Category: News in Brief

Public Accounts Committee to dismiss claims against governor

Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee has claimed that a motion of no-confidence against Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) governor Fazeel Najeeb is baseless.

Haveeru reported that four out of five members of a sub-committee tasked with evaluating the motion had claimed there was no reason for it to go ahead.

President Mohamed Nasheed had sent a letter to the parliament claiming that the MMA was not executing its legal responsibilities, and neither was its governor.

“We didn’t notice anything significant from [the letter] at all to justify a motion of no confidence against him,” a member of the committee told Haveeru.

The committee will review the report from the sub-committee and make a decision next week.

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Release of 47 inmates proceeded “without complaint”, says State Home Minister

State Minister for Home Affairs Mohamed ‘Monaza’ Naeem has told Haveeru that the release of 47 inmates has proceeded “without complaint”, reports Haveeru.

The inmates are part of the government’s ‘Second Chance Programme’, which is sponsoring the rehabilitation and release of 400 inmates into society.

Naeem yesterday told the paper that the inmates are currently undergoing mentor training before entering the job market. This training follows a life skills programme and religious classes.

Inmates were selected for release according to their crime and behavior in jail. Naeem told Haveeru that those convicted of paedophilia, illegal drug trade, gang violence, or who have been offered clemency while in jail, were not included in the Second Change Programme.

Deputy Health Minister Lubna Mohamed Zahir Hussain told Haveeru that the second round of releases has not been scheduled yet.

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STO profits rise 79 percent in first half of 2011

The State Trading Organisation (STO) saw a 79 percent increase in profits in the first half of 2011. STO earned Rf39 million (US$2.5 million) more in the first half of 2011 than in the same period last year.

According to second quarter earnings published by the government company, STO made a half-year net profit of Rf88.4 million (US$5.7 million) this year.

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Family of murder victim demand death penalty

The heirs of Mariyam Sheereen, who was found dead at a construction site in Male’ on January 2, 2010, have asked for the death penalty against the accused.

Under Islamic sharia, the victim’s family or heirs are given a choice to either insist on the death penalty, or to pardon the perpetrator and accept monetary compensation for their loss (Quran 2:178).

According to newspaper Haveeru, Sheereen’s heirs appeared in court yesterday and demanded the death penalty be enforced against Mohamed Najah, Sheereen’s former boyfriend.

Following the investigation, police revealed at the time that her body was put into a small suitcase and transported to a construction site by taxi cab.

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Brand of butter commonly used in Maldives declared non-halal by Malaysia

The Islamic Development Department of Malaysia has declared the ‘Pure Creamery Butter-Golden Churn’ as non-halal (forbidden under Islamic sharia). The brand, widely used in the Maldives, was found to contain pig DNA.

According to media reports, the department’s director general explained that the product was the same brand that had been previously banned but had been brought into the country by different importers.

Meanwhile, local daily Haveeru reports Ibrahim Arif from the Olympia Shop as insisting that the New Zealand company that manufactures the butter had guaranteed it was pig-free.

“The company has denied the reports as baseless. As the company has guaranteed [that the product is free from pig DNA], we have recently placed an order worth US$100,000,” he said.

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Six injured in accident at sea

Six people sustained varying degrees of injury in an accident at sea between Male’ and Dhoonidhoo at about 9:00pm last night.

According to police, a speedboat from Reethi Rah Resort transporting staff to Male’ collided with a dhoni (traditional boat) carrying cargo from the airport to Thilafushi.

All six injured were traveling on the speedboat, while one person whose injuries were serious was taken to ADK hospital for treatment.

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Bill doubling city councillors rejected after presidential veto

An amendment to the Decentralisation Act proposed by opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Hassan Latheef and subsequently vetoed by President Mohamed Nasheed was invalidated at parliament yesterday.

The amendment would have doubled the number of city councillors in Male’ City and Addu City.

A motion proposed by DRP MP Dr Abdulla Mausoom to override the veto and pass the bill again did not receive the required 39 votes.

Article 91(b) of the constitution states that “any bill returned to the People’s Majlis for reconsideration shall be assented to by the President and published in the government gazette if the bill, after reconsideration, is passed without any amendments, by a majority of the total membership of the People’s Majlis.”

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Luxury Indian cruise liner to set sail for Maldives in October

Indian shipping company AMET has announced that the cruise liner MV AMET Majesty will sail from Kochi to the Maldives starting October for a weekly four-night cruise intended to open the country to middle class Indian visitors.

“Only foreign cruise liners used to visit the ports that always remained the prerogative of the rich. With the rightly priced packages, AMET cruise brings cruise tourism options within the reach of the urban middle class,’’ AMET’s CEO Bharathi said.

The luxury cruise, equipped with dance floor, disco, casinos, show lounges, bars, swimming pool, barbeque and conference room is expected to be especially popular for weddings, the company said.

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Indian High Commission celebrates Independence Day

The Indian High Commission yesterday celebrated India’s 65th anniversary of Independence, with an event attended by a large number of people from the Indian community.

High Commissioner Dnyaneshwar M Mulay hoisted the national flag during a morning function, and read the Inidan President’s address to the nation.

Speaking after the address, Mulay recognised the contribution of the Indian community and the India Club in social welfare and cultural activities in the Maldives, and said he hoped that the recent establishment of the India Cultural Centre in Maldives would further increase the range of such activities.

Maldivian President Mohamed Naseed, Vice President Mohamed Waheed Hassan, members of Cabinet, members of the diplomatic corps and other prominent members of the Maldivian community attended an India’hosted Ifthar reception in the evening at the Nasandhura Palace Hotel.

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