President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik on Tuesday (December 25) ratified the second amendment to the Public Finance Act passed by parliament on December 17.
The amendment stipulates that the state budget must be submitted to parliament at least two months before the end of the year.
(0)Dislikes
(0)Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Interim Deputy Leader Umar Naseer has said he may consider choosing one of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s children as his running mate should he win the party’s upcoming presidential primary.
Speaking to local media after an event at Ghiyasuddin School in Male’ held to try and recruit volunteers for his campaign, Umar said that rival candidate Abdullah Yameen also “has the option” to be his running mate.
“There is the possibility that I might give the option to one of Maumoon’s children. The possibility to form a coalition and choose a running mate from that coalition is also an option,” he said.
“Three of Maumoon’s children are of eligible age. So I might also choose to give it to the most competent one amongst them,” Umar told Sun Online.
Out of Gayoom’s children, only Farish Maumoon, Dhunya Maumoon and Yumna Maumoon meet the requirements set out by Article 112 (c) of the Madives constitution, stating that a person has to be at least 35 years of age to be elected as president or vice president, according to the report.
(0)Dislikes(0)A decision over whether to cancel a contract with India-based Tatva Global Renewable Energy for the provision of a waste management system in the Male’ area will be taken by the Environment Ministry this week, according to local media.
A final decision on the contract – which was last month in the process of renegotiation between the current government and Tatva Global Renewable Energy – is expected to be taken within the next five days, State Minister for Environment and Energy Abdul Matheen Mohamed has reportedly confirmed.
Matheen claimed Monday (December 25) that final discussions with the company were set to take place over whether the ministry would seek to scrap the contract, Local newspaper Haveeru has reported.
Former President Mohamed Nasheed’s administration signed the original waste management agreement with Tatva in May 2011 in a deal that was supposed to have generated power from recycling waste. The scheme was also said to be part of attempts to improve the overall standards of waste management in Male’ and the nearby “garbage island”, Thilafushi.
The deal, like the airport development agreement with India-based GMR declared void by the government last month, was been backed by International Finance Corporation (IFC), an affiliate organisation of the World Bank, according to the Inter Press Service news agency.
However, parts of the agreement were ordered halted by the country’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in August this year over alleged concerns about the contract approved by the former government.
The ACC received concerns that the project would lead to an anticipated loss of MVR 1 billion (US$64.8 million) in government finances over a 20 year operating period, according to local news reports at the time.
“Mutually beneficial”
Environment Minister Dr Mariyam Shakeela announced earlier this month that discussions were taking place as to whether the previous contract agreed with Tatva could be replaced with a more “mutually beneficial” agreement.
“Provided they perform within the time frame given, the contract will remain with Tatva,” she said in response to whether the company would retain its role on the waste management project.
However, Male’ City Council (MCC) has criticised the renegotiation attempts, accusing the state of trying to sabotage the agreement outright for political gain.
(0)Dislikes(0)Parliament yesterday (December 24) voted to reject government-proposed changes to a project to construct 1,500 housing units that is being funded through a loan from the Chinese EXIM bank.
Speaker Abdulla Shahid cast the tie-breaking vote after the vote on approving a Finance Committee report recommending the approval of changes proposed by the government was tied 33-33.
The government had proposed shifting 704 housing units to Hulhumale’ from four southern atolls as originally planned under the US$154.3 million project.
The loan was approved by parliament on December 29, 2011, but submitted for approval again by the new administration with the proposed changes.
During the debate on the committee report, government-aligned MPs representing constituencies in the southern atolls objected to scrapping planned housing units in Addu City and Fuvahmulah.
Meanwhile, parliament also rejected a motion submitted by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Abdulla Jabir accusing President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik of violating MPs’ privileges.
Jabir claimed that President Waheed had told islanders during a tour of Ghaaf Dhaal atoll that they should obstruct their MP from visiting the island.
The motion was defeated 39-25 with one abstention. Following the vote, Dr Waheed tweeted: “Appreciate the trust shown in me by the majority of Parliamentarians today. I thank you all.”
(1)Dislikes(0)Tomato and potato cultivation could be banned in the Maldives under requirements outlined under the new Tobacco Control Act, local media has reported today.
Under the act, the cultivation of any species in the tobacco family – which includes potatoes, tomatoes and peppers – would be prohibited in the Maldives.
The tobacco family known as Solanaceae contains roughly 90 genera and around 2,000 species.
Assistant Director of the Agricultural Ministry Mohamed Naseem was quoted in local media as saying that the new law would prohibit the cultivation of potato and tomato in the country. He stated that the issue has been brought to the attention of the health ministry and that it must be revised.
The Agriculture Ministry has met the Centre for Community Health and Disease Control over the matter.
(0)Dislikes(0)The Maldives Police Service (MPS) has said it has received 61 reports of suspected cyber crime so far in 2012 – a second consecutive annual increase in such crimes since 2010.
Unveiling the statistics today at a ceremony to inaugurate the “IT Legislation in the Maldives” seminar held at Bandos Island Resort and Spa, Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz was quoted in local media as expressing concern at a continued rise in reported cyber crime in the Maldives.
According to Commissioner Riyaz, 15 reports of cyber crime were received by authorities back in 2010, a figure that was said to have increased to 41 cases over the course of 2011.
Local newspaper Haveeru reported Riyaz as claiming that there was not presently any methods for regulating suspected cases of cyber crime through existing laws in the Maldives, unlike certain other neighbouring countries.
The seminar, which is conducted in cooperation with the National Centre for Information Technology (NCIT) and the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), was also attended today by Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim, according to local media.
Back in September the Maldives Police Service announced the formation of a special Cyber Policing Department to look into cyber crime.
Police stated at the time that three units will be operating under the new department, including the cyber crime investigation unit, cyber forensics unit and cyber security unit.
Police media official Sub-inspector Hassan Haneef added at the time that the formation of new department would help ease the current difficulties in investigating cyber crimes and will allow police to file more cases at the Prosecutor General’s office.
Cyber crimes were previously investigated by a small unit operating under fraud and financial department.
(0)Dislikes(0)The government of Thailand has donated US$10,000 to the Maldives to assist recovery from severe flooding caused by the cyclone ‘Nilam’ that hit South Asia in late October.
The US$10,000 cheque was handed over at a ceremony on Thursday (December 20) at the Maldives High Commission in Sri Lanka, according to the Foreign Ministry.
(0)Dislikes(0)Galolhu South MP Ahmed Mahloof of the government-aligned Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) submitted a bill to parliament last week to transfer responsibility for providing pre-school service in Male’ from the city council to the Education Ministry.
Mahloof proposed amending the pre-school law to prevent the privatisation of ward schools and pre-schools in Male’ and ensure that the existing establishments are not run for profit and that education is provided as a government service.
The amendment bill was proposed after Male’ City Council (MCC) privatised the Ameer Ahmed School in the capital. However, plans to privatise the Maafanu School were scrapped following complaints from parents over high fees.
(0)Dislikes(0)President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan has appointed former Economic Development Minister Mohamed Rasheed as the Maldives’ Ambassador to China.
In October, parliament approved the President nominees for ambassadors to India, China, Australia and the Philippines.
The letter of appointment was presented to Rasheed at a ceremony at the President’s Office this morning (December 23).
According to the President’s Office, President Waheed “expressed confidence that Ambassador Rasheed would protect and promote the interest of the people of Maldives and work to enhance cooperation between the Maldives and China.”
Rasheed is a member of President Waheed’s Gaumee Iththihaad Party (GIP).
In May 2010, former President Mohamed Nasheed sacked Rasheed from the ministerial post.
The dismissal followed public criticism of the government by then-Vice President Mohamed Waheed Hassan at a political rally held to boost support for his party.
The President’s Spokesman Mohamed Zuhair said at the time that Nasheed made the decision “based on the existing political realities on the ground.”
DRP Spokesman and Deputy Leader Ibrahim “Mavota” Shareef meanwhile claimed the dismissal was because of the “obvious friction between the President and his Vice President. I heard [Rasheed] was dismissed because he was asked to sign with the ruling party and refused.”
(0)Dislikes(0)