Day: April 20, 2015

PPM by-election campaign underway

The ruling coalition’s campaign for the upcoming parliamentary by-election for the Dhiggaru constituency is underway while the opposition alliance is yet to decide on fielding a single candidate.

A primary of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) among four candidates seeking the ruling party’s ticket is due to take place on Friday. Former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s eldest son, Ahmed Faris Maumoon, is among the contenders.

The by-election, triggered by the 25-year jail sentence handed down to former ruling party MP Ahmed Nazim, is scheduled to take place on June 6.

All candidates must inform the Elections Commission of their intent to contest the by-elections by the end of April.

The by-election is expected to be hotly contested amid heightened political tension following the jailing of former president Mohamed Nasheed and ex-defence minister Mohamed Nazim as well as the alleged unfair targeting of Jumhooree Party Leader Gasim Ibrahim’s business interests.

Faris is meanwhile in Dhiggaru on a campaign trip at present.

Other contenders in the PPM primary include Meemu atoll council president Moosa Naseer, deputy environment minister Mohamed Hanim and Dhiggaru island council president Imran Ismail.

The ‘Maldivians against brutality’ alliance, made up of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Adhaalath Party (AP) and senior members of the Jumhooree Party (JP), announced last week that discussions were underway on fielding a single candidate.

AP spokesperson Ali Zahir has since announced his intention of contesting in the by-election.

Meanwhile, former MDP chairperson MP Moosa Manik has criticised his old party for not holding a primary to select a candidate.

MDP Vice President Mohamed Shifaz told Minivan News today that the party has not yet decided whether to field a candidate.

But the MDP “will definitely hold primaries” if it chooses to contest the by-election.

“As a party we have to consider many factors including the independence of the independent institution and so on. The MDP has not yet decided to compete for the seat but if we do a candidate would be selected through primaries,” he said.

MP Moosa Manik, who was expelled from the MDP last year after repeatedly voting against the party’s whip-line, said the party must hold a primary if it is to respect its rules and founding principles.

“In the local council elections I decided not to hold primaries but the decision was opposed by a lot of members. So in the end we had to hold primaries,” he said.

“So if the MDP is not competing, not holding primaries in order to make way for the Adhaalath Party, it would be going against the party’s own norms as well as democratic values. Even though I have been removed from the party’s registry I have sacrificed a lot for MDP. I can’t let MDP drift away from democracy.”

In last year’s parliamentary polls, Nazim was elected with 60 percent of the vote from the Dhiggaru constituency after competing against an MDP candidate. The PPM also won a majority of the Meemu atoll council, which has four PPM members, one MDP member and one independent member.

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Horns and megaphones banned in parliament chamber

The People’s Majlis today banned the use of horns, sirens and megaphones in the parliament chamber following weeks of protests by opposition MPs.

MPs of the Maldivian Democratic Party and Jumhooree Party have been protesting since March 2 over the arrest and imprisonment of former president Mohamed Nasheed on terrorism charges.

Opposition MPs continued protests with horns and megaphones today, but Speaker Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed called for a vote on the changes proposed to the parliamentary rules despite the disorder in the chamber.

The changes were proposed by the speaker and approved with 43 votes in favour at today’s sitting.

The debate on the bill was once again inaudible to the viewing gallery and the parliament secretariat ceased providing a live feed of the sittings to television stations this morning.

“Work on bringing an end to the MDP’s horns by amending article 51 of the parliament rules is on the agenda today,” tweeted majority leader Ahmed Nihan before today’s sitting.

Nihan was not responding to calls at the time of publication.

MDP spokesperson Imthiyaz Fahmy told Minivan News today that opposition MPs will continue the protests.

With daily anti-government demonstrations and heightened political tension, the state of the nation shall be reflected in the People’s Majlis, he said.

“While democratic principles are destroyed and political leaders are jailed, the Majlis is a place where such issues can be resolved,” he said.

The MPs are calling for a resolution to the political crisis, but the “current majority party does not want to listen,” he added.

Imthiyaz also questioned the need for the changes as the rules allow the speaker to order the sergeant-at-arms to expel MPs who disrupt sittings.

He contended that laws were passed in recent weeks in violation of parliamentary rules as voting took place with disorder in the chamber.

Constituencies represented by opposition MPs did not have a say either, he added.

Previous speakers resolved disputes through dialogue with political parties, but the current speaker “is too dictatorial and doesn’t even want to talk to the minority,” he said.

Maseeh is conducting sittings in violation of the rules while insisting that there was order in the chamber despite the protests, Imthiyaz said.

But neither the speaker nor MPs were able to hear debates, he noted.

Last week, a three-month delay for the implementation of the new penal code was approved with a show of hands amid protests by MDP MPs.

Rules of procedure

The new provisions state that cases of MPs who use horns or megaphones and approach the speaker’s desk will be investigated by the ethics committee.

The committee can cut 55 percent of an MPs’ monthly committee allowance and suspend participation in an official parliament trip for six months.

Imthiyaz said the proposed punishment was “ridiculous” as it amounted to undoing or erasing committee attendance.

MPs receive a monthly allowance of MVR20,000 for attending more than 50 percent of committee meeting.

The purpose of today’s changes to impose pay cuts on opposition MPs as the ruling coalition lacked two-third majority required by the constitution for non-payment of salaries and allowances, he said.

He also noted that the MDP parliamentary group leader sent a letter to Maseeh expressing concern with sittings taking place in violation of the rules.

However, in a meeting last week, Maseeh insisted that he was following the rules.

Imthiyaz also objected to the speaker refusing to allow MDP MPs to speak during debates and advocate on behalf of their constituents.

At a previous sitting, deputy speaker ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik refused to allow MDP MP Mariya Ahmed Didi to speak.

Imthiyaz said Mariya was seated, but the deputy speaker said the MDP MP will not be allowed to speak while her fellow MPs were protesting.

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Ban on pigeon feeding sparks public outrage

A ban on feeding pigeons at the Republic Square has sparked public outrage after numerous birds died of apparent starvation.

Several people have expressed strong disapproval on social media of the housing ministry’s decision to impose the ban last Wednesday (April 15).

“Stop brutality against pigeons, Feed the pigeons,” tweeted one Maldivian.

Hundreds of children and adults gather at the square every afternoon to feed raw rice to the pigeons.

However, entry to the square has now been restricted by a fence and the housing ministry has erected boards prohibiting pigeon feeding.

The housing ministry says feeding the pigeons causes damage to the grass, newly planted for an upcoming celebrations to mark the golden jubilee of independence.

Nearby buildings also appeared dirty due to pigeon droppings, the ministry said.

Local media reported yesterday that several starved pigeons pecked at tourists and passers-by.

According to newspaper Haveeru, the pigeons are dependant on humans for food and some are now too weak to fly.

Hundreds of pigeons stood on the fence while several more were crushed by vehicles while trying to cross the road.

“Arrest me for feeding the pigeons,” tweeted former environment minister Mohamed Aslam.

Former footballer Ismail Zariyand also tweeted a picture of him feeding the pigeons in defiance of the ban.

The square now remains empty except for a few starved and dead pigeons lying in the park’s corners.

The ministry will provide “alternative/more ideal locations” for pigeon feeding, tweeted housing minister Dr Mohamed Muizzu on Thursday.

However, the ministry is yet to announce the new location.

The ban comes amid renovations of public spaces in the capital in preparation of the 50th anniversary celebrations, including repairing the water fountain at the square.

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‘Super specialist’ doctors treat over 700 patients

More than 700 patients across the country have consulted visiting specialist doctors in four days under the government’s new ‘super specialist service.’

Arrangements have been made to send three out of the 762 patients overseas for further medical treatment, the national health insurance provider ‘Aasandha’ said today.

Under the programme, specialist doctors from neighbouring countries will come to the Maldives for one week every month and consult patients at hospitals in three different regions.

Every year, thousands of Maldivians fly to India, Sri Lanka and Thailand, seeking medical treatment unavailable in the country.

“Such a programme allows the government to provide health and social services at a lower cost, with better functioning systems in place,” said the Aasandha office in a press release.

The ‘super specialist service’ will employ neurologists, cardiologists, urologists, neurosurgeons, ENT doctors and paediatricians to provide consultations in different parts of the country.

Some 11 specialist doctors from India and Sri Lana are currently treating patients in Haa Dhaalu Kulhudhuhfushi, Laamu Gan, Gaafu Dhaalu Thinadhoo and Hulhumalé.

A haemoglobin specialist doctor meanwhile visited the Maldives Blood Services and consulted 21 thalassemia patients.

The Aasandha office said that the biggest problem faced by the travelling teams was lack of medicine from island pharmacies.

However, the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) has assured that the medicines will be provided within five days.

NPSA CEO Mujthaba JaleelSpeaking at the inauguration ceremony of the super specialist programme last week, NSPA CEO Mujthabaa Jaleel said 22 hospitals from India and Sri Lanka will participate in providing doctors.

The visiting doctors will improve healthcare for people suffering from serious conditions, he said.

The super specialist programme is one of the key healthcare pledges in President Abdulla Yameen’s manifesto, Jaleel said.

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