Day: June 22, 2014

Unsurprising developments: Malé and the atolls

The UNDP last week confirmed what most in the Maldives are only too aware of, that the lives of those in the capital Malé bear increasingly little resemblance to those in the outer atolls.

The country’s second Human Development Index report revealed the Malé area to have achieved a ‘highly developed’ score, while the rest of the country lagged behind in the middling bracket.

“Where one is born within the Maldives determines many of the opportunities and choices available to a person,” concluded the report.

While the UNDP will meet with relevant stakeholders in the coming weeks in order to discuss the implementation of policies that might bridge this divide, the government pushed ahead with plans which many feel will only exacerbate the problem.

Recent developments promise only bridge the divide between the  the capital’s two largest islands, however, with the construction of the Malé-Hulhule bridge a prominent part of the government’s flagship plan to expand the reclaimed island into a ‘youth city’ of 50,000 people.

Meanwhile, responses to proposals for special economic zones in the country have ranged from skepticism to alarm as the country seeks to make itself attractive to foreign investors once again.

“What I see is that three quarters of the population would probably move to the capital and the rest of the country will be taken over by the corporations,” predicted Salma Fikry, a long-time campaigner for decentralisation.

“Everything is moving towards that direction and the Maldives will lose a lot of their culture – a lot of their lifestyle – these things that make us Maldivian,” she said.

“Unsurprising”

Both Fikry and the online social movement the Rajjethere Meehun Party (RMP) have described the UNDP’s findings as “unsurprising”.

Citing the failures of successive governments to foster sustained development in the atolls, Fikry noted that the lack of political will for such projects had deep historical roots.

“The whole point of decentralisation is scary for the Maldivian government because they like to keep people dependent, they like to think of themselves as doing people favours,” she said.

“It’s very deep-rooted – the government in Malé has feared that the southerners and the northerners might revolt against the government because this has happened in the past.”

The most notable instance of separatism in the country came in the late fifties as the country’s three southernmost atolls seceded from the nation to form the United Suvadive Republic, with a lack of central government assistance being cited as a major reason for the breakaway.

While the short-lived republic was forcefully brought back under the authority of Malé in 1963, the issues appear to remain, with both Fuvahmulah and Addu City councils complaining of a lack of government support in local development.

Fuvahmulah Island Council recently blamed the Ministry of Health for dangerously under-resourced health facilities – an accusation repeated in Kulhudhuffushi this week, and Addu City Council has recently resolved to develop its own guest house tourism industry.

The concentration of the country’s dominant tourism industry has remained in the central atolls despite the government’s initial tourism master plans envisioning an even spread after the initial clustering around the capital in 70s and 80s.

Last week’s UNDP report cited the presence, or the absence, of tourism as a major contributor to to human development levels in the country’s disparate regions.

Despite the development of numerous regional airports, just under 40 percent of the country’s tourism capacity is located in Malé’s Kaafu atoll, with a recent survey showing that 85 percent of the country’s 1 million plus annual visitors reach their destination in less than hour’s journey from the capital.

Addu atoll – the country’s second most populous urban area – currently hosts just 3.6 percent of the country’s bed capacity, while at the opposite end of the country, residents of the only atoll in the country without a resort – Haa Dhaal – recently launched an online campaign calling for equitable development.

Special Economic Zones

The Special Economic Zones bill – recently introduced to the People’s Majlis – has been touted as a way to incentivise foreign investments, reduce the country’s reliance on tourism, and bring rapid development to the Maldives.

Proposals for nine economic zones throughout the atolls, which will include generous tax breaks and relaxed government oversight, have been greeted by many with caution.

Speaking after the launch of the UNDP report last week, Governor of the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) Dr Azeema Adam said that, with these incentives, the only benefits that the zones could bring would be local jobs.

“In the special economic zones, developers have the right to bring any amount of expatriate workers as well, so we might be able to generate jobs, but if those jobs go to expatriates we are not going to reap the benefit of such development activities,” said Dr Azeema.

Added to the absence of local expertise in relevant industries, the MMA governor said that serious questions should be asked about the benefit to local people – a point seconded by the RMP.

“On first read, it sounds like a monster in the making,” said the group. “The picture we get is is a scary one. Huge corporate agendas that could overtake all local ownership as well as national ownership of the Maldivian archipelago.”

Minivan News was unable to obtain comment from the Ministry of Economic Development or the Local Government Association at the time of publication.

Both the RMP and Fikry noted that, once an area is allocated as a special zone under the bill, all areas under the jurisdiction of local councils can be taken over.

“Is that really what we want in the long term – do we really want to be under a special zone superintendent by giving away our right to participation in our own development and governance?” asked Fikry.

Both suggested a better option for local development might be to allow for fiscal decentralisation as envisioned in the 2010 Decentralisation Act – whose provisions have yet to be fully enacted.

Failure to fully devolve the powers outlined in the landmark legislation has prompted Addu City mayor Mohamed Soabe to describe the legislation as “just for show”, while Malé City Deputy Mayor Shifa Mohamed has accused the current government of attempting to destroy decentralisation.

This week’s UNDP reports noted – when conducted on an optimal scale – decentralisation can have “positive effects” on human development.

However, with local councils rendered impotent by a dependence on central government finance and the relentless expansion of the capital, neither Fikry nor the RMP are anticipating any surprising developments soon.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Immigration detains 58 migrant workers in Laamu Gan

58 people were detained from Laamu Gan by the Department of Immigration and Emigration (DIE) yesterday as the government’s special operation to deport undocumented migrant workers continues.

“This operation will continue, that was the number of people we could transport yesterday. As soon as we get seats from a boat travelling to Malé, more people will be taken in,” said Laamu Gan Council President Ahmed Salah.

The council led the operation alongside the DIE, the Maldives Police Services (MPS), and the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF).

“This [the operation] is good for the island and for the country as well. This will create a lot of job opportunities for Maldivians,” said Salah.

While the most common type of work conducted by immigrants on the island is agriculture and fisheries, some are engaged in other occupations such as masonry, odd jobbing, and working in restaurants. Maldivian laws prohibits both fisheries work and self-employment for expatriates.

Salah estimated there would be around five hundred migrant workers on the 5000-strong island, most of whom he suggested were undocumented, and some of whom had fled the island during the operation.

He also noted that some of the workers taken in during the operation had valid visas but were considered undocumented as they were either not doing the work their visas were issued for, or were working for a different employer.

Impact

The main reason for having such a large migrant worker population on the island was their low wage demands compared to what is expected by locals, explained Salah.

“People give them around MVR2000 [per month] and an additional MVR500 for food and provide them with accommodation. There are so many of them on fishing boats and doing agricultural work,” he added.

According to the council president, migrant workers rent houses with each of them paying around MVR150 each day – agricultural workers live in small huts built on their fields, and fishermen live on their boats.

Following the council’s recommendations on behalf of the public, DIE has agreed not to take any action against locals who employ undocumented workers, Solah said.

“People are employing migrant workers like this because the implementation authorities have allowed them to do so. So we are requesting immigration to at least not to fine them [local employers], and let this time be a warning and show some leniency. So no fine have been imposed on the employers,” he explained.

Prior to the current operation, the immigration department conducted a  voluntary repatriation program, offering leniency for undocumented migrant workers who wished to return to their home countries voluntarily at their own expense.

The current programme was announced in April by the Minister of Defence and National Security Mohamed Nazim – also head of the Immigration Department – who promised that “within three to four months the whole Malé will be cleaned”.

According to Nazim the priority would be to deport those detained in the operation as soon as possible.

Earlier this month 33 undocumented workers were detained as part of this nationwide action, although Minivan News was unable to obtain a comment from the immigration department regarding the operation’s specifics.

Human Trafficking

The Maldives was recently removed from the US State Department’s tier two watch-list for human trafficking after remaining on it for four consecutive years, narrowly avoiding international sanctions.

While the 2014 US State Department’s Trafficking In Persons (TIP) Report highlighted the recently enacted anti-trafficking law and the opening of a shelter for victims of trafficking, the report noted that there are “serious problems” in enforcing the law protecting victims.

Some of these problems highlighted in the report include lack of procedures to identify victims among vulnerable populations, and inadequate training for officials.

The report further stated that “the government penalized some victims for offenses committed as a result of being trafficked and also deported thousands of migrants without adequately screening for indications of forced labor.”

These concerns were echoed by Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) Jeehan Mahmood.

“In the absence of victim identification guidelines it is very likely that victims of human trafficking would be taken in during such operations, because there is no clear way to identify if such a person is a victim or not,” she said.

Jeehan did, however, note that the anti-trafficking steering committee established under the new counter trafficking act had already drafted a national guideline of internationally accepted standards.

She highlighted the need to criminalise human smuggling along with trafficking, explaining that the HRCM has proposed to amend the law for this purpose.

“The two are very different, it is an issue of consent. So there should be a specific definition for this. It is very important for the State to understand this. And without a clear definition a victim of trafficking could be prosecuted for that,” she said.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Kulhudhuffushi protests over “comatose” regional health service

Over 300 islanders staged a protest on Saturday on northern Haa Dhaal Kulhudhuffushi Island over deteriorating regional health services.

Protesters called for Health Minister Dr Mariyam Shakeela’s resignation outside the Kulhudhuffushi Regional Hospital, claiming services have deteriorated to “conditions never seen before in recent history.”

Kulhudhuffushi Island Council President Ali Mohamed said the hospital served over 60,000 people in the region, but lacked doctors and equipment.

Following the protest, doctors at the hospital refused to work today claiming they lacked an environment conducive for work. However, they resumed work at 10:30 am after the Kulhudhuffushi Island Council and Haa Dhaal Atoll Council intervened.

Meanwhile, the Haa Dhaal Atoll Council issued a statement on Thursday condemning “comatose” health care service at the hospital and warned it will hold serial protests until grievances are addressed.

In recent weeks, a woman had to be flown to Malé when doctors could not sew up an episiotomy following labor, an infant suffered damages to the head during a caesarean, and a child was stillborn despite routine checkups, the council claimed.

The Kulhudhuffushi regional hospital has not had a physician for seven months, and has only one gynecologist. Three gynecologists are needed to serve the northern atoll’s population, the council said.

The council also highlighted a severe lack of facilities on the island. The hospital has a dentist, but the dental chair has been broken for two years and three years have passed since the x-ray machine broke down, the council said.

Further, lack of antibiotic discs for culture and thyroid tests and lack of laboratory chemicals have hampered the hospital’s ability to conduct medical tests, the council said.

Healthcare infrastructure is dilapidated, surtains are old and hospital bedding is torn, the council said.

The state had only allocated MVR 1200 (US$ 77.8) for cleaning supplies for the year. When the funds are divided among the 13 islands, each health center receives MVR 7.69 per month (US$ 0.5) or enough to buy two bars of soap every month, the council said.

“The council calls on the Ministry of Health and all relevant authorities to recruit two more gynecologists, a physician, a cardiologist, ultra sound scanning machine, an x-ray machine, 4 ECD machines, two fetal Doppler and adequate supplies for and facilities in the twelve health centers in Haa Dhaal Atoll,” the statement read.

The council also claimed Shakeela had not failed to respond to repeated requests for a meeting.

In response, Shakeela told regional newspaper Kulhudhuffushi Online work is underway to improve regional health facilities and said the ministry is recruiting doctors to staff regional hospitals.

The Health Ministry is also in the process of purchasing a new x-ray machine and laboratory equipment for the Kulhudhuffushi hospital, she said. But the process will take time, as equipment is imported from abroad, she added.

The government in May announced it is seeking 225 additional doctors, and said it will place 91 medial officers in health centers across the country.

The Health Ministry has been under fire in recent weeks following a series of health scares.

On June 3, councilors of southern Fuvahmulah Island held a press conference blasting Shakeela for “worsening conditions” at the hospital.

Councilors alleged negligence in a series of medical incidents including a case of stillbirth and the death of a soldier on the island.

In February, the Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Malé transfused HIV positive blood to a patient due to an alleged technical error.

Likes(1)Dislikes(0)

Political parties remain deadlocked over majlis committee composition

Political parties remain at a deadlock over the composition of People’s Majlis standing committees after an attempt to hold a select committee meeting failed last night.

A parliamentary sitting was cancelled on June 17 after MPs disrupted the sitting, protesting against the “unfair” composition of Majlis standing committees.

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) had objected in particular to a ruling coalition majority in the government oversight committee.

The five member select committee was reconvened on Saturday night to review committee composition during which MDP MP Ibrahim ‘Mavota’ Shareef tabled a motion requesting the MDP and former ruling coalition member Jumhooree Party be given majority in key oversight committees.

Shareef requested four MDP members – two JP members and four ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) members – sit on the government oversight committee, independent commissions oversight committee, and public finance committee.

Ruling coalition partner Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) MP Ali Mauroof submitted a motion to raise the total number of MPs in the independent commissions oversight committee and public finance committee from 11 to 13, and decrease number of MPs in the regulations committee and petitions committee to nine.

Mauroof’s proposition did not get sufficient support in the committee, before the MP walked out causing a loss of quorum just minutes before Shareef’s proposition was be put to the vote.

Three members are required for quorum. Only four of the five members were present last night. Adhaalath Party MP Anara Naeem was not in the country when the meeting was held.

Coalition majority

MDA Council Member Nazeera Ibrahim told Minivan News the “only way forward” was to ensure a majority for the ruling coalition in all committees.

“Our coalition holds the majority number of seats in the parliament. So the only way to move forward now is for us to get majority in all the committees. That is the only solution,” she said.

However, the MDP and JP have called on the PPM to compromise and allow an opposition majority in oversight committees

MDP Parliamentary Group Leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said that the only way forward is for PPM to allow the opposition party to fill the seats that they are ‘entitled’ to.

The MDP is entitled to four seats in three committees and three seats in nine committees as per regulations, Ibu said.

“After PPM, MDP holds the highest number of seats. So as per regulations, after PPM selects its committees, it is MDP that must get the second choice. However, in reality, PPM is allowing MDA – which holds only five seats – to have its say over that of the MDP. This is not how it should be done,” he explained.

“The question that has given rise to so much debate and disgruntlement is which three committees will the MDP get four seats in. We are saying we want the seats in committees with oversight functions,” he said.

Undemocratic

Meanwhile, JP MP Ahmed Sameer accused the ruling party of being “undemocratic” due to their efforts to garner a majority in committees with oversight functions.

“We do not believe that the governing party has to have majority in the oversight committees, while it is alright for them to lead the bill drafting committees. It is highly undemocratic of PPM to attempt to get majority in oversight committees. It is not their role, but the role of the opposition to oversee their performance,” Sameer said.

He further stated that it is “neither democratic, healthy, nor beneficial to the people” that “PPM is trying to change all parliamentarians to share their beliefs and ideologies,” alleging that the PPM had used coercion and bribery to convince some MPs to switch parties.

Sameer said he believed the PPM had encouraged Mauroof to walk out from the select committee.

“The chair of the special committee is a member of PPM. Also, PPM’s parliamentary group leader sits in the committee. A coalition partner would not have walked out without the explicit approval of the ruling party, as I see it. We cannot at all accept the government’s efforts to bring the whole parliament under their control,” he stated.

Religious conservative Adhaalath Party Spokesperson Ali Zahir confirmed that the party – with one seat in the Majlis – has also requested to be included in specific committees, while he declined to reveal which committees they were.

“The matter needs to be resolved immediately. The parties need to come to some form of compromise, and parliamentary work needs to progress for the benefit of the people. The AP has not, and will not, disrupt the proceeding of any committee,” Zahir said.

PPM MP Ibrahim Sujau declined from commenting on the matter, redirecting the questions to the party’s Parliamentary Group Leader Ahmed Nihan, who was not responding to calls at the time of press.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Seven arrested in Kulhudhuffushi violence

The Maldives Police Services have arrested seven individuals in connection to a fight on Kulhudhuffushi Island, Haa Dhaal atoll, on Friday night.

Three men were injured during the violence. Eyewitnesses told local newspaper Kulhudhuffushi Online that two rival groups in the island attacked each other with light bulbs and wooden planks.

The incident occurred near the island’s zone stadium at 11:30pm on June 20.

According to the police, those arrested include a 19-year-old, a 21-year-old, two 22-year-olds, two 23-years-olds and one 25-year-old.

The Haa Dhaal atoll Magistrate Court has extended the detention of those arrested seven days.

Likes(1)Dislikes(0)

Maldives police to be deployed abroad

Commissioner of Police Hussain Waheed has announced that the Maldives Police Service is working to deploy its officers to foreign countries.

“We have considered some neighbouring countries. Although we will not reveal the countries at this time, once we establish police liaison officers, you will be able to see the results,” Waheed is quoted as saying to Haveeru.

“You will hear that police have arrested some or other person who attempted to smuggle drugs into the Maldives from some country. This is the kind of happy news that I wish to hear. You will then know which countries we deploy our officers to,”

According to Waheed, one of the main objectives of the said operation is to tackle the problem of illegal drug smuggling into the country.

He stated that, while police are at present working with counterparts abroad, the actual deployment of Maldivian officers in other countries will prove to be more effective.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

BML to issue visa debit cards to all Maldivian customers

Bank of Maldives Pvt Ltd (BML) has announced that it will be issuing visa debit cards to all Maldivian customers from July 2014.

The bank currently only issues the card to holders of dollar accounts at the bank.

The bank stated that while the card will be issued to all Maldivians, students studying abroad will be given higher priority.

Customers using a visa debit card will be allowed to withdraw a maximum of MVR10,000 locally and US$200 from ATMs in foreign countries.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

President’s Office alters Ramadan working hours after Hope for Women complaint

The President’s Office has again adjusted working hours for the Islamic month of Ramadan from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.

The President’s Office had initially set working hours from 10am – 2:30 pm – reduction of 30 minutes from the working day follows a complaint by NGO Hope for Women.

The organisation said the initial working hours did not consider impact on women working in public service.

“In the Maldivian society, domestic responsibilities typically fall on women, with added work during the month of Ramadan for the preparation of the meals for the family in time for breaking fast,” said the NGO.

Women make up a majority in the Maldivian civil service. There are 11,655 women and 8,858 men.

Hope for women also suggested the government’s decision was influenced by the late hour football matches of the ongoing World Cup tournament which it claims is causing many government employs to attend work late.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)