Category: News in Brief

Two year-old boy survives three-story fall

A two year-old boy fell from a third-storey balconey in an apartment in Male’ today and survived without serious injuries, according to Haveeru.

A family member said Jaisham Mohamed fell to the road from Maafanu Westside around 8.30am this morning while people were still asleep.

“Jaisham often tries to climb onto the balcony but everyone would prevent him from doing so. Jaisham fell after he climbed on a chair on the balcony while everyone was asleep,” she said. “His mother went to the hospital and informed us that he didn’t receive any serious injury. Only some parts of his body were bruised.”

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Visa fees to be paid in 3 month lump sum

Recruitment agencies are newly required to pay visa fees for expatriate workers for at least three months, according to new policies at Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA).

The visa fees of Rf250 were previously payable every month. Under the new policy, agencies will be required to submit at least Rf750 when making payments, Haveeru reports.

A MIRA authority told Haveeru that the policy was designed by the Immigration Department.

Recruitment agencies expressed concern over the policy change, allegedly because of the difficulty of providing larger sums of money at once. Others have claimed that it’s a waste of money on workers who are imported for a single month of work.


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Cabinet votes to uphold UN Human Rights Council covenant

The Maldives will participate in the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

The decision was made after Cabinet discussions today.

Members said the rights stated by the UNHRC covenant matched those granted in the Maldives’ constitution, and that signing the Optional Protocol to the ICESCR demonstrated the government’s value of international guidelines protecting people’s right.

The Maldives also became the 118th member country of the International Criminal Court today, a close partner of the United Nations.

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Broadcasting Commission unveils strategic action plan

The Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC) has unveiled its strategic action plan with six major policies to follow in the next five years.

The main policies include broadening responsible freedom of expression, developing broadcasting services and introducing a regulatory mechanism.

The commission would also encourage original content or programming by introducing an award. In addition, the commission intends to formulate standards for audio-visual quality.

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Confiscated swords found fake and flexible, sent to MNDF

Swords confiscated by Maldives Customs Service last Thursday have been reported as fake incapable of causing harm. The swords had been imported by Wushu Federation of Maldives for martial arts training.

Haveeru reports that the swords bend when waved or put in contact with a person. The swords allegedly look real, but are not used as weapons.

An assistant program director told Haveeru that the Chinese Wushu Association had donated the swords along with uniform kits, which were also confiscated.

Customs has released the martial arts uniforms, but sent the swords to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). Customs also told local media that the swords were not imported with forged documents.

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MDP requests special prayer for Palestinian statehood

The ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has asked the Ministry of Islamic Affairs to recite a special prayer after the next Friday prayers to support the Palestinian bid for statehood.

In a letter to Islamic Minister Dr Abdul Majeed Abdul Bari, MDP Chairperson MP “Reeko” Moosa Manik said that the Palestinians have been deprived of their basic human right of sovereignty “for the past 60 years.”

A vote on the issue of Palestinian statehood is due to take place at the 66th UN General Assembly on Friday.

The Foreign Ministry has stated that the Maldives strongly supports UN recognition of Palestinian statehood, with Naseem advocating the position before the UN Human Rights Council following the announcement by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that he will apply to the UN Security Council for full UN membership.

“Let us be clear, the Palestinian people have, like everyone else, the right to self-determination – the right to a state of their own. They have waited long enough for that most basic of rights. When the Palestinians present their case to the UN, the Maldives will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them, and we call on all others to do likewise,” Naseem told the UN Human Rights Council.

Naseem has said the Maldives does not believe that UN recognition of Palestinian statehood will narrow the chances of a negotiated peace.

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Christchurch College at Oxford University to offer environmental studies scholarship to Maldivians

The Maldives High Commission in the UK has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Christchurch College at the University of Oxford to provide an annual scholarship for a Maldivian student.

The co-funded scholarship will be for one student to undertake postgraduate study in the field of Environmental Sciences, who would otherwise be unable to afford an Oxford education, with a place at Christchurch College.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry noted that the scholarship “was initially discussed during President Nasheed’s visit to Oxford University in December 2010 and has now materialised into a wonderful opportunity for outstanding Maldivian students.”

“The scholarship will encourage Maldivians to study in the field of Environmental Sciences with a view to enhancing the Maldives’ capacity to manage the specific threats the country faces
from climate change. On completion of their studies the scholars will return to the Maldives with exceptional expertise in this field.”

The formal MOU with was signed at High Commission in London by High Commissioner Farahanaz Faizal, and Simon Offen, Vice President Christchurch Association and
Deputy Development Director.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Dr Faizal said “this a momentous day for the Maldives as it represents a valuable opportunity for young Maldivians to gain access to a world leading institution, shaping the great minds of tomorrow.”

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UNDP to fund six part TV series on economic issues

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ministry of Economic Development (MED) have signed an agreement to run a six-episode TV programme focusing on national economic issues
from October 5.

The Maldives Economic Forum, or ‘Dhivehinge Igthisaadhee Sallaa’, aims to bring to the masses, economic policy analyses and discussion forums on topical economic issues, UNDP said in a statement.

“The aim of the discussions, lead by academics, experts, policy makers and practitioners, is to educate the masses on issues surrounding economic development, presented from an analytical and educational perspective using simple explanations and free from political partiality.”

The objective, UNDP stated, was to “Enhance dialogue and wider participation in the discussions of economic development issues in the Maldives, develop interaction and the exchange of information between the government and non-government agencies, private sector, academic institutions and other stakeholders working towards similar development goals in the Maldives.”

The first programme will be broadcast on MNBC One on October 5 at 11:00pm, and thereafter run weekly.

The economic issues to be discussed over the six different sessions include; Forum 1: Increasing the role of tourism in local livelihood development; Forum 2: Development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises sector; Forum 3: Role of saving and investment; Forum 4: Unemployment trends among youth; Forum 5: Women entrepreneurship and participation in economic activities; and Forum 6: Innovation.

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MDP calls for “justice” for Maafushi deaths

The ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has called for “just punishment” to be meted out to senior officials of the previous government culpable in the custodial death of Evan Naseem on September 19, 2003.

In a press release to mark the eighth anniversary of the watershed incident, the MDP noted that President Mohamed Nasheed had called on doctors to determine Evan Naseem’s cause of death before the death certificate was signed.

The MDP statement reiterated the party’s call for trials to be conducted against prison guards or National Security Service (NSS) officers believed to have tortured and abused inmates.

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