Month: February 2014

Health Ministry increases salaries of doctors

The Ministry of Health and Gender has restructured and increased doctors’ pay in January.

Health Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Geela Ali said salaries had been restructured to level foreign and local doctors’ pay. Work hours had been increased along with the salary hike, and doctors will be allowed to see patients at private clinics, she said.

However, doctors have alleged that the revisions to the doctors’ salary structure had decreased pay by as much as MVR10,000 (US$ 648).

Doctors have held meetings with the management of the public Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) over low pay, local media has reported.

The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have previously expressed concern over the Maldives’ large wage bill.

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Crime statistics reveal 46 percent spike in theft

Cases of theft reported to police last month increased by 46 percent compared to January 2013, according to crime statistics from the Maldives Police Service (MPS).

A total of 623 cases of theft were reported to police in January – an average of 20 cases a day – while 427 cases were reported in the same period last year.

Some 51 cases of theft and four cases of robbery have been reported so far in February.

Cases of robbery also rose from 54 in January 2013 to 88 cases last month.

Reported instances of theft had increased dramatically in 2012 compared to the previous year. While 4,734 cases of theft were reported in 2011, the number rose to 6,572 in 2012 – a 38 percent annual increase.

The figure climbed to 6,681 in 2013.

Robbery and theft currently account for roughly 50 percent of crimes reported to police.

Next to theft, the second highest number of cases reported in January 2014 involved drugs.

The number of drug cases filed last month reached 461, which represents a 56 percent hike compared to January 2013, during which police began investigating 295 cases.

The total number of crimes reported to police meanwhile increased by 20 percent compared with January of last year. While 1,742 cases were reported this year, the figure was 1,436 in January 2013.

Apart from theft, robbery, and drugs, other crimes reported in January this year included 100 cases of assault, 40 cases of sexual offences, 21 cases of domestic violence, six cases of counterfeit and forgery, 49 cases of vandalism, 17 cases of bounced cheques, 44 cases of embezzlement, and 150 lost items reported.

Meanwhile, at 189 cases, traffic accidents declined by eight percent last month compared to the same period in 2013.

Falling thieves

In November 2013, two men died after falling from buildings in the capital Malé during attempted robberies.

On November 15, a 29-year-old died of head injuries sustained in a fall from the fifth floor of the Galolhu Muthi residence.

One day later, a 31-year-old fell from the fourth floor of Henveiru Alikurige while attempting to jump on to the roof of a neighbouring house.

His foot reportedly got caught on an outdoor air-conditioning unit, which came loose and fell on his head.

Both thieves fell to their death while attempting to escape after being caught by the residents.

On January 7, a 27-year-old man fell from the fifth floor of Maafanu Mundhooge after a break-in. He survived the fall with minor injuries after landing on a pile of sand.

Three days later, a 32-year-old woman fell from the fourth floor of Manchangoalhi Light Corner during an alleged robbery attempt.

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Historical ‘Fan’diyaaru’ Mosque demolished

A historical mosque in Male’- aged at least 268 years old – has been demolished in order to build a new one on the same site.

‘Fandiyaaru Miskiy’ (Judge’s Mosque) was built by Al Qadi Muhammad Muhibbuddin Fan’diyaaru Kaleyfaanu – who was appointed as Chief Justice in 1747- and was subsequently named after him.

REVIVE, a local NGO working to preserve national history and culture, has condemned the demolition, and expressed remorse over the historical loss.

Describing the demolition as unlawful, the organisation called on the Maldives Police Service, Prosecutor General’s Office, and other authorities to investigate and take action.

REVIVE has also called on the People’s Majlis to pass a national heritage bill as soon as possible.

“The government have an obligation to protect such historical buildings under the 27/79 Act on Historical Places and Things and the UNESCO Convention Concerning The Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage,” a REVIVE press release stated.

The organisation also called on relevant authorities to ensure that the digging of the site should be done under the supervision of the Department of Heritage, as historical relics are often found under such sites.

Male’ city council member Ibrahim Shuja said that the mosque was demolished to build a modern four-storey mosque ‘ for the benefit of the people’.

“A generous businessman has offered to build a new mosque there, they have been planning this for three years. It was discussed with the [city] council and the Islamic Ministry before we approved it. We are not doing anything illegal here. It is a mosque we are building, not a carnival. We will go on with the project as planned,” Shuja said.

He also said there was “not that much of history”, that the corpses buried there would be removed, and that the place would be cleaned for building the new mosque.

“If anyone wants to observe, they are welcome. And if anyone wants the wooden structure of the ceiling, they can take it,” he said.

Director of the Department of Heritage Ali Waheed confirmed that the department was not informed about the demolition of the mosque. He noted that while there is no heritage law requiring such approval, considering the department is mandated with taking care of such sites, the usual practice is to consult with it before such activity.

“Even if it is to place a telecommunication antenna near a historical site, we are consulted usually. But we haven’t been officially informed about Fandiyaaru Miskiy,” Waheed said.

Ali Waheed noted that the department has a number of challenges in taking care of historical sites around the country, including the fact that such places are under the jurisdiction of Island Councils with budget deficiencies.

“We have earlier paid people from islands to maintain such places, but since we can no longer pay for the maintenance, those places haven’t been maintained for the past four years. And not all councils are cooperative in maintaining such places,” Waheed said.

Mohamed Shatir, Historian and Director General of the National Archives also expressed concern over the demolition.

“Personally, I feel that it shouldn’t have been demolished. If there was a need to expand the mosque, I think it could have been done while retaining the original old mosque. Perhaps it is not exactly unlawful as there is no proper heritage act in place, but it is definitely not right,” Shathir said.

According to REVIVE, a seven foot tombstone within the mosque premises was also demolished in early 2000s, while the greater cemetery was dismantled in 1970 to provide housing plots.

REVIVE president Ahmed Naufal said that other historical sites such as Koagannu Cemetery in Addu City – one of the oldest in the country- and the cemetery of the old Friday mosque in Male’ have also been vandalised.

“In most islands such places are abandoned and ignored. Not just by the authorities but also members of the public don’t seem to care about such places,” he said.

“We are working on a National Heritage Bill currently. But I really don’t think laws alone will get results. The Maldives National Archives Act was passed in 2011, and they still have only a few staff and no office,” he said.

Referring to the religious extremists’ destruction of historical Buddhist relics at the Maldives National Museum in 2012, Naufal said that even after the incident the security of the museum is poor.

“These are national treasures. They represent our history and our culture. They should be properly protected, perhaps by our national security forces. A lone security guard is not enough, especially considering the place was attacked recently,” said Naufal.

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President requests Maldivians to be vigilant of foreign forces plotting to weaken the Islamic faith

In his message to the nation on the occasion of the Maldives’ conversion to Islam, President Abdullah Yameen has warned Maldivian citizens about foreign influences working to weaken the nation’s Islamic faith.

“We should also be very vigilant of foreign influences attempting to weaken our religious faith. And I call on the beloved citizens of the Maldives be very aware of attempts by various parties to disrupt the religious unity among the people of Maldives, and never give any opportunity for such activity,” Yameen said in his statement.

The president said that the unity and brotherhood among Maldivian people is the result of building the ‘Dhivehi Ummah’ upon the stable foundations of Islam.

Yameen also requested parents and teachers to sustain a religious spirit in the hearts of children and to discipline them within the Islamic limits in order to build a well-disciplined generation.

The ‘Maldives conversion to Islam day’ marked on the first of Rabi’al Akhir every Hijri year is a public holiday. Marking the day on the date began in the year 2000 under Yameen’s bother President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s rule. Maldives converted to Islam following the monarch’s conversion in approximately 1153 AD.

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Police recover MVR200,000 stolen from shop in Eydhafushi

Police have recovered MVR200,000 and MVR68,000 worth of goods stolen from a shop in the island of Eydhafushi, Baa Atoll.

Police said that two minors and an 18 year-old man were arrested in connection with the case.

According to the police, the shop was robbed in the early hours of January 31, and was reported to police the same afternoon.

Police stated that a special police investigation team in Baa Atoll had conducted an operation, recovering the money and property, and arresting the suspects.

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Nasheed lays out MDP legislative agenda

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) will work through the People’s Majlis to strengthen the local government system, reform the judiciary and eliminate barriers to development, former President Mohamed Nasheed has said.

“The People’s Majlis’ aim must be to hold the government accountable and strengthen the government,” Nasheed said at a ceremony for candidates who gained the MDP ticket for the parliamentary elections scheduled for March 22.

The MDP released official results of the primaries on Saturday. Polls were held to determine candidates for 56 constituencies, while 28 candidates were granted the party ticket without a primary due to a lack of contestants.

Kaashidhoo MP Abdulla Jabir had initially gained the MDP ticket uncontested, but the party has called for new applicants after Jabir voted for President Abdulla Yameen’s cabinet on December 30 against a three-whip line.

“When primaries are contsted, it strengthens the party. I hope those who lost the primaries will now back the winning candidates and that the entire party works together to win a majority in the People’s Majlis,” Nasheed said.

Nasheed narrowly lost November’s presidential elections with 48.61 percent of the vote.

The Progressive Party of the Maldives’ (PPM) Abdulla Yameen won 51.39 percent with the backing of the Jumhooree Party (JP), Maldives Development Alliance (MDA), and the Adhaalath Party (AP).

The MDP will check the government’s administration of public finances to ensure the economy benefits all citizens, and will monitor the government’s respect for individual rights, he said.

MDP primaries

Incumbent MPs made a strong showing in the MDP’s parliamentary primaries between January 24 and 31. The list of winners can be found here (Dhivehi).

Only Feydhoo MP Alhan Fahmy and Henveiru Dhekunu MP Hamid Abdul Ghafoor lost the party tickets.

Alhan has alleged irregularities in the voter registry and declared he will contest the results after losing the seat to Mohamed Nihad- who received 316 votes to the incumbent’s 154. The party has said it found no grounds to call for a revote.

Alhan is currently undergoing surgery in Sri Lanka after he was severely injured in a stab attack last night. His family alleges the attack was premeditated and politically motivated.

Hamid has said he will support winning candidate ‘Rukuma’ Mohamed Abdul Kareem.

The MDP’s primaries have been marred by suggestions of irregularities. The party was forced to call off its first attempt at polls on January 24 due to poor organisation and voter registry issues.

The MDP election committee chair Ibrahim Waheed said the party had received several complaints regarding additions and reductions to the list of eligible voters. But none of the complaints affect the results, he said.

“The MDP’s membership committee assures me the list was publicised. It is not a secret list.”

Elections Commission figures show 43,000 members registered with the MDP, but 57,000 members were eligible to vote in the party’s primaries.

Waheed said the MDP had received over 12,000 new membership forms in December and had decided to proceed with a list of members who had registered with the party by January 10.

Meanwhile, the governing coalition reached a deal last week on reserving a set number of seats for each party. Of the 85 seats, PPM will contest 49, JP will contest 28 and MDA will contest 8 seats.

The PPM has said it will hold primaries on February 7. PPM members in Laamu Atoll Maavah constituency held protests on Friday claiming the party had handed the party ticket to incumbent Abdul Azeez Jamal Abu Bakr without a primary.

Meanwhile, the JP and MDA have also granted party tickets to incumbents without a primary. JP council members have subsequentlyspoken out against the selection process to determine candidates.

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Staff control fire outbreak in Safari Island Resort

A fire in Safari Island Resort this morning was controlled by staff before the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) or Police could reach there.

The MNDF said that the fire incident occurred inside a water bungalow in the resort, with the room fully destroyed by the fire before it was controlled.

No injuries were reported during the incident, the MNDF said. The incident was reported at about 4:42am, and an MNDF vessel left Male’ at 5:07am.

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Adhaalath Party to field parliamentary candidates in constituencies reserved for JP

The religious conservative Adhaalath Party has decided to field parliamentary candidates in 28 constituencies reserved by the governing coalition for the Jumhooree Party (JP), following a breakdown in talks between the parties.

In a press statement today, Adhaalath accused the JP of offering seats with the intention of “exploiting the trust and support of the public for Adhaalath to win as many seats as possible in the election for the Jumhooree Party.”

“The party does not believe now that [fielding candidates for] the 28 seats the Jumhooree Party will be contesting through the Progressive Coalition falls outside the party’s ethical responsibility,” the statement read.

Adhaalath assured its members that it would compete “to the best of our competence and ability” in constituencies the party believes it could win.

An Adhaalath Party council member told Minivan News last week that the party’s members have expressed interest in contesting for 32 constituencies.

He added that Adhaalath’s candidates may be the most qualified, with almost all having educational qualifications at a postgraduate level.

Coalition agreement

The ruling coalition – made up of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), the JP and the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA), led by resort tycoon Ahmed ‘Sun Travel’ Shiyam – meanwhile reached an agreement last week to allocate parliamentary constituencies among the coalition partners.

Of the 85 electoral constituencies, the PPM will contest 49, the JP will contest 28, and the MDA will contest eight seats.

Following its exclusion from the coalition’s parliamentary election plans, PPM Deputy Leader Abdul Raheem Abdulla told the press that the Adhaalath Party was not “an official partner of the Progressive Coalition.”

“So the parties’ idea is to give them what we can from the seats which have been allocated to us,” Raheem said.

The Adhaalath Party began negotiations with coalition parties last week and requested the JP to assign five constituencies for its candidates.

The talks however ended unsuccessfully after the JP refused to cede the Vaikaradhoo and Makunudhoo constituencies in Haa Dhaalu atoll – two seats the Adhaalath Party believed its candidates had the best chance of winning.

“Instead, the [JP] proposed constituencies where the Adhaalath Party’s support is weakest,” today’s press release stated.

The party noted that it had decided to contest the parliamentary elections with the Progressive Coalition to prevent the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party from securing a parliamentary majority.

The Adhaalath Party was prepared to compromise and accept a few constituencies to campaign jointly with the governing coalition, the statement added.

However, if an understanding could not be reached, the party’s intention was to independently contest as many seats as possible, the party stated.

“Despite not reaching an agreement with the Progressive Party of Maldives in the discussions held on this issue so far, if the [PPM] cedes the few constituencies that we have requested, the Adhaalath Party will not compete in the other constituencies that the [PPM] will be contesting for,” the press release concluded.

No deal

In last year’s presidential election, the Adhaalath Party initially endorsed former President Dr Mohamed Waheed before eventually backing JP candidate Gasim Ibrahim, who finished third in the first round of the contentious polls.

In the second round, the party backed PPM candidate Abdulla Yameen without a formal coalition agreement.

Following the unsuccessful talks last week, JP Leader Gasim Ibrahim told the press that Adhaalath Party President Sheikh Imran Abdulla had refused the JP’s offer of four seats, including three of five constituencies requested by the party.

“[Imran said] ‘no, no, we don’t want those constituencies, we cannot give up certain constituencies.’ So I said thank you very much. What can I do when they did not accept?” Gasim said last Thursday.

The business magnate noted that the JP had “no commitments” to the Adhaalath as the coalition agreement formed ahead of the presidential election no longer existed.

On the same day, Imran tweeted that the party would “not find it easy to make a deal” that did not involve allocating the Makunudhoo, Vaikaradhoo, Komandoo, Inguraidhoo, and Fares-Maathoda constituencies to Adhaalath candidates.

“Adhaalath could only contest the Majlis [election] with the coalition if the coalition concedes areas where Adhaalath has support,” Imran tweeted today.

Meanwhile, Islamic Minister Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, spokesperson of the Adhaalath Party, took to Facebook yesterday to condemn remarks in the media by senior JP members that he contended “undermined Adhaalath Party’s dignity.”

“Adhaalath does not have to ask the JP to contest for the Majlis,” he wrote.

An unnamed senior JP official told newspaper Haveeru on Friday that the Adhaalath Party had forfeited the opportunity to contest the parliamentary election on coalition tickets.

“Despite not having an official agreement with Adhaalath Party, our leader decided to give seats to the party because he loves Adhaalath. But they wanted too many seats,” the senior member was quoted as saying.

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Stabbed MP undergoes surgery in Sri Lanka

Maldivian Democratic Party MP Alhan Fahmy has been flown to Sri Lanka for surgery after being stabbed yesterday evening.

The Feydhoo constituency MP’s brother Azbaan, has told Minivan News Alhan’s condition is “very serious” – he had been in surgery for over three hours as of 4pm today (February 2).

“I think it is an organised political attack, because Alhan doesn’t have any other issues,” said Azbaan. “Somebody is politically unhappy with him, otherwise there is no other reason.”

He noted, however, that his brother had received no intelligence from police of an impending attack prior to yesterday’s incident.

Azbaan was with Alhan at the popular Breakwater cafe in the capital Malé when he was stabbed by his assailant at around 9pm. Police apprehended an 18 year old man at the scene, also finding a knife nearby.

Police have confirmed that a further two men have been arrested in relation to the stabbing. Two of the three now in custody have had their detention period extended to ten days, while the third will appear before judges later this evening.

MDP spokesman Imthiyaz ‘Inthi’ Fahmy described the attack as “very difficult to understand”, though he also suspects an organised attack.

“This is a planned one – I’m sure, I can tell that. The license plates of the motorbikes were changed before they came to the place to attack Alhan – that’s what I heard from sources,” said Inthi.

Inthi expressed dismay at the attack, noting that politicians needed to be free to work without fear, describing yesterday’s attack as a deliberate attempt to murder Alhan.

An official statement from the MDP’s parliamentary group today condemned the attack, expressing concern that “attackers are not hesitant to carry out such attacks in public”.

“This attack shows the loss of public order and justice. The MDP parliamentary group calls for a proper investigation and calls for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.”

Parliamentary group member Hamid Abdul Ghafoor described the continued intimidation of MPs as a “war that had gotten physical”.

Hamid suggested that the country’s recent moves toward democracy have made it more difficult to silence MPs:

“Before, you just disappeared. Now, they have to play outside of the law,” said Hamid, citing the murder of MP Dr Afrasheem Ali in 2012.

Cases involving Afrasheem, Hamid, and Alhan are currently being monitored by the Inter-Parliamentary Union, which organised an urgent visit to the Maldives late last year after expressing concerns over the intimidation of MPs.

Last August, Alhan was summoned by police in connection with the alleged blackmailing of Supreme Court Justice Ali Hameed, using footage of the judge having sex with two foreign women said to be prostitutes.

The MP tweeted a screenshot of a text message he claimed had been sent to his mobile phone by Superintendent of Police Mohamed Riyaz. The text read: “Alhan, will make sure you are fully famed (sic) for blackmailing Justice Ali Hameed. You don’t know who we are.’’

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