Category: News in Brief

Court denies media reports on chief justice’s ill health

The Supreme Court has denied media reports of Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed suffering from ill health.

Several local media outlets had reported that Saeed was abruptly flown to Singapore on April 16 for emergency eye surgery. The court said the reports were “completely false”.

The apex court said in a statement yesterday that the chief justice will resume duties shortly after “a very successful treatment,” but did not reveal details.

Freedom of expression and press freedom should be exercised constructively and responsibly without infringing on the rights of others, the court said.

Saeed was appointed chief justice following the controversial removal of former Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz Hussain in December.

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Tax authority introduces online payment service

The tax authority has introduced an online payment service and a special bank card for taxpayers.

The Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) introduced a mechanism for making tax payments at commercial banks through the central bank’s ‘Maldives real time gross settlement’ facility.

MIRA also launched the ‘Vaaru’ debit card in association with the Bank of Maldives, which can be used to make tax payments.

The new services were launched at a ceremony held at the Maldives Monetary Authority today with finance minister Abdulla Jihad as the chief guest.

Jihad said MIRA was a taxpayer-friendly institution and that the new services will improve the Maldives’ standing in the ease of doing business index.

The online payment system will save the time and resources of both MIRA staff and taxpaying businesses, he said.

Taxpayers will have to register at the MIRA website for the online payment service.

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President appoints members to employment tribunal

President Abdulla Yameen has appointed two new members to the seven-member employment tribunal today.

The president presented letters of appointment to Aishath Fizleen and Hussain Faiz Rashad at a ceremony this morning and Supreme Court Justice Abdulla Areef administered the oaths of office.

The pair were appointed for a five-year term.

The employment tribunal was established in 2008 to adjudicate and resolve employment disputes. The tribunal hears cases on unfair dismissal, breach of contract, suspension or demotion, discrimination, promotions, and compensation.

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Sniffer dogs locate drugs at Maafushi jail

The police drug enforcement department and the Maldives correctional services conducted a joint operation in Maafushi jail yesterday using sniffer dogs to locate drugs.

Tuesday’s 14-hour operation was the first time dogs were used to search a Maldivian prison.

Superintendent Ahmed Shifan, head of the drug enforcement department, told the press today that the dogs located 25 rubber packets containing hash oil and five packets containing heroin.

A large number of mobile phones, SIM cards and chargers was also confiscated from the cells, Shifan said.

He added that police are working with the correctional service to prevent the entry of drugs and phones to the high security prison. Prison guards have previously been caught smuggling drugs for inmates.

The correctional services had also confiscated 200 packets of illicit narcotics during a search operation in November last year.

Home minister Umar Naseer brought in 16 puppies from the Netherlands in March to tackle the Maldives’ entrenched drug abuse and trafficking problem.

The dog squad or ‘K9 unit’ reportedly cost the government US$40,000. Custom-made kennels have been established at the airport, and the government has brought in British and Dutch trainers to train police officers on working with the dogs.

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Environment ministry launches waste management campaign

The ministry of environment and energy has launched a waste management campaign today to raise awareness among the public.

The ‘Saafu Raajje’ campaign aims to “promote public education and awareness on proper waste management and reduction of waste being thrown out on to the streets, parks and other public places and on to the sea,” the environment ministry said.

The ministry is organising a clean up event at the Usfasgandu area in Malé on Saturday at 7am.

Environment minister Thoriq Ibrahim launched the campaign at a ceremony held at the Hotel Jen in Malé.

In his remarks at the function, Thoriq said individuals have a responsibility to keep the Maldives’ fabled natural environment clean. The lack of a proper waste management system was one of the biggest challenges facing the country’s environment, he said.

Work is underway on establishing island waste management centres in 44 islands across the country, Thoriq said.

The environment ministry meanwhile sent out mass text messages today with an appeal to keep public spaces clean and free of garbage.

 

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Over MVR6m needed to provide water to 97 islands

The disaster management centre estimates that about MVR6.5 million (US$421,530) will be spent this year to provide clean water to 97 islands due to persisting shortages.

Deputy minister of defence Fathmath Thasneem told the press today that 97 islands have reported water shortages so far this year and the centre has delivered supplies to 76 islands.

The centre is able to provide water within two weeks upon request, she said.

The centre is presently filling community water tanks in eight islands and trying to provide supplies to five other islands, she added.

Thasneem appealed for islands to report shortages before supplies run out and advised communities to boil the supplied water before drinking as health problems have arisen.

The centre provided supplies to 77 islands last year.

Since its inception in 2004 after the Indian Ocean tsunami, which contaminated groundwater in several islands, the centre has been providing water to about 80 of the Maldives’ 188 inhabited islands each dry season for the last ten years.

While islands communities relied on groundwater in the past, consumption in most islands has increased above the rate at which groundwater is naturally replenished, according to the environment ministry, forcing communities to rely on rainwater.

In 2005, the government provided islands with large numbers of storage tanks to store rainwater.

However, with low average rainfall during the dry season, numerous islands are left in a drought every year, forced to rely on the disaster centre for drinking water.

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Chinese ambassador assures assistance for police

Chinese ambassador to the Maldives, Wang Fukang, has assured assistance from the Chinese government to the Maldives Police Service.

In a meeting on Monday night with 20 police officers selected for a 20-day training programme in China, the ambassador said several training programmes for Maldivian police officers will be arranged in China.

The present trip is the second programme carried out under the ‘seminar for police officers of the Maldives’.

The training programmes were agreed upon during Chinese president Xi Jinping’s state visit to the Maldives last year, he said, adding that the close relations between the Maldives and China is friendly and strong.

He noted that China has also provided 150 motorcycles to police.

Police commissioner Hussain Waheed meanwhile thanked the ambassador for Chinese assistance, which he said is easing police efforts to ensure public order and security.

The 20 senior officers meanwhile departed yesterday for the 20-day conference at the Yunan police officers academy, during which they will be provided information about police leadership, management, combat and command.

The police officers will also visit various police stations in China and attend information sessions.

A police team visited China last year for a similar seminar and training programme.

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Gayoom denies PPM split over Dhiggaru by-election

Former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has denied rumours that a faction within the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) is supporting independent candidate Moosa Naseer Ahmed in the upcoming Dhiggaru constituency parliamentary by-election.

Naseer, a Meemu atoll councillor and vice president of the Local Government Authority, had sought the ruling party’s ticket last month, but withdrew his candidacy ahead of the primary.

Gayoom’s eldest son, Ahmed Faris Maumoon, won the primary with a margin of 147 votes after competing against another Meemu atoll councillor.

Speaking to reporters yesterday upon his return to Malé after launching Faris’ campaign in Meemu atoll, Gayoom said he does not believe that senior PPM members encouraged Naseer to run as an independent.

Gayoom, leader of the PPM, said he enjoys strong support in Meemu atoll and that he expects to win the vacant Dhiggaru constituency parliament seat.

Gayoom said he was not aware that any member of PPM was working against Faris, adding that president Abdulla Yameen could not attend the campaign launching due to a heavy schedule.

Naseer was meanwhile expelled from the PPM on Monday by the party’s disciplinary committee.

PPM secretary general Mohamed Tholal told newspaper Haveeru that Naseer was dismissed for breaching the party’s charter by standing as an independent after the party chose its candidate through a primary.

Naseer had had told online news outlet CNM last week that he decided to contest as an independent at the behest of Dhiggaru constituents, who he said wanted a Meemu atoll or Dhiggaru native as their MP.

Naseer had represented Meemu atoll in the Special Majlis from 1983 to 1996 and served as the Meemu atoll member of the People’s Majlis from 1996 to 2000.

The by-election, triggered by a 25-year jail sentence handed down to former PPM MP Ahmed Nazim, is scheduled to take place on June 6.

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President Yameen in Pakistan for state visit

President Abdulla Yameen and first lady Fathmath Ibrahim have departed on an official state visit to Pakistan today.

“During the two-day visit, president Yameen will call on his excellency ‎Mamnoon Hussain‎ and hold one-to-one deliberations with Pakistani prime minister his excellency ‎Mohamed Nawaz Shareef, on charting the course ‎for future Maldives-‎Pakistan bilateral ties,” the president’s office said.

“President Yameen and prime ‎minister Nawaz Shareef will also lead official ‎bilateral talks between senior ‎delegations of the two countries.‎”

The president’s office said the Maldives and Pakistan will sign bilateral agreements in the areas of ‎sports, healthcare, education and combating narcotics drugs.‎

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