Day: February 23, 2014

Supreme Court’s contempt trial against Election Commission “unjust”, says Nasheed

Read this article in Dhivehi

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) is “extremely concerned” over the Supreme Court’s contempt of court charges against the Elections Commission (EC), former President Mohamed Nasheed has said.

Speaking at a press conference today, Nasheed said the trial is “unjust” and is against the spirit of the constitution. He pledged to use all means to stop the case.

The Supreme Court on February 12 summoned the four members of the EC to an unannounced contempt of court trial under new ‘Suo motu’ regulations that allow the apex court to initiate trial and act as plaintiff and judge.

“If Election Commission members are removed, then there cannot be a fair election. MDP will not participate in such an election,” Nasheed told the press today.

The Supreme Court has accused the EC of contempt, claiming it had criticised the verdict which annulled the first round of presidential elections held in September 2013, as well as disobeying the court’s orders by dissolving eight political parties earlier this month.

During the second hearing in the case, EC lawyer Hussein Siraj said the commission had not received a document outlining charges and asked the five presiding judges to clarify and specify charges against the commission, but Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz asked the lawyer to respond to the charges to the extent he understood them.

The four commission members denied the charges, and expressed concern over the use of privileged testimony given at the People’s Majlis independent institutions oversight committee as evidence for contempt.

The constitution protects testimony provided at the Majlis unless it contravenes an Islamic tenet. Judge Ahmed Abdulla Didi claimed establishing justice to be an Islamic tenet and said the EC’s testimony at the People’s Majlis obstructed justice.

Nasheed said the if the MDP received a parliamentary majority it will add judges to the Supreme Court bench by amending the Judicature Act. Increasing the number of judges would “dilute harsh ideologies” on the bench, he said.

“Reforming the judiciary is essential for development and to protect Maldives’ sovereignty,” Nasheed said.

If the MDP receives a two-thirds majority, the party could impeach Supreme Court judges, he noted.

The MDP will also revise legislation governing the judicial watchdog body – the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) Act – to ensure the organisation’s decisons cannot be reviewed through the courts and to limit the powers of the JSC president.

In 2012, the Civil Court issued an injunction halting disciplinary action against Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed. Mohamed is a key figure in the events leading up to Nasheed’s ouster in February 2012.

Meanwhile, JSC members have alleged JSC President and Supreme Court Judge Adam Mohamed had stalled an investigation into Supreme Court Judge Ali Hameed’s sex-tape scandal.

In addition to initiating proceedings against EC members, the Supreme Court has in the past ordered police to investigate MDP-aligned private broadcaster Raajje TV over a report the station aired comparing the Maldivian justice system to that of ancient Sodom, suspended lawyers for publicly criticising the judiciary, and sought criminal charges against MPs for allegedly defaming the court.

Fair administration of justice was essential for a just society, Nasheed has said previously, pledging to complete the MDP’s ‘journey to justice’ campaign to reform the judiciary.

“Our government was toppled because we began this journey. All the obstacles we are facing is because of this reason. Nonetheless, we will not back down and, God willing, we will succeed in this task,” he said.

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MDP wants parliamentary majority to oust government, says President Yameen

President Abdulla Yameen has called on the Maldivian public to grant the ruling coalition a majority to fulfill its campaign pledges, and said the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) is seeking a parliamentary majority in order to oust the government.

Speaking at a campaign event for Gemanafushi candidate Jameel Usman held last night, Yameen said Majlis approval is essential for development projects and said the government cannot bring development without Majlis cooperation.

Former President Mohamed Nasheed, while campaigning on behalf of the MDP this weekend, denied that his party would seek to obstruct development should it win a majority in the house.

The ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) and its allies the Jumhooree Party (JP) and the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) are contesting the March parliamentary elections as a group, with 50 of the 85 seats allocated to the PPM, 28 to the JP and 8 to the MDA.

The former MP for Mulaku constituency, Yameen also launched a scathing criticism of the first democratically elected parliament, claiming the Maldivian public had lost confidence in the current Majlis.

Salaries and allowances of MPs do not match their work, he said and called on the public to elect courageous and educated individuals who are willing to work against corruption.

“Maldivian citizens do not want the People’s Majlis to be a place where people who have committed huge crimes or committed offenses against the law go to get immunity,” he said.

At a separate campaign event also held last night for Laamu Atoll Isdhoo candidate Ahmed Rasheed, former President Dr Mohamed Waheed requested that the public give the coalition a majority.

The public had elected Yameen to the presidency and must now grant the coalition a majority so that the government can fulfill its pledges, he said.

Meanwhile, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom asked independents who are contesting Majlis elections to withdraw their names and support coalition candidates instead.

“A PPM member or any other party member must not run against a coalition candidate. If you do so, it will be very sad for us. That is because it will divide votes of those who hold the same ideology. If votes are divided, we will lose the seat,” he said.

Speaking at MP ‘Red Wave’ Ahmed Saleem’s campaign launch ceremony in Malé, Vice President Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed said the PPM candidates would bring peace and stability to the Maldives.

“Let us not provide an opportunity for those who call to take the law in our hands, for fear and citizens to be weakened every time there is a disagreement,” he said.

The current government had allocated MVR400 million to provide recreational facilities and vocational training for youth, he said.

The government will introduce unlimited health care under the Aasandha scheme on Monday to mark the PPM’s 100 days in government, Jameel promised. Unlimited Aasandha will end begging for financial aid for chronic illnesses, he said.

In Addu City, Defense Minister Mohamed Nazim inaugurated the campaign for the Hithadhoo Uthuru constituency, and pledged to establish a 100 bed hospital in the city.

“We will build a 100 bed hospital in this island, god willing, as a pledge by this government. This hospital will not go elsewhere,” he said noting the current 50-bed hospital is not sufficient to cater to Addu City’s population.

The PPM government will also establish water and sewerage systems in Addu City by the end of the year, he promised.

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Two men arrested in Addu City with 38 bottles of alcohol

Police arrested two men from the Feydhoo ward of Addu City with 38 unopened bottles of alcohol on Thursday night.

The two suspects, aged 21 and 22, were taken into custody in an operation conducted by police intelligence and Special Operations (SO) officers, after which the Maradhoo magistrate court extended their remand detention to 15 days.

Police revealed that the 21-year-old suspect had a criminal record for drug abuse and assault.

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Fisheries ministry commences long line fishing training programme

The Fisheries Ministry has launched a training programme to teach long line fishing to youth in collaboration with the Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO).

Briefing the press this morning aboard a vessel designed for long line fishing, Fisheries Minister Dr Mohamed Shainee said it was important for local fishermen to be active in all areas of the country to prevent encroachment by foreign vessels as the coastguard could not patrol the entire Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

“That would also reduce the illegal fishing from our waters. I believe with the [programme] starting today, our fishermen will go out further at sea, [which would] reduce the share of foreigners in long line fishing at present as much as possible, increase our productivity and create lots of new jobs for youth,” he said.

Long line fishing vessels travel 100 miles from the coast. In October 2011, Minivan News reported that the mass harvesting of fish stocks by foreign vessels was threatening the viability of the country’s tuna fishing industry.

Introducing long line fishing would lessen the dependency on one method of fishing, strengthen the industry’s resilience to external “shocks” and mitigate weakness of the fisheries industry, Dr Shainee said.

Long lining would also allow Maldivian fishermen to catch bigeye tuna, he added, which fetches a high price in the world market.

MIFCO Deputy Manager Ahmed Didi told reporters that the company’s target was to ensure that the youth who complete the training programme would have the capability to work in large yellowfin tuna fishing vessels “anywhere in the world”.

Ten fishermen from Haa Alif Hoarafushi were chosen for the first stage of the training programme, which was to be conducted by experts from MIFCO.

Dr Shainee also contended that long lining was the most environment-friendly method after the traditional pole and line fishing practiced in the country. The pole and line method has long made Maldivian tuna attractive to buyers from premium supermarkets in the UK and Europe.

Precautionary measures would be taken to reduce the impact on the environment, he added, explaining that new types of hooks were available to prevent by-catch of sharks and turtles.

In an interview with Minivan News last month, Dr Shainee noted that the fishing industry has felt the adverse effects of climate change caused by the rising temperature of surface waters.

“If the surface water gets a bit hot, then the fish swims deeper. So we need to penetrate through that layer of the ocean to get access to the fish. That is why we have already introduced long line fishing. That is to diversify from just one way of fishing,” he explained.

“Again, we will be very vulnerable if we commit to just one form of fishery. It is a good sign that in terms of income, we are meeting expectations by value in yellowfin and skipjack fishery. So we already have diversified into two forms of fishing.”

Environmental concerns

The annual fish catch in the Maldives declined from approximately 185,000 tonnes of fish caught in 2006 to about 70,000 tonnes in 2011.

In early 2010, the steady decline prompted the administration of former President Mohamed Nasheed to propose long lining as an alternative method.

In March 2010, the cabinet decided to allow long line fishing on the advice on the Fisheries Ministry.

Fishermen’s Union Chairman Ibrahim Manik told Minivan News at the time that “around 80 per cent of fishermen are against this new method, but the dire situation means there will be those who will adopt this.”

Manik said he expected Maldivian fishermen to be mindful of the ecological impact.

“Even now our fishermen will release any sharks they catch by mistake, so if our people do long lining they will be more careful,” he said.

An influential shark and marine conservation organisation from the UK, Bite Back, warned at the time that a boycott of long line tuna from the Maldives was a possibility if the government allowed long line fishing.

A year earlier, global retail giant Marks & Spencer announced it would no longer buy tuna that was not caught by pole and line.

However, director of private exporter Big Fish, Ali Riza, told Minivan News that the reaction of European consumers was hard to predict.

“It’s not us that overfished the waters, but now that it’s done, we are being told not to do what western countries had been doing,” he said at the time.

“We obviously can’t seal off our waters – fish are migratory. If we don’t do it others will overfish around us, so we might as well be the ones doing it.”

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Saudi prince’s Maldives visit makes global headlines

The visit of Saudi Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz continues to make headlines today after the UK’s Daily Mail newspaper reported that the prince had booked out Anantara’s three South Malé atoll resorts for nearly one month.

Headlines in Saudi Arabia have suggested that Prince Salman – due to arrive tomorrow – will discuss potential investments and partnerships in energy, tourism, transport, and Islamic affairs, as well the provision of a soft loan facility of US$300 million for the Indian Ocean nation.

“The crown prince’s trip to the Maldives comes in response to the invitation extended by Maldivian President Abdullah Yameen Abdul Gayoom,” Maldivian ambassador to Saudia Arabia Adam Hassan told Arab News.

Anantara’s Dhigu, Naladhu, and Veli resorts – all within an hour’s boat ride from the capital Malé – were said to have been reserved for the 78 year old heir to the Saudi throne.

The Daily Mail has reported the comments of “furious” tourists who had reservations cancelled without forewarning or apology.

Staff at Anantara were unable to provide any further information when contacted by Minivan News today. Similarly, spokesman at the President’s Office was unavailable for comment.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry reported last week  that that prince’s official visit to the Maldives came on the invitation of President Abdulla Yameen and would form part of an Asian tour taking in India, Pakistan, and Japan. The President’s Office confirmed the visit but declined to provide further details.

The visit comes amid growing ties between the Yameen administration and the Saudi kingdom. Vice President Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed visited Saudi Arabia earlier this month, meeting with the Imaam of the Grand Mosque of Makkah.

The vice president stressed the importance the government placed on enhancing ties with the Arab world and in strengthening religious unity in the Maldives. Shortly after Jameel’s return, the government initiated its pledge to introduce Arabic lessons in schools as part of a drive to increase Islamic learning in the country.

After being invited by the Maldives Islamic Minister Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, the Saudi Arabian Muslim Scholars Association in January agreed to provide a grant of MVR1.6 million to assist in the provision of Islamic education in the Maldives.

Jameel’s trip followed the January visit of Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim, during which time an MoU was signed regarding the increase of air traffic between the Maldives and Saudi Arabia.

Prince Salman is currently in Japan and was today awarded an honorary doctorate from Tokyo’s Waseda University.

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Electric buggies to be introduced in Villimalé

Electric buggies will be introduced in the island of Villingili – often referred to as Villimalé, offering local residents cheap taxi services around the 0.25km sq island.

Local news outlet CNM reports that the new service will begin tomorrow (February 23), with ten buggies being introduced in the quiet suburb of the busy capital Malé .

Under former dictator Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, motorized vehicles were largely banned in Villingilli which, despite the presence of a few vehicles today, retains its relaxed atmosphere.

“We have permission to operate around 10 buggies. We will increase based on demand. We do not believe that unnecessarily increasing the number of vehicles here is a good idea,” Mohamed Visham told CNM.

Visham is managing director at 99 Holding – the organisation said to be behind the scheme. CNM reported that buggy rides will cost MVR5.

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President Yameen launches “Sun Siyam” brand

President Abdulla Yameen opened the rebranded “Sun Siyam Iru Fushi” resort at a ceremony on Friday.

Resorts operated under the ‘Sun Travel’ company owned by MP Ahmed Siyam Mohamed have been rebranded ‘Sun Siyam Resorts.’

Speaking at the brand launching ceremony, President Yameen urged youth to follow the example of Siyam’s entrepreneurship, adding that success could be reached through perseverance and discipline.

The president also outlined the government’s goals for developing the tourism industry during his five-year term, which included “developing 50 new resort properties, introducing vertical tourism, positioning Maldives as a vacation home, developing live-aboard marina infrastructure, developing medical tourism with world class facilities, and introducing educational tourism,” according to the President’s Office.

President Yameen announced that a number of resorts would float a portion of their shares to the public by the end of the year, urging resort workers to become shareholders.

The Sun Siyam would be floating up to 40 percent of the group’s shares to their employees in the coming years, Yameen announced.

At the ceremony, Siyam – leader of the Maldives Development Alliance party – presented President Yameen and Toursim Minister Ahmed Adeeb with commemorative plaques, which was followed by an entertainment programme headlined by international artist Nicole Scherzinger.

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