Category: News in Brief

New Maldives Constitution turns three

The new constitution currently in force, ratified on August 7, 2008, turns three years old today.

The Special Majlis that formulated the constitution was convened on July 19, 2004 by former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom as part of a sweeping agenda for democratic reform, which was unveiled on June 9, 2004 in response to growing demands for civil and political rights.

The old constitution – which did not allow political parties or feature separation of powers, term limits or an independent judiciary – was ratified in 1998 after a drafting process lasting 17 years.

Meanwhile today marks 1000 days in power for President Mohamed Nasheed, who was sworn in on November 11, 2008 following the country’s first multi-party democratic presidential election.

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20 inmates disqualified from release programme

Twenty inmates have been disqualified from the government’s release programme after testing positive for drug use, Home Minister Hassan Afeef told state broadcaster MNBC One today.

Afeef explained that as most inmates in the country’s prisons were incarcerated for drug use, convicts chosen for release were subject to drug tests during their evaluation and interviewing process.

The list of inmates to be released has now been finalised, said Afeef.

On Independence Day, July 26, President Mohamed Nasheed announced that close to 400 convicts would be offered “a second chance” and released under a national rehabilitation programme.

The convicts are to be released on condition that they do not commit any offence in a three-year period along with compulsory participation in rehabilitation or training programmes.

Afeef explained that job placements had been secured for the convicts at government companies, while a mentor will be assigned to each released inmate to supervise their reintegration into society.

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Sri Lankan fishing vessels allowed to cross Maldivian waters

A new agreement between the Maldives and Sri Lanka will allow Sri Lankan fishing vessels to cross Maldivian territorial waters enroute to the Arabian Sea, Sri Lanka’s Daily Mirror reported.

The fishermen have been taking a detour to avoid entering Maldivian waters, but the new agreement will allow them through passage with advance notice given to the Sri Lankan diplomatic authorities in the Maldives.

Vessels found poaching in Maldivian waters would be prosecuted, Sri Lanka’s Ministry of External Affairs was reported as stating in the Mirror.

The Maldives has also released seven Sri Lankan trawlers taken into custody on suspection of poaching in Maldivian waters.

Local news outlet Sun Online meanwhile reported the head of the DRP’s fishermen’s branch Ali Solih as saying that the deal was “an insult to Maldivian fisherman” and “a dangerous deal”, as the Maldives did not have the capacity to monitor illegal fishing.

The Mirror also reported that Sri Lanka’s External Affairs Neomal Perera had arranged for the repatriation of a Sri Lankan woman accused of killing her husband, after she attempted suicide while in custody.

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Police arrest man on suspicion of brewing alcohol

Police have arrested a 22 year-old man on suspicion of brewing alcohol, reports Haveeru.

Ibrahim Ali was arrested in the woods of Thuraakunu on Haa Alif Atoll on Thursday evening, in possession of a kerosene stove, equipment used to brew alcohol and 20 litres of suspected ingredients.

Police are continuing to investigate the matter.

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JSC invites applicants for superior court benches under revised criteria

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has reopened applications for judges and magistrates to superior courts after revising its criteria on requisite experience.

The commission however noted that interested candidates who applied in response to the announcement on July 6 would not have to submit new applications.

The JSC is seeking two judges each for the Civil Court and Criminal Court and three judges for the Family Court.

Application forms are available from the commission’s website.

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Supreme Court appoints secretary-general despite ACC order

The Supreme Court has appointed a secretary-general in spite of an order by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to halt the appointment process until it concludes an investigation, reports newspaper Haveeru.

According to Haveeru, the wife of Criminal Court Judge Abdulla Didi – also a member of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) – has been appointed to the new post of secretary-general.

ACC Deputy Chair Muaviz Rasheed said that the ACC investigation was prompted by a complaint about the Supreme Court appointment but declined to divulge further details of the ongoing investigation.

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First batch of convicts to be released next week

The first batch of 400 convicts offered “a second chance” will be released from prison next week, according to State Minister for Home Affairs Mohamed ‘Monaza’ Naeem.

Speaking at a press conference today, Naeem explained that the first batch would be released on August 9, 10 and 11 and each released inmate would be assigned a mentor under the national rehabilitation programme devised to reintegrate the convicts into society.

The inmates will have their sentences suspended for a period of three years by presidential prerogative to commute sentences under the Clemency Act of 2009. The convicts are to be released on condition that they do not re-offend within that time period along with compulsory participation in government-run rehabilitation and training programmes.

Naeem said that a coordinated effort involving police and other concerned authorities would be undertaken to supervise and monitor the released convicts while job placements had been secured for some in government companies.

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MACL earns record profits for 2010

The Maldives Airports Company Ltd (MACL) reports a net profit of Rf331,408,594 (US$21 million) for the fiscal year that ended December 2010.

In the company’s annual general meeting yesterday, the MACL board of directors resolved to pay Rf165,704,297 (US$10.7 million) as dividends to the government.

The board also decided to distribute one percent of its profits – Rf3.3 million (US$214,000) – as an annual bonus to its employees.

MACL has received US$19 million from GMR Male’ International Airport – recently renamed Ibrahim Nasir International Airport – as annual concession fee for the period between November 25, 2010 and June 2011. The fees, including fixed annual concession fee, fuel concession fee and variable concession fee, were paid in US dollars.

Meanwhile the company announced an undergraduate scholarship as part of its corporate social responsibility programme for 2010. The annual Ibrahim Nasir scholarship is to be bestowed based on solely on academic results and will cover tuition fees and living expenses.

Applications will be open from September 1 while the scholarship is to be officially awarded on November 11.

Also as part of its corporate social responsibility, MACL plans to sponsor a tuition teacher, laundry staff and childcare staff for the Children’s Home in Villigili.

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President visiting Seychelles

President Mohamed Nasheed has left the Maldives for an official visit to the Seychelles.

The Seychelles has recently undergone rapid economic reforms after facing many of the challenges currently being experienced in the Maldives, a fact the President noted prior to his departure.

Nasheed also revealed plans to hold discussions to establish a tourism link between the two countries, and ways to increase trade profits across the two countries.

During his visit Nasheed will also attend the opening ceremony of the Indian Ocean Island Games.

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