Month: November 2013

President Yameen appoints three more ministers to his cabinet

President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has appointed three more ministers to his cabinet during a ceremony held on today (November 21) morning at the President’s Office.

The three new cabinet ministers are Dr Aishath Shiham as the Minister of Education, Dr Mariyam Shakeela as the Minister of Health and Gender and Mohamed Maleeh Jamaal as the Minister of Youth and Sports.

Earlier this week, President Yameen made 11 ministerial appointments that included his niece Dunya Maumoon as Minister of Foreign Affairs along with along with other members of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and the coalition of political parties that backed him during the presidential elections.

Who’s who?

Among the newest appointments to President Yameen’s cabinet, Dr Aishath Shiham and Dr Mariyam Shakeela previously served in the cabinets of former governments.

Dr Aishath Shiham was the Minister of Youth and Sports during the final days of Maldives former autocratic ruler for 30 years, Yameen’s half-brother Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Dr Mariyam Shakeela formerly served in the previous government of former President Mohamed Waheed Hassan, as the Minister of Environment and Energy.

Following the death of then Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdul Samad Abdulla last September, Shakeela was appointed as the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs by Waheed.

Mohamed Maleeh Jamaal was the former Deputy Minster of Tourism during Waheed’s government.

Following his refusal to back his party Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP)’s decision to support Waheed’s re-election bid, Jamaal was sacked from the position and at the request of DQP and swiftly replaced by another DQP member.

DQP however later withdrew their support to Waheed and backed resort tycoon and Jumhoree Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim, but Jamaal opted to join the PPM.

President Yameen today also appointed Abdulla Ameen –the former State Minister of Ministry of Economic Affairs during Waheed’s administration – as a Minister for the President’s Office.

Apart from Ameen, Waheed’s Minister of Youth and Sports Mohamed ‘Mundhu’ Hussain Shareef was also appointed as a Minister for the Presidents Office earlier.

People expect things to be done – President Yameen

While addressing the new appointees today, President Yameen stated that he wanted a cabinet who would disburse their maximum time and effort in providing services required by the people and who would work within a progressive timeline of development projects.

“As you would know, we have been put in charge [of the government] with a huge support from the people at such chaotic time. We have been given this opportunity to manage the affairs of the people because they want things done. They expect things to be done. They also believe things have to be done. Therefore we should not step back and we cannot fail in that,” President Yameen said.

Highlighting that the country is in desperate need for development, President Yameen noted that his manifesto had a special focus on the youths of the country and appealed to young people of the country to support the government’s efforts to develop the country.

“By the will of Allah, even today we assure the people that this is a government that will bring results,” the President added.

With 14 cabinet appointments as of now, the President is yet to appoint an Attorney General.

President’s Office Spokesperson Ibrahim Muaz told Minivan News that President Yameen would soon appoint a person for the position of Attorney General but did not mention a specific date.

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Former DRP leadership MPs Thasmeen, Visam join MDP

Former Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali and his wife Visam Ali joined the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) on Wednesday.

The DRP backed MDP’s Mohamed Nasheed in September after the MDP won 45.45 percent in the annulled September 7 presidential election. Thasmeen had contested as former President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan’s running mate, but the pair managed to get only five percent of the vote.

Speaking at a ceremony held at the MDP’s offices yesterday evening, Thasmeen said: “I believe in and have been working to establish modern democratic principles in the Maldives. When you look at the current political environment, MDP is the party that will implement democratic values that the citizens believe in, as well as bring growth and development in the Maldives.”

With Thasmeen and Visam, the MDP now has 35 MPs in the People’s Majlis.

MDP Parliamentary Group Leader Ibrahim ‘Ibu’ Mohamed Solih said Thasmeen and Visam joining MDP gives the party “a new strength” in holding President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s government accountable.

Thasmeen had contested the Maldives’ first multiparty presidential elections in 2008 as the running mate of President of 30 years Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. The pair lost to a coalition led by Nasheed who won with 53.65 percent of the vote.

Gayoom then resigned as the leader of DRP and handed over leadership to Thasmeen in 2009. At the time, the DRP was the largest political party in the Maldives and won majorities in the People’s Majlis elections of 2009 and the local council elections of 2011.

However, its strength declined when a faction of the party that continued to support President Gayoom split to form the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) in September 2011. In April 2013, DRP MP and People’s Majlis Speaker Abdulla Shahid resigned from the party to join the MDP.

DRP’s deputy leaders and MPs Rozaina Adam, Ibrahim ‘Mavota’ Shareef and Mohamed Ramiz have also resigned from the party this week.

In a tweet on November 16, following the MDP’s defeat in the presidential polls, Rozaina said she would join the MDP to “continue to work for democracy, human rights, against torture and against a dictatorship.”

MP ‘Colonel’ Mohamed Nasheed has temporarily assumed the DRP leadership and has pledged to bring back “the party’s golden days.” Nasheed defected from the MDP to the DRP in 2012.

Nasheed said the DRP will hold a party congress within two months to elect a leader and deputy leader and added: “My responsibility is to save the party. My mandate is to expedite a congress and hand over the party leadership.”

At present, the DRP has 19,038 registered members, the PPM has 24,311 members and the MDP has 43,277 members.

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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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Supreme Court election guidelines will constrain local council polls: EC

The Supreme Court’s guidelines dictating the electoral process will present “many challenges” in the local council elections scheduled for January 18, Elections Commission Vice President Ahmed Fayaz has said.

The Supreme Court annulling the first round of presidential elections held on September 7 delineated 16 guidelines including obtaining candidate’s signatures on the voter registry, fingerprinted re-registration forms for voters who wish to vote in a location other than their home islands, and police support in transporting ballot boxes and papers.

The EC has previously criticized the guidelines for limiting the powers of the independent state institutions and said the clause stipulating candidate’s signatures on voter lists effectively gives veto power over elections to candidates.

The EC was forced to call off elections scheduled for October 19 when the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) and Jumhoree Party (JP) refused to sign the voter registry and the police withdrew support in dispatching of ballot boxes and papers to polling stations and obstructed any EC staff from leaving the commission’s offices with any documents.

Fayaz said over 4000 candidates would contest in the local council elections and obtaining their signatures on the voter registry would be the biggest challenge.

However, the EC will continue to adhere to the guidelines as in the past, Fayaz said.

The EC has called for candidates to submit applications between November 25 and December 8.

Candidates must only hold Maldivian citizenship, and be of the Sunni Muslim faith. Full time students or any individual convicted of child abuse or rape or decreed debt cannot stand for local councils.

Local government in the Maldives is a two-tier system, comprising island councils and city councils, which are all accountable to an atoll council.

Every inhabited island in the Maldives – except islands where city councils are established – is governed by an elected island council. City councils are established on islands that have a population over 25,000 people

Island with a population less than 3000 elect five members, those with populations from 3000- 10000 elect seven members and those with populations over 10,000 elect nine members for the councils.

Elections will be held for two city councils in Malé and Addu cities, 20 atoll councils and 66 island councils. There are 17 city council seats for Malé and Addu, 132 atoll council seats and 942 island council seats.

Each island council also has a women’s development committee to advise the island on key women’s issues.

The 2014 polls will be the country’s second attempt at local council elections. The first polls were held in February 2011 and saw a turnout of 70 percent.

The Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) won a majority of the atoll and island councils while the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) took the majority of seats for every major population center.

The councils have the power to charge fees or rents for the services they provide and are allocated funds from the state reserves for office administration, provision or services and development projects.

City and island councils’ responsibilities include providing roads, waste disposal, pest control, water, electricity and sewage systems, primary health care, pre school education, and educational and vocational programs for adults.

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