Day: August 24, 2014

Bangkok Hospital to provide Aasandha healthcare coverage

The Ministry of Health has held discussions with Bangkok Hospital to provide Aasandha, the Maldives universal healthcare scheme, in Thailand.

The ministry said today that discussions with Bangkok Hospital were held between heads of Bangkok Hospital and the acting Minister of Health Mohamed Nazim, reported local media Sun Online.

The discussions reportedly included providing specialist services and medical equipment to the Maldives, establishing a mechanism to prevent shortages of drugs, improving health clinic services in the Maldives, and ensuring the availability of certain drugs at Bangkok Hospital through Aasandha.

Earlier this year, President Abdulla Yameen inaugurated the ‘Unlimited Aasandha’ universal health scheme, as a part of his presidential campaign pledge and his first hundred day programme.

At the time, Yameen assured that the new unlimited service will be an upgrade from the existing Aasandha programme introduced by President Mohamed Nasheed which encountered a number of issues, particularly with regards to sustainability.

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Construction begins on 300 flats for police

Construction work began last Thursday (August 21) on 300 flats for police officers in Hulhumalé.

According to police media, the project was inaugurated at a ceremony on Thursday by Assistant Commissioner of Police Mohamed Sodiq.

Award letters were presented to recipients of the flats last year, who have since been making down-payments.

Down-payments would have to be paid for two years, police explained, and ownership would be transferred to the selected officers after monthly rent is paid for 25 years.

Apartments were awarded to officers with at least 20 years of service and based on a points system used in other housing schemes.

In September 2013, the previous administration awarded 300 flats to police officers under a housing project to be carried out jointly by the government-owned Housing Development Corporation (HDC) and the Police Cooperative Society (POLCO).

Under the MVR580 million (US$37.6 million) ‘Blue’s Housing Project,’ 210 three-bedroom and 90 two-bedroom apartments are to be constructed in Hulhumale’.

In addition to the housing project, then-President Dr Mohamed Waheed awarded 50 flats to senior police and military officers.

The awarding of 300 flats to police officers was criticised by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) as a continuation of the patronage system established during the 30-year reign of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

“In the light of extensive exposes, such ‘patronage’ is familiar to voters from the single party dictatorship of Gayoom and I believe they will simply say to each other ‘I told you so’,” MDP MP and Spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor told Minivan News at the time.

Ghafoor said it was “very concerning” that police should be given flats exclusively instead of teachers, doctors and other civil servants. He also questioned the selection process for awarding flats.

While some of the officers may have deserved the housing, there was concern that some officers involved in the alleged “coup d’etat” on February 7 had been rewarded with flats, Ghafoor claimed.

Since the controversial transfer of presidential power that brought Dr Waheed to office in February 2012 – in the wake of a violent police mutiny instigated by officers of the Special Operations (SO) command – more than 1000 police officers were promoted, 110 new police officers were hired, arrangements were made for cheap accommodation in Sri Lanka for police officers and their families and a loan scheme was set up for police officers.

In February, President Abdulla Yameen had assured police officers that the construction of the flats would begin in March.

In a visit to the police barracks at Iskandhar Koshi, Yameen said resolving housing issues for police personnel in Malé and the atolls was a high priority of his administration.

The president also said he has personally witnessed the “difficult conditions” that officers were working in the atolls, adding that the government would “prioritise finding an adequate solution” and would strengthen police welfare mechanisms.

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Court postpones delivering verdict in Siyam alcohol possession trial

The Criminal Court has postponed a hearing scheduled today to deliver a verdict in MP Ahmed ‘Sun’ Siyam Mohamed’s alcohol smuggling and possession trial, reports local media.

At the last hearing in July, Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed had said the verdict would be delivered at the next trial date. The court has confirmed that a hearing scheduled for today has been cancelled, but did not provide an explanation.

The chief judge had taken over Siyam’s case in May after the MP for Dhaalu Meedhoo requested a change of judge.

In June, two witnesses for the prosecution testified to finding a bottle of alcohol in Siyam’s luggage. Both were customs officers.

The government-aligned Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) leader was charged with smuggling and possession of alcohol in November after a liquor bottle was found in his luggage in March 2012.

The bottle was discovered in the tourism tycoon’s bag when it was screened at the airport upon his return from a trip overseas.

The penalty for alcohol possession in the penal code is either a fine of between MVR1,000 to MVR3,000 or imprisonment, banishment or house arrest for up to three years.

Siyam’s MDA formed an alliance with the now-ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) in August to back PPM presidential candidate Abdulla Yameen.

In March 2012, an audio clip of a conversation between Siyam and Yameen was leaked on social media, in which the pair aired grievances against PPM leader and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

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Oil leaks from burst STELCO pipe

An oil pipe of the State Electricity Company (STELCO) carrying fuel to electric turbines in Malé burst open yesterday, spilling oil into the sea on the western side of the capital.

STELCO said in a press release that measures were promptly taken to mitigate damage to the coastal environment. The company said the hole in the pipe was patched and repaired.

Moreover, protection sheets were placed to prevent the leaked oil from spreading while efforts were underway to remove the oil and clean the affected area, the state’s utility company said.

STELCO assured that steps were being taken to prevent a recurrence of a similar incident.

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Two men and minor stabbed in Malé

Two men and a minor were assaulted and stabbed in Malé around 8:50pm last night in the Dhidhi Goalhi in front of Iskandhar School.

According to police, a 19-year-old, a 20-year-old, and a 13-year-old were injured in the assault and taken to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) for treatment.

Local media has identified two of the victims as Abdulla Majid, 20, from Azum in Kaafu Guraidhoo, and Aseel Ahmed, 19, from Blueniaage in Thaa Thimarafushi.

Eyewitnesses said a group of masked men stabbed the two men in the back and struck the minor on the head before fleeing on motorbikes.

While one of the victims reportedly lost consciousness and fell to the ground, the other two escaped into a nearby house.

Of the three, Aseel’s condition was reported to be critical. He was immediately taken into the operating theatre at IGMH.

IGMH Media Official Zeenath Ali Habeeb told Minivan News today that the victim’s condition was “serious.” He has regained consciousness after undergoing major surgery, but remains sedated at the intensive care unit (ICU).

Police are meanwhile searching for suspects and no arrests have been made as of the time of press. The case is under investigation by the serious and organised crime department.

A resident of the area told Minivan News that two knives and an axe were found near the staircase of their house after the attacks.

The weapons appeared to be unused and were taken as evidence by the police, who had cordoned off the road.

Residents of the house believe they were stored by the gang for use in the assaults.

Shortly before the incident, a young man had attempted to retrieve the weapons, but found the gate of the house was closed. He had asked a resident to be let in but was refused.

Following a spate of violent assaults in Malé earlier this month – which saw an 18-year-old fatally stabbed – Chief Inspector Abdulla Satheeth told the press that police intelligence suggested the assaults were gang reprisals sparked by “a disturbance between two groups.”

Chief Inspector Ismail Naveen meanwhile told reporters that police have confiscated a number of weapons from areas where gangs congregate, including the Henveiru Park, the park on Alifkilegefaanu Magu, and the open area near the State Trading Organisation’s main office.

On August 13, police began dismantling huts and clearing out makeshift dens in open spaces in the capital used exclusively by gangs.

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