Category: News in Brief

Majlis committee votes to change party registration and funding requirements

The parliament’s Independent Institutions Committee has voted to change the requirements concerning registration and state funding for political parties, according to the committee’s chair and Independent MP for Kulhudhufushi South Mohamed ‘Kutti’ Nasheed.

Writing in his personal blog (Dhivehi), MP Nasheed revealed that “a clear majority” of the committee voted in favour of requiring parties to gain 5000 members before it can be officially registered, and 10,000 members before becoming eligible for state funds. The current requirement is 3000 members for both under the current regulations governing political parties.

The requirements were stipulated in the draft legislation on political parties currently being reviewed by the committee.

Nasheed expressed confidence that the committee’s decision would not be overturned on the Majlis floor when the bill is put up for a vote.

“When the law is passed, the current registered parties with less than 5,000 members would be given a six month period to reach the figure. If a party fails to reach that figure by the end of the period, the particular party would be dissolved,” Nasheed explained.

The changes would currently impact upon President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan’s own Guamee Ittihad Party (GIP) which has only 2,538 members, as well the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) with 2,199 members.

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Bill submitted to ban import of pork and alcohol

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Nazim Rashad has submitted a bill to the Majlis calling for the prohibition of pork and alcohol imports to the country.

When presenting the bill, Nazim argued that the import of these products violates article 10(b) of the constitution which states that “no law contrary to any tenet of Islam shall be enacted in the Maldives.”

“We often hear rumours that people have alcohol at home in their fridge, available any time. We’ve heard that kids take alcohol to school to drink during their break. The issue is more serious than we think, it should not be ignored,” Nazim told the house.

Consumption of intoxicants or pork products are prohibited under Islamic law, although these products are available to foreign tourists in the country’s resorts.

When in charge, the MDP government announced it was considering banning pork and alcohol product in response to the December 23 coalition‘s campaign to protect Islam.

After being asked in January for a consultative opinion over whether the Maldives could import pork and alcohol without violating the nation’s Shariah-based constitution, the Supreme Court unanimously rejected the case on the grounds that the matter did not need to be addressed at the Supreme Court level.

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MPs clash on controversial committee allowance

MPs clashed yesterday on a resolution proposed by Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Ahmed Mahloof to scrap a controversial MVR 20,000-a-month committee allowance.

During a heated debate at Tuesday’s sitting of parliament, several MPs questioned the sincerity of the PPM MPs’ proposal, with some claiming that the Galolhu South MP had not attended committee meetings for the past five months.

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Mohamed Thoriq noted that Mahloof was being paid MVR 500,000 by the state as pay for several months for which he did not do any work. Fellow MDP MP Mohamed Riyaz meanwhile noted that MPs who do not attend committee meetings would not be eligible for the allowance.

Presenting the resolution, MP Mahloof said he had not discussed the matter with the PPM parliamentary group before submitting the proposal.

PPM MP Abdul Raheem Abdulla said he could not support the resolution in its current form, claiming that he would support a proposal to cut the entire salary of MPs and force them to work pro bono.

He added that the 17th parliament was the most productive in Maldivian history as it had passed the most number of bills during the past three years.

Almost all of the 12 MPs who spoke during the debate opposed the resolution. However, a consensus developed around creating a Pay Commission to streamline the state’s pay scale or structure.

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Parliament approves ambassadors to China, India, Australia and Philippines

Parliament approved ambassadors to India and China as well as a non-resident ambassador to Australia and the Philippines at today’s sitting of the People’s Majlis, following evaluation of the nominees by the National Security committee.

Mohamed Naseer, of M. Funfini, Male’, was approved as ambassador to India with 50 votes in favour, two against and one abstention while Mohamed Rasheed, of H. Carnationvilla, Male’, was approved as ambassador to China with 49 votes in favour and one against.

Current ambassador to Sri Lanka, Hussain Shihab, of M. Kali, Male’, was approved as the non-resident ambassador to Australia and the Philippines with 49 votes in favour and three against while current ambassador to the United States, Hassan Sareer, M. West Side, Male’, was approved as the permanent representative to the UN with 52 votes in favour and two against.

Both ambassadors will continue to serve in their previous capacities in addition to the new roles.

At today’s sitting, MPs also voted unanimously to accept an amendment to the Public Finance Act proposed by Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Rozaina Adam stipulating that the state budget must be submitted to parliament two months ahead of the end of the financial year.

Following the vote to accept the legislation after preliminary debates, the amendment bill was sent to the Economic Affairs Committee for further review.

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Former DRP Secretary General replaces sacked Felivaru MD

Former Secretary General of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) and long-serving senior official of the Fisheries Ministry, Hassan Rasheed of G. Sherenade, was appointed Managing Director of Felivaru Fisheries Ltd yesterday, according to local media reports.

Rasheed, currently a member of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), replaces former MD Ali Ahmed, who was sacked from the post after the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) forwarded a corruption case against the senior official for prosecution.

Former Chairman of Felivaru, Mohamed Imthiyaz, a member of the government-aligned Jumhooree Party (JP), was also dismissed from his post on September 25 following allegations of corruption and misappropriation of funds.

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Fenaka Corporation takes over four island powerhouses

The government’s utilities company, Fenaka Corporation, signed agreements yesterday to take over four island powerhouses.

At a ceremony yesterday, agreements were signed with the powerhouses of Haa Alif Vashafaru, Meemu Mulaku, Meemu Naalaafushi and Meemu Dhiggaru.

Speaking to press following the ceremony, Fenaka Managing Director Mohamed Nimal said the corporation expected to receive funds in next year’s budget for electricity and water works in 136 islands.

Nimal revealed that the corporation inherited a debt of MVR 472 million (US$30 million). The Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) member said the corporation has decided to forward a number of corruption cases from the defunct utility companies to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Thursday.

A number of projects had been carried out with no documentation or records, Nimal said, including renting an office for the former Northern Utility Company without a bidding process.

Nimal also claimed that 75 percent of Fenaka Corporation’s 1,400 employees were members of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). He added that some MDP members had been sacked due to harassment of staff from other political parties and actions detrimental to the corporation.

In June, President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik established Fenaka by presidential decree to take over the seven utility companies, created during the administration of former President Mohamed Nasheed under the ousted MDP government’s policy of dividing the nation into seven provinces for decentralised administration.

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Former President Nasheed tours Meemu Atoll for by-election campaign

Former President Mohamed Nasheed is currently touring islands of Meemu Atoll to campaign for Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidate Ibrahim Latheef in the upcoming by-election on October 29 for the Meemu Mulaku constituency atoll council seat.

Nasheed departed Male’ yesterday following a High Court hearing in the afternoon and spoke at a rally at Mulaku last night.

According to MDP social media updates, the former President visited Meemu Naalafushi and Kolhufushi this morning and received a warm welcome from islanders.

In addition to the Mulaku contest, by-elections will also take place on October 29 for vacant island council seats in Alif Dhaal Dhidhoo, Laamu Maibaidhoo and Faafu Bilehdhoo.

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Police nab expats brewing alcohol in Thilafushi

Police arrested three expatriates caught brewing alcohol in Thilafushi yesterday.

According to police media, the suspects taken into custody around 7:50pm were two Indian men aged 46 and 27 and a Bangladeshi man aged 24.

In a joint operation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Department (DED) and Marine Police, police confiscated three five-litre bottles and three 500ml bottles of alcohol as well as eight containers with 20 litres of fermented alcohol and equipment used to brew alcohol.

Police said the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) provided assistance for the operation.

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Ferry service interrupted in Gaaf Dhaal Atoll, claims Atoll Council

The Gaaf Dhaal Atoll Council has accused Trinus-CAE Pvt Ltd of ceasing ferry services in the Upper South Province.

The private company was contracted to provide ferry services in November 2009 under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) policy of the ousted Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) government.

In a press statement yesterday, the MDP-majority council based in Gaaf Dhaal Thinadhoo expressed “serious concern” with the failure of both the Transport Ministry and Trinus to reply to the council’s written complaints regarding the cessation of ferry services.

As a result, the statement read, the council was receiving a number of complaints from citizens inconvenienced by the unavailability of the intra-atoll ferry service. The council also revealed that it had requested annulling an agreement with the Transport Ministry to monitor ferry services.

“The council believes that since the company that provides this service in the atoll has been given an uninhabited island [under the PPP programme] and continues to reap benefits from the island, the public should receive adequate services,” the statement read.

The council statement went on to characterise the “inconsistent” services provided by the company as politically motivated, adding that the government’s failure to remedy the situation was “regrettable.”

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