Category: News in Brief

Maldives Center for Historic and Linguistic Research to be closed down

Deputy Leader of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Ibrahim Shareef has told Miadhu the government’s decision to close down the Maldives Center for Historic and Linguistic Research, and to transfer its work to other institutions, poses a great challenge for the Dhivehi language.

Shareef said the Dhivehi language has been an integral part of Maldivian culture and identity, and should be protected for future generations.

He said the center’s work with Dhivehi would be very different from how a college would teach Dhivehi, which is something all Maldivians should be worried about.

President of the Center for Historic and Linguistic Research Ahmed Naseer told Miadhu the language department will be transferred to the Maldives College of Higher Education, and the cultural and historical work will be taken to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.

He said there would be no change in the level of services being provided and the transition will be over in three days.

The land on which the center stood will be taken over by Malé Municipality to build flats.

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President inaugurates new Maldives Polytechnic

President Mohamed Nasheed has unveiled the Maldives Polytechnic, a new educational institution to operate under the Ministry of Education.

The institute will take over the vocational programmes currently under the Maldives Institute of Vocational Education and Training (MIVET), as well as certificate and diploma level courses run by the Faculty of Engineering Technology of the Maldives College of Higher Education.

The president has subsequently eliminated the MIVET, and vocational training centres in Kaafu Thulusdhoo and Raa Alifushi which were running under the Faculty of Engineering Technology are now under the Polytechnic.

The Maldives Polytechnic was created to facilitate the administration of vocational and technical education programmes carried out by MIVET and the Faculty of Engineering Technology by joining them under a single institute. It will also reduce expenditure and enable utilisation of resources, the President claimed.

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Man confirmed dead after boat accident

Police have found the body of Ibrahim Shareef, 35, Kudhi Lunboamaage, L. Hithadhoo, south-east of Olhuveli reef, about 45 metres from the surface, reports Miadhu.

Shareef was reported missing after an accident between a dhoani and a speed boat last Saturday night, which occurred off the coast of Olhuveli.

The search was conducted by the Coastguards and a group of divers in the area.

Police have reported the body has been taken to L. Hithadhoo for the funeral.

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Nominee for new Auditor General will be ready next week: Zuhair

Press Secretary for the President’s Office, Mohamed Zuhair, confirmed the nomination for the post of Auditor General will be sent to Parliament next week, reports Miadhu.

According to the Constitution, the Auditor General must have the necessary academic qualifications to discharge his or her duties and shall not take any other job while posted as Auditor General.

The Auditor General must be nominated by the President and approved by Parliament. Zuhair said the government was giving the issue priority.

The post of Auditor General is vacant after a no confidence motion in Parliament against former Auditor General, Ibrahim Naeem.

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MWSC and Hitachi to improve water supply and sewage systems in Maldives

President Mohamed Nasheed attended the inauguration ceremony of Hitachi Plant Technologies’ participation in the operation of Malé Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC) yesterday morning.

In January 2010, Hitachi and the Maldivian government signed an agreement to work in partnership with the MWSC, which is expected to lead to an upgrade of water supply and sewage systems in the country.

President Nasheed thanked the Japanese government and people for their assistance to the Maldives and expressed his hopes that more firms will see the Maldives as “an exciting place to do business and pioneer new technologies in the field of water, waste and energy.”

He said safe drinking water was in short supply in the Maldives, and was becoming insufficient to meet people’s needs. He noted “only eighteen islands in the country have proper sewerage systems and only four islands have water networks.”

President Nasheed said the price of electricity was very high, making water desalination plants an expensive measure to get potable water. He said renewable energy sources are needed for providing safe drinking water at affordable prices.

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President Nasheed welcomes new Mexican ambassador

New Ambassador of Mexico to the Maldives, Jaime Virgilio Nualart Sánchez, presented his credentials to President Mohamed Nasheed at the President’s Office yesterday morning.

The meeting focused on finding areas of cooperation between the two countries and strengthening areas of cooperation.

Ambassador Nualart Sánchez noted climate change and human rights issues were of concern to both countries.

President Nasheed said the Maldives will give all possible assistance to make the next climate change summit COP16, to be held in Cancún, Mexico later this year, a success.

Nualart Sánchez has previously been ambassador to Egypt and India.

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President Nasheed says improving tertiary education essential for country’s future

President Mohamed Nasheed said special measures are needed to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for tertiary education by 40 percent over the next five years.

The GER shows the levels of enrolment for primary, secondary and tertiary education.

President Nasheed said to increase the GER for tertiary education, reforms in the school system were needed, as well as an increase in secondary education. He said three out of four students took the commerce stream, resulting in limited opportunities for employment and higher education.

President Nasheed said passing the Maldives National University Bill was of utmost importance, as well as transferring research work from government offices to the national university.

The president added that it is crucial to start medicine courses in the Maldives, as 340 doctors are needed to provide quality healthcare. He said the government would provide loans for higher education outside the country, including 50 student loans for nursing and medicine courses.

President Nasheed said starting degree courses in areas such as architecture, quantitative surveying and town planning also needed to be started.

He noted that capacity building in the judiciary was another important area.

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Dr Shaheed visits New York to lobby Maldives’ candidature for Human Rights Council

Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Ahmed Shaheed travelled to New York last Wednesday to lobby and seek support from UN Member States for the Maldives’ candidature to the Human Rights Council.

This is the first time the Maldives has sought membership for a major UN body. There are four seats for the Asian Group, and Maldives will be running against Malaysia, Thailand, Iran and Qatar.

Dr Shaheed met with representatives from several countries, and held a special meeting with members of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to gain support for candidature.

Several countries pledged their support to the Maldives, including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq among others.

Dr Shaheed had visited the Human Rights Council in Geneva in early March to announce and lobby the Maldives’ candidature for the post.

The elections will be held during the second week of May at the UN Headquarters in New York.

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Vice President attends Hulhumalé Health Centre 6th anniversary ceremony

Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed participated in the celebration of the 6th anniversary of Hulhumalé Health Centre held at Ghazee School on 9 March.

Dr Waheed spoke of the 2010 World Health Day theme, “Urbanisation and Health,” noting it is “timely and highly relevant.”

He said controlling pollution and improving sanitation go a long way to mitigating health risks, and added that community support was needed to create a healthier environment.

Vice President Waheed congratulated the staff at Hulhumalé Health Centre and spoke of improving the quality of services provided at the health centre.

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