Two Maldivian nationals were injured on Saturday afternoon after an oil tank exploded on the industrial island of Thilafushi.
According to police the explosion occurred at about 1:50pm.
The explosion occurred while the two workers were repairing the tank using a gas cutter, police said.
Local media reported that both men – aged 48 and 56 years-old – suffered severe burns are being treated at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital.
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(0)The probe into the murder of MP Dr Afrasheem Ali on October 1 has revealed that youth are being increasingly used in crimes, Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed has said.
Speaking at a ceremony held on Thulusdhoo in at Kaafu Atoll, Dr Jameel said that individuals who offer alcohol, drugs and money to young people to kill cannot remain hidden.
“It is difficult for us to believe and for our minds to think about it. The investigation has revealed that the murder had been carefully planned. This is a matter of concern,” Jameel said.
Jameel claimed that Afrasheem’s murderer has been found and that culprits behind the crime will be revealed soon.
Speaking about issues in the Maldives, Jameel claimed that 90 percent of crimes are related to drugs, and that not enough attention has been given to substance abuse in the last three years.
According to Jameel, all illegal acts are related to alcohol and that those who dare mention it are being criticised. He further stated that there have been no prosecutions made in alcohol related cases in the last three years.
(0)Dislikes(0)The MVR 100 million (US$6,497,730) assigned as subsidy for fishermen would be better spent on investments in the fisheries sector, Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture Ahmed Shafeeu has said.
Previous audit reports of Fisheries Ministry show that some subsidies were disbursed to vessels that never went fishing, and were not distributed fairly.
Shafeeu highlighted that fishermen are in need of funds for investments and the subsidy could be used to further-develop the fisheries industry.
He stressed the importance of assigning the subsidy in the budget, as it encourages fishermen to go fishing.
“We know from fishermen that they want ice plants and such things. It is a great concern for fishermen that they can’t get ice at low prices. Several investments like that, such as building ice plants, several things like that can be done with the money assigned as subsidy. That’s why I think the money could be better spent on those things,” he told Sun Online last week.
“I have shared this concern with the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee as well. I am hoping that this will be given priority when the budget is made,” he added.
(0)Dislikes(0)Parliament yesterday (November 21) approved 59-2 a MVR 57.8 million (US$3.7 million) budget for the Auditor General’s Office for 2013, MVR14 million (US$907,911) higher than its budget for 2012.
Presenting a Finance Committee report (Dhivehi) on the Auditor General’s Office’s budget, Chair MP Ahmed Nazim explained that parliament was mandated by the audit law to approve an annual budget for the office prior to the submission of the state budget by the Finance Ministry.
A request to increase the Audit Office budget was scrutinised by a sub-committee and approved after a thorough assessment, Nazim said.
Auditor General Niyaz Ibrahim told the committee that the additional funds would be used to hire 43 new staff. The Audit Office presently has 99 staff, including the Auditor General.
As part of its mandate, Niyaz noted that the Audit Office had to audit financial statements from members of the cabinet in addition carrying out annual audits of government offices and other state institutions.
Due to the geographic dispersion of the Maldives, the Audit Office needed to audit over 1,000 offices across the country, Nazim said.
During the debate on the Finance Committee report, most MPs spoke in favour of increasing the Audit Office’s budget and praised the “sincere” and “competent” work of Auditor General Niyaz.
(0)Dislikes(0)Minister of Environment and Energy Dr Mariyam Shakeela has been appointed as the Acting Minister of Gender, Family and Human rights by President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik.
The announcement follows the dismissal of former Minister of Gender, Family and Human rights Dhiyana Saeed on Monday for acting in a manner not suited for a minister, according to the President’s Office.
Dhiyana strongly criticised the president and the government over the arrest of her husband, Kaashidhoo MP Abdullah Jabir, who was arrested under suspicion of drinking alcohol.
At a press conference held by Dhiyana and her husband, Dhiyana demonstrated how Jabir was beaten by the police, claiming that the arrest was politically motivated.
(0)Dislikes(0)Adhaalath Party (AP) President Sheikh Imran Abdulla called for Maldivians to pray for a Palestinian victory in the current conflict with Israel.
During the “Maldivians with Gaza” gathering held last night (November 20), Imran told how the Palestinians needed Maldivians to pray for them following the air strikes on Gaza.
“Today we are consulting with various people. Discussions are underway to open a fund to help Gaza, based on the way the events might unfold in the next few days,” Imran said.
During a recent visit to Palestine, Sheikh Mohamed Didi relayed the grim scenes he had witnessed, also adding that Palestinians love the Maldivian people and were grateful for the relations displayed by the country.
“Water tanks were on every roof. When we asked they said it were there to combat the water shortage caused due to the water cuts by Israel. A mosque was torched while we were there,” Didi detailed.
A special prayer was conducted for the Palestinian people at last night’s gathering.
(0)Dislikes(0)The Auditor General has begun to establish policies ensuring that expenses for both campaign and unofficial trips made by the president are repaid to the state.
Auditor General Ibrahim Niyaz said that in developed countries, criteria are established to distinguish the president’s official and unofficial visits.
“We have experienced it before, and are experiencing it now as well, that State funds are used for the wife and children to accompany the President when he travels abroad. As a rule, unless it’s a state visit, it would not be acceptable that State funds are used even for the wife. So it’s important that these policies are established in detail, which is why we are doing this,” he told Sun Online.
He stated that studies are currently being carried out by taking similar policies in countries like the USA as examples. After the study has been concluded, it can be decided as to why a trip is categorised as a political trip.
“For example, we see multiple visits being made to the atolls as we approach local elections. Promises are made during these trips. That shows that they are campaign trips. We will establish policies on how to act under those circumstances,” he said.
According to the Auditor General, the policies will be sent to parliament and the president’s office, both of whom will be recommended to execute them.
“These policies will not obstruct the President’s trips. He will be able to travel with full security and such. The purpose of these policies is that the political trip expenses are recovered,” he said.
Niyaz said that Ministers should also pay for their campaign trips.
(0)Dislikes(0)Political party membership forms will not include fingerprints, the elections commission has decided.
A decision was made by the independent bodies committee of parliament earlier this month due to concerns from political parties over the rejection of membership forms citing invalid or unclear fingerprints, a statement read.
The concern from political parties is that there is no system to verify the authenticity of the fingerprints on membership forms.
Elections commission stressed that since they enforced to include finger prints, the number of false registrations had reduced.
(0)Dislikes(0)The bill on right to silence has been accepted by parliament and sent to the national security committee for review.
Parliament accepted the bill after a three-day debate concluded with 46 votes in favour and 27 votes against.
Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) parliament members debated against accepting the bill, whilst pro-government members spoke out in its defence.
Pro-government members argued that the bill does not undermine any rights ensured by the constitution and that the bill states how and when the constitutional right to silence can and cannot be exercised.
Opposition argued that the bill constricts a right ensured by the constitution.
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