The Civil Court has ruled that the government’s criteria to declare Addu a city are invalid, days before the local council elections are due to take place.
Yesterday evening the decision led the Election Commission to cancel the elections in Addu.
Local newspaper Haveeru reported that Civil Court Judges Aisha Shujoon Mohamed, Hathif Hilmy and Ali Naseer had examined the case, before ruling that the criteria established by the Local Government Authority – consisting solely of Home Minister Hassan Afeef – were invalid. According to court documents cited by Haveeru, this ruling came from a case filed by Hassan Nasir of Annaaru Villa/Addu Atoll Hulhudhoo.
Establishing the criteria required majority of the board, the Court said, as “if a law requires a certain decision to be taken by a particular council or a committee, the decision should be taken by the majority of the council or the committee unless interpreted otherwise.”
Afeef said he was unable to comment as he had not yet seen the Civil Court’s ruling.
The Civil Court first overturned the President’s declaration of Addu as city last month, citing the technicality that the criteria to establish the definition of a city had not been established as required by the Local Government Authority.
That case was filed by the minority opposition party Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP), and strong feelings on the subject among Addu citizens in Male’ and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) supporters led to protests outside the house of DQP Leader Hassan Saeed – himself a prominent Adduan.
In response, President Nasheed appointed Afeef to then-empty Local Government Authority – leaving other positions empty – who hastily published city criteria in the government gazette.
The criteria stated that a region would be considered a city if it had a minimum population of 25,000 people and a GDP of no less than Rf 1 billion. The GDP of Addu in 2010 was more than Rf 2 billion, while the population is almost 30,000, according to the Department of National Planning.
The President then declared Addu a city for the second time, even as the Elections Commission (EC) warned that it could be obligated to repeat the voter registration process in Addu, potentially delaying the local council elections in Addu by two weeks. The EC subsequently decided to continue with the election on February 5, on correction of the procedure.
Minivan News sought response from the Attorney General Dr Ahmed Ali Sawad, but had not received any at time of press.
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So what are the criterias for a city? A place where people live in crowded conditions like a chicken cage, all the good schools are located, the only available health faciltiy exist, every thing concentrated in one place... Yeah like Male'. I guess its time the government think about going beyond Male'. Its time to develope other islands in Maldives and take them to a city level. This could relieve some burden from Male' too. And there are many reasonable islands which could be made into cities in Maldives, and I believe Addu is one of the top most candidate.
Addu is a place with +30'000 people.80% of population living below the poverty line.main income is from fishing.if fishing is poor most of the families are in very bad and critical condition.There are no jobs available.young generation is well committed into drugs.Education is so poor,no health care available,no good roads,no water,no sewage and etc...
So how come we become a city without basic needs.Look into the reality and we do not need a name board.need to have action before words.
There is no X ray machine in the hospital.last two days three people has taken to Male with broken arms and legs.No specialist in hospital. it is the reality.it is our heart beats
i call the government to help us to fulfill our basic needs instead of putting us in a condition worse then ever before.it is the reality.What a shame for us "people in from Addu"
People from Addu are eliminated to vote for up coming election on Feb 5,2011.City name has taken back by Law of Court.
Addu is not part of Maldives anymore.people from Addu better seek to have their own government with the help of United Nation or Government of UK as they are the people try to build Addu.During those days people from addu lived in a better condition then now.
In any government in Maldives will not allow Addu to rise hight.This with lots reason behind it.people from Addu need look into a big picture and think twice.....
Its time to declare Addu's independence dictator Nasheed's rule. Addu has more people than Nauru a small democratic country. Addu has everything a country can survive, it has first class airport and well informed citizen, who can survive without dictators in Male'. We will be always second class citizen in Male' if we keep saying always yes sir to everything, its time to say no, and enough is enough. Lets finish the job our forefathers has started, from Afeef Didi to Jalaaludhdheen, we can do it. The world is changing, people are calling fair and freedom every where.
I think this is the direct result of the superiority complex most people from Male' are suffering from. Addu has the potential to grow beyond any ruler's wildest dreams. Yet, why is it in the worst condition possible? I have been to Hithadhoo a lot of times before, and this large island doesn't even have roads built. The link road is the only road where a car can be driven without any problems. Try driving a car on what they call the "Bodu Magu" (A road which can be the Majeedee Magu of Hithadhoo). It would be like going on a speedboat. And what about education? Every year, students from Addu's schools are amongst the O'Level top 10s. So howcome the government doesn't try to build a top class school there? Or something which can be comparable to all the highly funded schools in Male'? There is also a hospital which needs so much improvement? But when will that ever happen?
Seriously...what exactly has Anni done for Addu even after the last regime? When he came to Addu some weeks ago...the roads were filled with workers trying to fill up the huge holes so that Anni's cars and his security SUV's can drive smoothly. Yeah....good work.
A world class port can be built there, which can bring in millions. The airport says it's International...but for what reason? All the international flights which land there are usually millionaires who park their private jets for a cheaper rate than at Hulhule.
This is why I would rather vote for someone from "raajje there" than from Male', because then only, can they work for the betterment of the whole of Maldives. Not just one island where the original inhabitants do virtually nothing and earn hundreds of thousands due to the hard work of people from island. This is evident from the number of businessmen from Addu who based their shops on Majeedee Magu. Most of these shops carry rent as high as 100,000 per month. What a big joke! If they all didn't have to rely on Male', I wonder if people would even pay 3000 for that sort of space.
Dictator Nasheed, Mariya and Co is in power because of the youth in Addu they stand up agsint Dictator Qayyoom. Its time to for people of Addu to be independent from any regime in Maldives. We are been oppressed so long. This is 21st century, the way Nasir did, nothings cannot be changed, even a single face book group now can bring dictators in their knee and bring highly populous countries in chaos. We are in the era of social media and democracy. We dont need to listen any dictator, just piece of papers they call constitution written by uneducated thugs like Reko Moosa to buck every penny in our treasury. By blood is boiling because of this injustice every day we are seeing. I have been in Male' my whole life sleeping on the floor of some landlords house, over 3 decades. Yesterday its Southern Sudan, tomorrow it will be independent Addu, wake up people. We can make smallest vibrant democratic country in the world.
who cares whether its called city or anything as long as there is no facilitirs and human fulfilment basic needs!!!!
ADDU de gr8 state
United States of ADDU
dont worry citizens of ADDU, one day the dreams will follow u than u all follwing the dream!
its really sad that some Adduans are too blind to see the big picture behind the scene
so wake up and try your wits on those things which are beneficial for generations!
ADDU people should be proudt but it seems as if they are bannished, expelled from the Maldive!
PS:Adduans please wake up and use the brains!
U make 'em all O_o
My fellow aaduans, are you fools not not realize that the government is playing games with you mind ?
It is the wet dream of every corrupt judge sitting on those elevated benches to be The One who delivers the ultimate ruling:
“The executive’s criteria for being a part of the government are invalid, and therefore must be dismissed.”
Day by day they prepare the grounds for the coming inevitability, and night after night they fantasise about playing dirty politics and making the administration go down.
With the JSC as fluffer, the desire will be fulfilled.
City is too small for Addu, Addu is a country, United Suadheeb of Addu. An autocratic dictator Naisir,dictator Nasheed's uncle destroyed that small country in Southern Maldives in 50s. Ever since, that country is under the dictatorship regimes in Male'. Its time to free Addu.
Addu, Addu, and Addu what is this all about. We do not hear about any other atoll as much as we hear about people from this particular atoll. Are they super humans or what. I am sure they eat "roshi" and dring tea just like all other Maldivians or humans do. What is so great about them, I am sure their minds are just as great and just as stupid as any other Maldivian. Are they the tamils of Maldives. From what people have written so far indicate their mind still yearns for a seperate state.
Addu people should have faith and give time to this government to facilitate your wants and needs. You must know who are your enemies and must destroy them if you want to progress as a city. People should give a clear voice against backward thinking members of former regime. We will bring our development goals a reality.
Addu doesn't need to be made into a separate state. That kind of ideology is pretty much dangerous for the whole nation at the moment. What Addu needs, is the attention that it really deserves.
Addu, has great potential, but the dictators from elitist families in Male' don't seem to give a rat's ass about the atoll. Why? Because trying to develop the atoll might make all the great businessmen of Addu running Male' to all leave for their home islands, leaving Male' in ruins?
With respect to you all,I don't like to be involved with other countries politics,,but I have to say--cancelling elections is the biggest affront to democracy in the world today....Addu will one day be the new face of the Maldives..When,,nobody knows,,but one day Addu will be "THE" place to be....
Its humorous and sad at the same time to read what goes through the minds of some of us. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that I am better or anything...but come on, Ekaloa..."use the brains!" for god sake.
To: Addu,GOORAAWAHLHAA :
You buy stuff form our shops, you live on what we pay for our rent. We Adduans played the main role to create the male you are living in now.
Dheyo, what is humorous here, we need independent Addu, easily this can be done. There was time we never dependent in Male' government. Flights go directly from Gan to Singapore, Our boats go directly to Sri Lanka to sell dry fish. We still can do that. Its not a anew thing that there are much smaller countries in the world. We can ask and prove the brutality of past 100 years of Male' regimes to Addu and file petition to UN security council and ask independence like South Sudan, I am for it, if people want I am ready to go to UN.
Best wishes to all the good people of Maldives as you prepare to cast your votes. I would just like to share with you a story. It is a story by Tommy Douglas, who was one of Canada's best known democrats. Tommy was a democratic socialist, someone who placed human rights and needs above the mere pursuit of profits and power. He held it that such principles must be implemented at the wish of the majority of the people. He held the view that a social-minded government would plan the economy of the country to allow all people to share in the country's wealth and have equal access to such basic needs as health and education.
Below is Tommy’s 1944 story, which he called “Mouseland.”
Start of story
“It's the story of a place called Mouseland. Mouseland was a place where all the little mice lived and played, were born and died. And they lived much the same as you and I do.
They even had a Parliament. And every four years they had an election. Used to walk to the polls and cast their ballots. Some of them even got a ride to the polls. And got a ride for the next four years afterwards too. Just like you and me. And every time on election day all the little mice used to go to the ballot box and they used to elect a government. A government made up of big, fat, black cats.
Now if you think it strange that mice should elect a government made up of cats, you just look at the history of Canada for last 90 years and maybe you'll see that they weren't any stupider than we are.
Now I'm not saying anything against the cats. They were nice fellows. They conducted their government with dignity. They passed good laws--that is, laws that were good for cats. But the laws that were good for cats weren't very good for mice. One of the laws said that mouseholes had to be big enough so a cat could get his paw in. Another law said that mice could only travel at certain speeds--so that a cat could get his breakfast without too much effort.
All the laws were good laws. For cats. But, oh, they were hard on the mice. And life was getting harder and harder. And when the mice couldn't put up with it any more, they decided something had to be done about it. So they went en masse to the polls. They voted the black cats out. They put in the white cats.
Now the white cats had put up a terrific campaign. They said: "All that Mouseland needs is more vision." They said:"The trouble with Mouseland is those round mouseholes we got. If you put us in we'll establish square mouseholes." And they did. And the square mouseholes were twice as big as the round mouseholes, and now the cat could get both his paws in. And life was tougher than ever. And when they couldn't take that anymore, they voted the white cats out and put the black ones in again. Then they went back to the white cats. Then to the black cats. They even tried half black cats and half white cats. And they called that coalition. They even got one government made up of cats with spots on them: they were cats that tried to make a noise like a mouse but ate like a cat.
You see, my friends, the trouble wasn't with the colour of the cat. The trouble was that they were cats. And because they were cats, they naturally looked after cats instead of mice.
Presently there came along one little mouse who had an idea. My friends, watch out for the little fellow with an idea. And he said to the other mice, "Look fellows, why do we keep on electing a government made up of cats? Why don't we elect a government made up of mice?" "Oh," they said, "he's a Bolshevik. Lock him up!"
So they put him in jail. But I want to remind you: that you can lock up a mouse or a man but you can't lock up an idea.”
End of story - you can also listen to it on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEYwVb-6TeE
As you cast your ballot, vote wisely!
To the people of Addu,,,Do you not think it is time to start demanding things ,rather than begging for them,,by that I mean health/education/public services.If Male won't provide them,then you may have to go your own way.You have got the place,you have the brains,and you have the facilities,,now put them to use...
I am researching on Maldivian democracy. Can anyone please explain how did supreme court declared Addu as city by over-riding on civil court's earlier decision?
Before being declared a city, what was Addu's administrative status or structure?