Day: July 19, 2014

Less people eating during day time this Ramadan, reveals police statistics

The number of individuals arrested from Malé city for eating during daylight hours in Ramadan has decreased by 83 percent when compared to 2013, reveals police statistics.

Only five were arrested in the first two weeks of Ramdan for eating while 31 cases were reported in the same period last year. According to the police, two cases of eating during daylight hours were reported every day last year.

Consumption of food without a reasonable excuse during Ramadan is prosecuted as a criminal offense in the Maldives.
The cases are usually proved with testimonies of eye witnesses or the perpetrator. Those guilty are fined with MVR 150 for “disobedience to orders” under article 88 (a) of the Penal Code.

Three men were arrested on the first day of Ramadan (June 29) for smoking cigarettes while fasting. All three had criminal records. One of them was caught inside a public toilet. That same week, another man was caught eating on the stairs of his apartment building and suspected drugs were also found on the latter.

On July 1, a 37-year-old man was arrested for eating dates from a breakfast table at a Male’ mosque, just before sunset. Police told local media he had also smoked a cigarette after eating from the mosque.

In April, a man who had been caught smoking a cigarette during Ramadan in Malé was fined and in July another man was fined for chewing arecanuts during daylight hours.

A police spokesperson told Minivan News that arrests are made based on reports or if police witness individuals eating in public spaces. The police will attend to cases where people are reported to have eaten in a private place.

Both the Maldives Police Services and Islamic Scholars are creating more public awareness in order to reduce such crimes, the police said.

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Fenaka Corporation commissioned to build sewerage system for Kudahuvadhoo housing units

Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure has contracted Fenaka Corporation to establish a sewerage system in the housing units under construction in the island of Kudahuvadhoo in Dhaalu atoll.

The 53 units are dedicated to providing housing for residents of Kudahuvadhoo who were relocated from the small island of Vaanee in the same atoll.

The agreement for the project was signed by Housing Minister Dr Mohamed Muiz and Fenaka Corporation Managing Director Mohamed Nimal at a meeting on Wednesday (July 16).

Under the agreement, Fenaka has to complete setting up the sewerage system within a period of 120 days. The project is financed by the state budget and is estimated to cost MVR4.01 million (US$26,0052).

Appearing for minister’s question time at Tuesday’s sitting of parliament, Muiz informed MPs that the housing units would be awarded to the former residents of Vaanee after formalities are completed by the Kudahuvadhoo island council and Dhaalu atoll council.

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PPM MPs to vote Muhthaz for PG in defiance of party leader’s appeal

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MPs have decided to vote for Criminal Court Judge Muhthaz Muhsin as the new Prosecutor General (PG) despite the party’s leader, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, urging ruling party MPs to vote for his nephew Maumoon Hameed.

Majority Leader MP Ahmed Nihan told Minivan News today that 33 out of 38 MPs present at a parliamentary group meeting this afternoon voted in favour of Muhthaz.

Nihan – parliamentary group leader of the PPM – also confirmed that a three-line whip has been issued for all 43 PPM MPs to vote for Muhthaz’s approval to the vacant PG post.

The decision comes after PPM Leader Gayoom sent a letter yesterday – subsequently leaked on social media – appealing for the party’s MPs to vote for Maumoon Hameed, son of former Atolls Minister Abdulla Hameed.

Gayoom noted that President Abdulla Yameen had declared at a PPM rally that he wished to appoint Maumoon Hameed to the post and that the president had “sent a message through the PPM’s official viber group” requesting the party’s MPs to vote for the lawyer.

Vetting process

Following a vetting process, parliament’s independent institutions oversight committee had rejected both of President Yameen’s nominees last week.

While a minimum score of 75 marks was required for the committee to recommend a nominee for approval, Hameed received 33 percent and Muhthaz received 67 percent.

The committee’s evaluation report has been tabled in the agenda for debate at Monday’s sitting of parliament, after which the nominees will be put to a vote.

Meanwhile, Gayoom sent a letter to MP Nihan – also leaked on social media (page one and two) – last week demanding an explanation of the PPM-majority committee’s decision.

The oversight committee – chaired by PPM MP Ali Saleem – is comprised of five PPM members, one MP from coalition partner Maldivian Development Alliance (MDA), three opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs and two Jumhooree Party (JP) MPs.

In his letter, Gayoom contended that a committee meeting held on July 10 where the nominees were interviewed – where the chair had “acted arbitrarily” – was conducted in violation of parliamentary rules of procedure.

Gayoom said he had learned that the nominees were summoned without a vote by members and that an assessment criteria had not been passed prior to the interviews.

Moreover, he added, the marks sheets were not tallied in the presence of committee members.

Gayoom also argued that a sitting judge could not stand for the post of PG, citing article 151 of the constitution – which requires judges to “devote his full time to the performance of the responsibilities of a judge” – and a “legal norm” whereby judges who leave the bench must wait two years before practicing law.

While article 26(a) of the Judges Act stipulates that a judge who stands for a political post specified in law or the constitution would no longer be a judge, Gayoom noted that Muhthaz had not done so.

However, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has since said that judges could apply for posts in independent institutions.

Vacant PG post

Meanwhile, following the PPM parliamentary group’s decision today, MDP MP Rozaina Adam tweeted, “Could President Yameen publicly humiliate President Gayoom more than this? Yameen’s choice is very clear.”

She also alleged that Yameen had conspired for the previous parliament to reject Maumoon Hameed in April by ensuring that several PPM MPs would be absent for the vote.

Several pro-government MPs – including PG Leader Nihan who was with President Yameen in Japan and MDA Leader Ahmed Siyam – were conspicuously absent at the sitting, which saw  Hameed fail to garner the required 39 votes after falling just three votes short.

According to article 221 of the constitution, “The President shall appoint as Prosecutor General a person approved by a majority of the total membership of the People’s Majlis from the names submitted to the People’s Majlis as provided for in law.”

A majority in the 18th Majlis is 43 seats. In addition to its 43 MPs, the PPM’s coalition partner MDA has five MPs. The minority party announced today that its MPs would also vote for Muhthaz.

Following the previous parliament’s rejection of Hameed, President Yameen refused to submit a new nominee and opened up a third call for applicants, announcing his intention to nominate Hameed for a second time to the newly elected 18th People’s Majlis.

The PG’s post has been vacant since November 25 following the resignation of Ahmed Muiz ahead of a scheduled no-confidence motion in parliament.

Meanwhile, Acting PG Hussein Shameem’s resignation in early May brought the criminal justice system to a halt after state prosecutors went on strike, citing concerns of a lack of accountability in the absence of a PG.

However, the Supreme Court ordered prosecutors to resume work “without any further excuse” and ordered the seniormost official at the PG office to assume the PG’s responsibilities.

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Commissioner of police submits to drug testing

Commissioner of Police Hussain Waheed submitted to drug testing by the police professional standards command last week.

According to police media, Waheed was not aware that he would be asked to provide a urine sample when he was “summoned” to the professional standards command on Wednesday night (July 16).

The test “proved that Commissioner of Police Hussain Waheed is not a drug user.”

In March 2013, former Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz set up a special department to randomly test police officers for drug and alcohol use.

Riyaz issued an order to conduct drug testing on eight police officers picked at random each month.

Police revealed last week that 167 police officers have been tested so far.

The move followed allegations by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party that riot police officers at the party’s demonstrations following the controversial transfer of power on February 7, 2012 were intoxicated.

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Criminal records cleared for over 2,000 youths, home minister informs parliament

Criminal records of more than 2,000 youth have been cleared or expunged since the current administration took office in November, Home Minister Umar Naseer told parliament last week.

Appearing for minister’s question time at Wednesday’s sitting of parliament, Naseer explained that criminal records are cleared for suspects involved in cases that are not forwarded for prosecution following investigation by police.

Criminal records would not be cleared for suspects whose cases are sent to the Prosecutor General’s (PG) Office, he added.

“So we are following that rule now and the number of youth with criminal records will be fewer than before now,” he said.

However, Naseer stressed that the Home Ministry could not expunge all criminal records as “this involves employers’ rights as well”.

Employers needed to “know who they are giving a job to,” Naseer said.

The home minister was responding to a question from Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP for Addu Feydhoo, Ibrahim Didi, who said he received a lot of calls from young people in his constituency who were unable to get jobs due to criminal records.

Most of the youth had criminal records for minor offences, he said.

In January, police revealed that records of 1,023 persons arrested for various offences were cleared under an initiative to provide job opportunities to youth.

A 2012 report on gang culture in the Maldives noted that lack of employment opportunities was one of the main reasons young people join criminal gangs.

Criminal records even for minor offences are not cleared for five years, the report noted.

“Sustained effort”

Meanwhile, in April, President Abdulla Yameen granted clemency to 169 convicts serving jail sentences or under house arrest or banishment following an announcement at a campaign rally in Fuvahmulah.

Naseer told Minivan News in the wake of President Yameen’s announcement that the release of inmates would not present any difficulties to ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking.

“It will not be a hindrance because the present Clemency Act prevents serious offenders from being released. Furthermore, this process will be monitored by the Home Ministry,” he said.

President Yameen also commuted the sentences of 24 inmates in January while his predecessor Dr Mohamed Waheed released 39 convicts during his last days in office.

The “main difficulty” at present for law enforcement was the delay in concluding cases through the criminal justice system, Naseer told MPs.

While the role of police was over after sending a case for prosecution, Naseer said cases were often delayed either at the PG’s Office or at court.

Asked about efforts to combat drug trafficking, Naseer said he estimated a period of 15 years would be needed with a “sustained effort” by successive administrations to address the country’s drug problem.

The police Drug Enforcement Department (DED) has conducted more operations in the past six months than was previously conducted in one year, Naseer claimed.

More drugs were also seized in the past six months than previous years, he added.

Discussions have taken place “at the technical committee level” with airport operators and customs officials to “seal” all points of entry, Naseer said.

In an interview with Minivan News in January, Naseer said that the main target of his ministry for the next five years would be curbing drug-related crimes.

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Parliament rejects emergency motion on Addu power outage

The People’s Majlis on Thursday rejected an emergency motion tabled by opposition MP Rozaina Adam over ongoing power cuts in southern Addu City.

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP for Meedhoo constituency said Addu City suffered power outages for several hours in the past two weeks. The Addu City Council had attempted to hold talks with state-owned Fenaka without any results.

A malfunction in a 750 kilowatt  generators is causing the cuts, Fenaka has said.

The people of Addu are “living in fear” as the electricity cuts had affected the street lights of the main roads connected to the Link Road – the main causeway connecting the islands in Addu. The road has not been lit for more than a week, she said and noted a thirteen year old had died in an accident in 2013 because the streetlights were out.

Addu City is the second most populous region in the country with an estimated 30,000 population.

The motion received 27 votes in favor. Two MPs abstained from the vote and 29 voted to reject the motion. Two ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) MP s representing the Addu Feydhoo and Hulhudhoo constituency voted to reject the motion.

Rejecting the motion without debate indicates that the PPM and the government do not want to resolve issues through the parliament, Rozaina said.

After the motion was rejected, oppositions MPs, Rozaina, Maradhoo MP Ibrahim Shareef and Maafannu Hulhangu MP Mohamed Falah have tabled the issue with the Government Oversight Committee and have requested relevant ministries be summoned for questioning.

Speaking at a press conference after the parliament session, Rozaina criticized the PPM saying they had rejected a case “related to a constitutional right to defend the government.”

Article 23 of the Constitution states the establishment of “an electricity system of a reasonably adequate standard on every inhabited Island” is right of every citizen which should be guaranteed by the state “within it’s ability and resources”.

Mid Hithadhoo MP Ibrahim Mohamed Didi said Addu City would be without power if there was a malfunction in a second generator.

Ramadan’s congregational prayer Taraweek was performed without power in most Addu City mosques, he claimed, and called on the Islamic Ministry to look into the issue.

Managing Director of Fenaka Mohamed Nimal today told Vnews it would take at least 45 days to bring the spare from abroad and that the repair would cost approximately MVR 5 million (US$ 324,254).

The corporation is planning to temporarily replace the generator with an 800 Kilo Watt generator – brought in for the AFC Challenge Cup football tournament recently held in Addu.

In addition to Addu city, Noonu Atoll Velidhoo and Laamu Atoll Gan are also facing power outages this Ramadan.

On Wednesday, Velidhoo residents protested outside the powerhouse after a 24 hour long powercut.

‘Noonu‘ a local new website from the Island reported that the outage came as a result of a 300 KW generator, one of the four on the Island, being out of service yesterday.

Attempts to share its load with the other three resulted in overloading and failure of another generator. The website reported in that it is a common occurrence on the island lately.

Although power cuts are relatively common during Ramadan with approximately 25 islands reporting cuts in 2012, they have been dramatically reduced this year, Nimal told Vnews.

The Laamu Atoll Gan Thundi ward electricity issue will remain unresolved throughout Ramadan until the Thundi and Mahinna wards are connected with 1200 meters of cable, he said.

The company is in the process of finding a long tern solution, he added. Fenaka has announced a MVR 141.86 million (US$ 9.2 million) project to provide round the clock electricity to all islands.

The project will provide electricity of 116 kilowatts to 2 megawatts in 78 islands and update the electricity network on thirteen Islands, Fenaka has said.

Fenaka is to acquire 77 new generators for US$ 5.9 million from China’s FuJian Yanan Power. These include 40 generators of 160 -200 kilowatts, 24 generators of 250 – 300 kilowatts and 13 of 500 -1000 kilowatts. The generators are expected to arrive in the Maldives in August.

Cables required for the project are to be procured by Sri Lanka’s Kelani Cables Company through a contract worth approximately US$ 33.9 million

A contract for the distributional boxes for the project was awarded to local Power Engineering company for approximately US$ 16.9 million.

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Agreement signed for Hulhumalé phase two reclamation project

A framework agreement was signed between the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) and Belgian company Dredging International N.V. on Thursday (July 17) for the US$50 million Hulhumalé phase two reclamation and coastal protection project.

Managing Director Suhail Ahmed signed the agreement on behalf of HDC while Amedeo Peyron, resident manager for the Indian subcontinent, signed on behalf of Dredging International N.V.

Speaking at a ceremony held in Nasandhura Palace Hotel, Suhail explained that a US$30 million loan facility from the Bank of Ceylon and US$20 million from the HDC’s reserves would be used to finance the project.

“Bank of Ceylon has given assurances of providing the loan for this project. So we will be able to begin the project in the next month or so,” Suhail said.

While the dredging and reclamation work would be completed by February 2015, Suhail said the coastal protection work would be completed in December 2015.

HDC revealed last month that the project involves reclamation of 240 hectares of land “with a target population of 100,000 people.”

The corporation said in a press release that development plans for the fully reclaimed artificial island includes residential developments, a business district and “commercial spine,” a light industrial park, a yacht marina and cruise terminal, a knowledge and technology park, a heritage island a tourism district.

“Both Hulhumalé Phase I & Phase II developments are planned in line with the government’s overall vision to bring sustainable youth related developments,” the press release stated.

Dredging International also carried dredging and land reclamation in phase one of the Hulhumalé development project.

Reclamation in the second phase will expand the size of the artificial island from 188 hectares at present to 410 hectares.

According to the company’s website, Dredging International NV was established in 1974 and specialises in “the construction and development of harbours, artificial islands, estuarial dams, canals and inland waterways, dyke construction and reinforcement, beach replenishment and coastal protection, supply of dredged aggregates and salvage activities.”

Developing a ‘youth village’ in Hulhumalé with a population of 50,000 was a key campaign pledge of President Abdulla Yameen.

Speaking at a ceremony in Thulusdhoo in May, President Yameen said the government’s objective was to relocate people from small islands in the atolls to Hulhumalé.

Economic opportunities in small islands were limited due to their size and isolation, he added.

The government hoped youth from smaller islands would migrate to Hulhumalé as well as other islands selected for land reclamation, Yameen said.

In April, Yameen said the HDC’s development plans were being revised to achieve the new administration’s goals.

The vision for the youth city includes a “technopolis park” as well as entertainment and sports facilities, he said, in addition to facilities for the tourism and fisheries industries.

Meanwhile, in February, Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed pledged that the Malé–Hulhulé bridge project – which he described as “iconic for the whole region” – would be completed in two years.

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President Yameen does not have gang affiliations, Umar tells the Majlis

Home Minister Umar Naseer has retracted a July 2013 statement accusing President Abdulla Yameen of connections with the illegal drug trade and gangs.

The retraction came in response to a question by opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Fayyaz Ismail in the People’s Majlis on Wednesday.

Naseer had been summoned to the parliament today by MDP MP Rozaina Adam for questions over the Home Ministry’s programs in her constituency Addu Atoll Meedhoo.
After losing to Yameen in the ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) primaries in 2013, Naseer at a rally accused Yameen of having illicit connections to gangs, the drug trade and a role in the murder of PPM MP and Islamic scholar Dr Afrasheem Ali. The police said the murder was politically motivated.

Naseer also accused Yameen of vote rigging, claiming he had been backed by members of gangs and drug cartels and that criminals convicted of trafficking and dealing drugs were seen wearing Yameen’s campaign caps during PPM primaries.

“Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s children were with Yameen, the largest gangsters in the country were with Yameen, all the drug cartels in the country were with Yameen, the most corrupted people were with Yameen, the whole elections committee was with Yameen and a large chunk of PPM’s parliament members gathered around Yameen,” Naseer said.

He also said a suspect arrested and questioned by the police in the murder of Dr Afrasheem Ali was at the PPM office to meet Yameen.

Subsequently Naseer was dismissed from the party and went on to back Jumhooree Party (JP) candidate Gasim Ibrahim. In the second round of polls, the JP endorsed Yameen on the condition of forming a coalition government.

Naseer was appointed as the Home Minister under a cabinet slot allocated for the JP. With the coalition’s break up, Naseer is now the sole minister representing the JP.

In an exclusive interview to Minivan News in January, Naseer described his allegations against Yameen as merely “political rhetoric”.

“That was political rhetoric. We were repeating MDP’s lines. What happens in presidential primaries is that you are competing for the top position of the nation, so you use every tool you have. I am now the Home Minister, but I do not see any indication of [Yameen] being involved in such acts. If at any point I do see such an indication, I will not hesitate to investigate it.” Umar said at the time.

Yameen has also denied the allegations of corruption and afilliation with criminal organizations

A 2012 study of the Maldives’ gang culture revealed that “political and business elites” exploit gangs to carry out a range of illegal activities including the suppression of opponents and carrying out tasks to help maintain popularity or divert media attention from political issues.

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