President Abdulla Yameen has forwarded the name of Ahmed Saleem to the Majlis for approval as the Maldives’ new high commissioner to Pakistan.
The post was vacated when Major General (retired) Moosa Ali Jaleel was appointed as the minister of defence and national security after the dismissal of Colonel (retired) Mohamed Nazim on January 20.
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(0)The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has expressed concern about citizens’ right to appeal following a reduction in the time allowed for cases to be filed.
“MDP is severely concerned that the Supreme Court has passed a ruling which would deprive citizens of the right to appeal as mentioned in the Constitution, and that the Supreme Court is amending regulations passed by the parliament and is imposing upon the legislative power,” said a statement released yesterday (January 30).
“We would like to point out that the appeal period at the Supreme Court is now unclear,” suggesting that the removal of relevant articles of the Judicature Act were beyond the court’s prerogative.
The court’s decision reduces the time allowed to file appeals in the higher courts from 90 days (180 for cases from the atolls) to ten, prompting legal experts to accuse the court of infringing upon the constitutional right to an appeal.
“They have taken out the appeal process,” says former Judicial Services Commission member Aishath Velezinee. “Ten days for appeal will deprive people of the right to appeal.”
Another legal expert suggested that the new time frame would make it practically impossible for many people to lodge an appeal.
While the court has claimed that current time frames for appeal deny the right to “fair and public hearing within a reasonable time” – Article 42 of the Constitution, legal experts say the changes will in practice remove the right to appeal enshrined in Article 56.
(0)Dislikes(0)“The signs are getting stronger- Maldives appears to be moving towards despotism. The latest in the series is the sudden and hurried sacking of the Defence Minister after a raid of his premises by the Police,” writes Dr S.Chandrasekharan for South Asia Analysis Group.
“What should be worrying is not of President Yameen consolidating his position but the sinister way by which he is going about it by disregarding all constitutional norms.
Transparency Maldives in one of the reports (3rd August of last year) referred to the “stagnation in democratic consolidation and a reversal in democratic gains.” It also pointed out the lack of outcry in the instances where the powers of key democratic institutions have been undermined.
Since then, Maldives has been going further downhill in the democratic process. But the lack of outcry may not continue indefinitely and at some stage or other there could be a backlash that would have an adverse impact on the law and order situation in the whole country.”
(0)Dislikes(0)A 22-year-old Lithuanian tourist has drowned close to Hulhumalé, reports Haveeru.
The man is said to have gone for a swim at around 2:45am (January 31) while under the influence of alcohol.
Police have said that the man’s body was retrieved by a deckhand on the safari boat ‘Ari’ which was docked in Hulhumalé harbour.
His body was taken to Hulhumalé hospital.
Source: Haveeru
(0)Dislikes(0)The Ministry of Economic Development has announced it will train 2,000 Maldivians to work as cashiers in shops, cafes, and restaurants.
“I ask that the ministry be informed of any difficulties faced by those who want jobs in shops,” economic development minister Mohamed Saeed told Haveeru.
Saeed last month announced that it would be illegal for any expatriates to be hired for cashier work from April this year, as the government strives to provide ‘Maldivian work for Maldivians’.
President Abdulla Yameen – who has based much of his policy around the youth – hopes to strengthen the Maldivian economy by providing work for the large unemployed youth population, having pledged to create 94,000 jobs during his term.
Democracy House states youth unemployment to be as high as 43 percent, while the International Labor Organisation estimates the figure to be at 30 percent.
Last week the government announced it was to cease granting permits for foreign photographers in order to provide greater opportunities for young Maldivian photographers.
Other pro-youth policies by the Yameen administration have included pledges to turn Hulhumalé into a ‘Youth city’ and the introduction of the ‘Get Set – Maldives Youth Entrepreneurship Programme’, which aims to distribute MVR200 million (US$12.9 million) worth of loans for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Source: Haveeru
(0)Dislikes(0)The Maldives is China’s fifth most popular overseas destination according to the 2014 Global Times Annual Survey.
The survey carried out by the Chinese newspaper showed that the Maldives was behind Switzerland, Japan, France, Hungary in a top ten which also included Thailand, Spain, UAE, Sweden, and New Zealand.
Data used for the compilation of the survey includes Chinese tourists visits, duration of stay, international awards, a survey of experts, online voting, and public opinion monitoring through social media to rank the top countries.
The award was received by the Maldives Ambassador to China Mohamed Faisal at the Global Times Billboard Awards Ceremony on Sunday.
Faisal also participated in the closed door session of the Tourism and Culture Forum organised by the paper as a guest speaker, said a Maldives foreign ministry press release
“The Forum focused on cultural tourism development in China and how international experience can be used to enhanced Chinese cultural tourism products,” explained the ministry
“Ambassador Faisal in his presentation, highlighted how Maldives tourism package culture as a lived experience for tourists and how Maldivian tourism industry is positioning itself to cater for the Chinese tourist.”
China’s share of the Maldives’ tourism industry continued its rapid growth last year, contributing 363,000 of the 1.2 million visitors – a year on year rise of 9.6 percent.
(0)Dislikes(0)Students at Haa Alif Dhihdhoo atoll education center are protesting over the fact that there has been no chemistry teacher at the school for over 150 days, reports media.
CNM reported that the school had had no chemistry teacher since from September last year and that the students were being prepared for the O’Level examinations by a private individual.
As there has been no chemistry teachers since the academic year started three weeks ago, the school has not been able to have chemistry lessons.
According to CNM, the students have started displaying placards at various parts of the island displaying their outrage while also demanding that the education ministry to provide a chemistry teacher.
One such placard read that: ‘Even though the education ministry has said that there all teacher posts at the schools filled, it has been eight months since there has been no chemistry teacher at the school. Grade 10 students deserve all the support they could get. Do not lie Education Minister.’
(0)Dislikes(0)Minister of Defence Major General (retired) Moosa Ali Jaleel has appointed Brigadier General Zakariyya Mansoor as the commander of the Aviation Security Command today.
Zakariyya Mansoor is also the director general of counter terrorism at the defence ministry.
The ministry has today denied media reports that Zakariyya has also replaced Chief of Defence Force Brigadier General Ahmed Shiyam, who was said to have retired from active duty.
The appointment of Zakariyya marks the most notable change brought to MNDF after the dismissal of Mohamed Nazim from the post of defence minister after a police raid on his residence, resulting in the confiscation of “dangerous weapons”.
(0)Dislikes(0)Former New Radiant Sports Club coach Velizar Popov has been appointed as the national football team coach by the Football Association of Maldives (FAM).
Popov was officially appointed to the post at a ceremony at the National Stadium held before the final fixture of the People’s Cup yesterday – which saw international sides competing against local first division teams.
The new national coach observed his star player Ali Ashfaq grab a hat-trick in the final, with his team – Malaysia’s Polis Di-Raja Malaysia Football Association – beating the Maldives’ Maziya Sports and Recreation in extra time.
During Popov’s time at New Radiant, the club took the Dhivehi League and the FA Cup with a perfect winning record, while also steering the club to the AFC Cup’s quarter finals.
Popov – who holds a UEFA pro license – left the Maldives to coach for an Oman team before coaching Thailand’s Sufenburee FC last year. Prior to this, he has coached in Denmark and Moldova as well as in his native Bulgaria.
Popov was the winner of the 2013 Haveeru Sports’ best football coach award.
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