Racing motorbike crashes into police van in Fuahmulah

A racing motorbike in Fuahmulah crashed into a police van at about 11:00pm last night.

Sun Online reports that the motorbike was driven by a 16 year-old, who escaped with minor injuries.

According to police, the 16 year-old was racing with his friends but lost control of his vehicle after not slowing down for a speed bump.

The headlight of the police van was smashed in the accident.

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Male’ City Council, MIFCO to open new raw fish market

Male’ City Council and the Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) is set to open a new raw fish market at the T-jetty area of the Male’ southwest harbour.

The new market to be opened at 4:00pm tomorrow will be located at the old Champa Market plot.

Councillor Ibrahim Shuja told Sun Online today that the purpose of the new market was to provide affordable raw fish to the public following recent price hikes.

A filleted fish is to be sold between Rf75 and Rf80 while raw fish will be sold for Rf35 to Rf40.

Shuja said that the fish sold at the market would be “freshly caught” catch brought from MIFCO vessels.

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Parliament extends regulations without parent legislation for additional six months

Parliament voted 37-13 today to extend by an additional six months regulations without enabling or parent legislation when the new constitution was ratified.

Over 80 regulations and procedural rules in place when the new constitution was ratified in August 2008 has been extended annually since then until enabling legislation – such as a Criminal Procedures Act, a revised Penal Code and a Drug Bill in committee since 2009 – could be passed. The previous extension approved in August 2010 was due to expire on August 5 this year.

Under the motion passed today, the parliamentary Rules Committee will be tasked with supervising the finalisation and passage of the required legislation within the proposed six months period.

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Parliament committees resume work

Parliament committees resumed work this week after a two month hiatus caused by a drawn out dispute over reconstituting the composition of committees.

Chairs and deputy chairs were chosen for the committees yesterday, with the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) getting its MPs as chairs for six of the 12 standing committees.

Jumhooree Party (JP) Leader Gasim Ibrahim was elected as chair of the coveted ‘241’ Security Services Committee with MDP MP “Reeko” Moosa Manik as deputy chair.

Independent MP Mohamed Nasheed chairs the Independent Institutions Committee while opposition MPs chair the Social Affairs Committee, Privileges Committee, Government Oversight Committee and Public Accounts Committee.

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MDP opens administrative offices in all inhabited islands

The ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) opened administrative offices in each inhabited island of the Maldives this week.

Speaking at a function on Monday, Chairperson “Reeko” Moosa Manik explained that the costs of the new offices were borne by party members and councillors.

The offices will liaise with the Head Office in Male’ to organise party activities, Moosa said.

The MP for Hulhu-Henveiru added that the new offices would help a membership drive to increase the party base to 50,000 from its current 47,301, making it the largest party in the country.

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President Nasheed departs for Seychelles

President Mohamed Nasheed departed for Seychelles this morning on an official visit to attend the Indian Ocean Island Games.

Nasheed will also meet Seychelles President and Vice President during the trip.

Speaking to press before his departure, President Nasheed noted that the government’s economic reform package proposed to parliament would help with the fulfillment of the pledge to lower living costs and control inflation.

President Nasheed also stressed the importance of reducing government expenditure while increasing revenue through newly-introduced taxes.

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New Koodoo fish shop opened in Male’

A new shop with a variety of fish products from the Koodoo Industrial Fisheries Complex opened in Male’ this week.

Koodoo Managing Director Ismail Adam told Sun Online that the new shop – located in front of Wood Apple restaurant – would sell canned fish for cheaper prices that retail shops in the capital.

Apart from canned fish, the new shop sells seafood varieties and short eats.

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India to extend cooperation with Maldives, says External Affairs Minister

India’s External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna has said India will shortly embark on extensive renovation work of Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in Male’, as well as construct a Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Studies by 2013.

Other major projects being considered by the Indian government include  the establishment of a Development Finance Institution in Maldives, promotion of the Maldives as a filming destination, and creating the infrastructure for an IT village, reported South Asian news agency ANI.

“The bilateral cooperation between India and Maldives is on a high trajectory in recent times with both sides embarking on comprehensive, forward looking, pragmatic and mutually beneficial initiatives and projects. We have been working together on increasing connectivity and closer economic integration,” Krishna said.

President Mohamed Nasheed has invited Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to visit the Maldives in November 2011.

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MDP donates Rf100,000 to Saamiliyya fire victims

The ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has donated Rf100,000 (US$6,485) to assist victims of a fire incident in Galolhu Saamiliyya in May this year that left its residents homeless.

The donation was handed over to the displaced families at a special ceremony at the MDP main office.

According to the party’s website, five families and one individual were living in the house in the capital Male’ when the fire broke out.

A total of Rf112,465 was raised and distributed to the victims of the fire incident.

After the incident on May 26, both the landlord and his tenants were left homeless and were temporarily relocated to the Social Centre, a building mostly used for sporting purposes and other recreational activities.

Male’ City Council told local media at the time that the council would provide all assistance possible to those affected by the fire, including financial assistance.

The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) meanwhile provided the homeless victims with blankets, mattresses and other necessities to make the place adequate for a temporary shelter.

Although the list of homeless people initially had 39 names on it, it was later revised, Major Abdul Raheem told Minivan News at the time.

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