woman charged with smuggling three kilos of cocaine

The Criminal Court has asked the state to appoint a defence lawyer for a Filipino woman arrested in Male airport after attempting to smuggle three kilograms of cocaine into the country, as she was not able to afford one.

According to local media present at the court today, the woman asked the court what would happen if a lawyer was not appointed and the Judge told her that the court was now working with the Attorney General (AG)’s office to appoint a lawyer.

The judge also said the court found it difficult to conduct such serious cases without the respondent having a defence lawyer.

The woman told the court that she would keep trying to make her family appoint her a lawyer.

On September 17 customs reported that its officers at the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport had seized 3368 grams of drugs inside the suitcase of the 33 year-old woman.

The customs department said the woman came to Maldives from Rio de Janeiro after transiting in Dubai.

At the time customs said the case was also being investigated by Dubai police and relevant authorities, concerning the case’s possible connections to drug lords around the world.

The customs also said that the street value of the drugs would be over US$400,000.

Speaking to Minivan News today, Criminal Court spokesperson Ahmed Mohamed Manik said the court had given the woman the opportunity to appoint a lawyer previously, but she had not.

According to Manik this was the second chance the court had given her the chance to appoint a lawyer.

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Government to cut costs, include new pledges in revised budget

The People’s Majlis Budget Committee has asked Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad to submit a revised budget on Monday November 25, following new President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s request to cut costs in the state budget for 2014.

Jihad – who also held the post of Finance Minister under former President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan – had presented a MVR 16.4 billion budget for 2014 with a projected deficit of 2.5 percent of GDP to parliament on October 30.

Speaking at the Majlis Budget committee today, Jihad asked for five days to revise budget to reduce state expenditure and include the Progressive Party of the Maldives’ (PPM) pledges made during the presidential election.

Yameen has expressed concern over the economic vulnerability of the Maldives and pledged to reduce state expenditure by MVR 1 billion.

“State debt is sky high. The state budget’s expenses are extremely high. Hence, we have to prioritise reducing state expenditure. I will start work very soon to reduce budget expenses,” Yameen said during his inauguration speech.

Jihad said today that state debt would reach MVR 30 billion (US$1.9 billion), approximately 78 percent of GDP.

During this week’s budget debate, opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs maintained their call for the PPM’s pledges to be included in the new budget. These include providing “unlimited” health care under the state’s health insurance scheme Aasandha, designating a General Practitioner to each family, MVR 10,000 (US$650) for fishermen regardless of fish yield, MVR 8000 (US$518) for farmers and increasing old age pension from MVR 2300 (US$150) to MVR 5000 (US$325).

MDP Parliamentary Group Leader Ibrahim ‘Ibu’ Mohamed Solih said he was concerned that government MPs were advocating against the inclusion of funds for pledges in the new budget.

The Majlis will insert the funds necessary for the pledges if the government fails to do so, MP Rozaina Adam warned.

At today’s Budget Committee meeting, Jihad said the government is currently reviewing methods to decrease recurrent expenditure of MVR12 billion (US$778 million) which accounts for 73 percent of the budget.

He appealed to the Majlis to pass revenue raising measures which include hiking T-GST from 8 percent to 12 percent, revising import duties, delaying the abolishing of tourism bed tax for one more year, raising airport departure charge from foreign passengers from US$18 to US$30, leasing 12 islands for resort development and introducing GST for telecommunication services.

President Yameen also wants to revise the local council framework to reduce the numbers of island and atoll councilors, Jihad said.

The current model of more than 1,000 elected councillors established by the Decentralisation Act passed in 2010 by the then-opposition majority parliament was branded “economic sabotage” by the ousted Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) government, which had proposed limiting the number of councillors to “no more than 220.”

The PPM had also advocated against increasing any airport taxes with PPM aligned Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) annulling an Airport Development Charge (ADC) through the courts when Indian Infrastructure giant GMR was in charge of managing the airport. The GMR was booted out of the country in 2012.

Speaking at a rally to celebrate PPM’s presidential win last night, Yameen vowed to take only half the presidential salary of MVR 100,000 (US$6500) and decrease political posts at the President’s Office.

“The reason behind this is that Dr Jameel and I both live a simple life. No matter what has been said about us we are not wealthy. We want to be an example to others and lead by example,” Yameen said.

Highlighting the state’s dire financial state, Yameen asked his supporters for time and patience. He has previously said it would take two years to straighten the financial affairs of the country.

However, in the same speech, Yameen said he had ordered Jihad to include MVR 300 million for youth development in the 2014 state budget and pledged that the government will include the same amount in the state budget every year.

Meanwhile, the Majlis Finance Committee last night decided they will await instructions from the new government before approving loans sought by Dr Waheed’s administration. These loans include funds for budget support, building harbors in 22 islands, and funds for a Malé City electricity project.

“I do not think we should pass these loans when President Abdulla Yameen has said he wants to cut costs and reduce state debt,” Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Visam Ali said.

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MDP withdraws no confidence motion against Deputy Speaker

Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has withdrawn a no confidence motion against Deputy Speaker  and Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) MP Ahmed Nazim.

The MDP and Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) submitted no confidence motion with 35 signatures in October alleging Nazim was politically biased in carrying out his duties as Deputy Speaker.

Speaking to the press last night, MDP Parliamentary Group’s deputy Leader Ali Waheed said the party had decided to withdraw the motion as the MDP intends to be a responsible opposition party and to ensure calm in the country following the PPM’s win in the November 16 presidential polls.

Meanwhile, the PPM has also submitted a no confidence motion against Speaker Abdulla Shahid. The vote was scheduled for November 20 but has now been delayed.

In November, the MDP voted out then Attorney General Azima Shakoor and has also tabled a no confidence motion against Prosecutor General (PG) Ahmed Muizz.

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Hussain Waheed appointed new Commissioner of Police

President Yameen Abdul Gayoom today has appointed Deputy Commissioner of Police Hussain Waheed as the new Commissioner of Police, after his predecessor Abdulla Riyaz announced his resignation from the police force.

According to a statement published on President’s Office website, Hussain Waheed was presented with the letter of appointment during a meeting held at the office this Wednesday morning.

During the meeting President Yameen congratulated Commissioner Waheed on his appointment and discussed ways to further improve the police institute, read the statement.

Hussain Waheed – who according to local media was trained by the FBI – was seen with several high profile opposition politicians inside police headquarters on February 7, 2012 – the day on which former President Mohamed Nasheed’s administration was toppled.

In the government of former President Mohamed Waheed Hassan that followed, Hussain Waheed – who was Assistant Commissioner of Police at the time – was duly promoted to Deputy Commissioner of Police.

Meanwhile former Commissioner of Police Abdulla Riyaz, shortly after his resignation, told local media that he had stepped down because he now wished to serve the country in a different way having worked in the police force for 24 years.

“Last two years have been very challenging, but I was able to work really well. That [two years] is a new lesson, a new experience. Facing challenges is nothing. When I took charge [as Commissioner of Police], the whole country was set on fire. A lot of conflicts were going on,” Riyaz told local media outlet CNM.

“But we managed to hold a peaceful presidential election and a new government has taken charge now. I also believe I have served for a very long period in the police force,” he added.

Meanwhile in a statement released on the Police website, Riyaz had submitted his request for resignation last Tuesday, which coincided with the appointment of Umar Naseer as the new Minister of Home Affairs.

“During his time as the Commissioner of Police, the Maldives Police Service gained significant progress and development under the direct leadership of Abdulla Riyaz,” read the statement.

Authoritarian conduct

Both Abdulla Riyaz and Hussain Waheed have been subjected to public criticism since the toppling of former President Mohamed Nasheed’s administration, especially after police prevented the Elections Commission from holding the first re-vote of the first round of presidential election on October 19.

The Human Rights Commission in a statement released shortly after the incident described the action by the police as illegal and in violation of the constitution.

“It was established with certainty through the commission’s inquiries that [police] stopped the Elections Commission from taking anything out [of its office],” HRCM said at the time.

Last September, the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) held that Abdulla Riyaz as the Commissioner of Police had violated the Police Act and the code of ethics for MPS after he posted a letter on Twitter urging police officers not to vote for former President Mohamed Nasheed.

The PIC, based on its findings, requested the Home Minster to take “administrative action” against Riyaz under article 67(a) of the Police Act – a request which was never adhered to by the then acting Home Minister.

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Parliamentary elections to be held March 22

The Elections Commission (EC) has announced that parliamentary elections will be on March 22, 2014.

The EC also decided not to declare by-elections for three vacant seats due to the proximity of the elections, according to local media.

The current parliament was convened on May 28, 2009 with a majority to the opposition Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP), which had just lost to the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) in the 2008 presidential elections.

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