Category: News in Brief

Indian navy ship Gomati arrives in Maldives

Indian navy ship Gomati arrived in the Maldives yesterday, according to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF).

The INS Gomati would be taking part in a joint surveillance patrol of the Maldives’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) from March 11 to 16, MNDF said in a statement.

It added that MNDF coastguard vessels would also be involved in the patrol.

Indian naval vessels have routinely conducted joint surveillance and anti-piracy patrols with the MNDF coastguard.

Likes(1)Dislikes(0)

Five minors brought under state care

The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) has brought five siblings under state care.

The five siblings, all minors from Gaaf Dhaal Atoll Nadella Island, were taken in to state custody after their mother failed to provide necessary care and protection, local media have reported.

“The Gender Ministry is also preparing to provide the much needed and necessary healthcare and counseling to the mother of the five children,” HRCM’s statement read.

Newspaper Haveeru said the children were aged between four and 14 years of age, and had been abused by their mother. They were only enrolled in school this year, the paper added.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

President appoints new health minister, commissioner general of customs

President Abdulla Yameen has appointed Ahmed Zuhoor as the new minister of health and Abbas Adil Riza as the new commissioner general of customs.

High Court Judge Ali Sameer administered the oath of office for Zuhoor at an appointment ceremony at the President’s Office yesterday.

Zuhoor previously served as the commissioner general of customs. The post of health minister has been vacant since August last year when the pro-government parliamentary majority rejected the reappointment of former Health Minister Dr Mariyam Shakeela.

Prior to his dismissal from the cabinet in January, former Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim served as the acting health minister. Fisheries and Agriculture Minister Dr Mohamed Shainy has been the acting minister since Nazim’s sacking.

Abbas Adil Riza meanwhile took the oath of office at an appointment ceremony at the President’s Office this morning. He previously served as former President Dr Mohamed Waheed’s spokesperson.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Police arrest seven from MDP protest at sea

Police arrested seven people from an opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) protest at sea yesterday on allegations that demonstrators attempted to illegally disembark on Dhoonidhoo Island.

Former President Mohamed Nasheed is being held at the Dhoonidhoo detention centre pending the outcome of a trial of charges of terrorism for the military’s detention of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed.

According to local media, police officers intercepted and boarded the vessel – which was decked in yellow flags and megaphones – near Dhoonidhoo around 5:00pm and conducted safety inspections. Police reportedly claimed mandatory medicine was missing from the boat’s first aid kit and that the pressure gauge of the fire extinguishers were too low.

All seven have now been released today.

Meanwhile former MDP MP Ibrahim Rasheed ‘Bondaa’ and MDP Women’s Wing Vice President Shaneez ‘Thanie’ Saeed were arrested from protests near Seagull café last night.

Former MDP President Dr Ibrahim Didi was released from police custody yesterday on the condition that he not participate in protests for 30 days. Didi was arrested on the night of February 27 during opposition protests in front of the city council.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Amin Construction launches Hulhumalé apartment complex project

Amin Construction Pvt Ltd has officially launched a project for the construction of a residential apartment complex in Hulhumalé, reports local media.

Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb inaugurated the project at a ceremony last night. Housing Minister Dr Mohamed Muiz and other senior governments were also in attendance.

The ‘Amin Avenue’ complex would comprise of three 14-storey towers with a total of 261 apartments, explained Amin Construction Manager Ibrahim Nihad, with units falling into basic, luxury and penthouse categories.

The housing project – Amin Construction’s first real estate venture – would be the largest undertaken in Hulhumalé by a private company so far.

The price of a two-bedroom apartment – with an additional maids room – in the basic category would be MVR2.1 million, Nihad said, whilst the price of a four-bedroom luxury apartment would be MVR3.7 million.

The price of the four-bedroom penthouse apartments would be MVR6.5 million. An arrangement has been made with the Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) to issue loans for potential buyers, Nihad said.

Speaking at the ceremony, Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb reportedly said the government plans to establish a real estate department at the housing ministry.

Adeeb – also co-chair of the cabinet’s economic council – pledged that the department would ensure that new homeowners would receive title deeds within 48 hours of purchase.

Housing Minister Dr Muiz meanwhile launched the Amin Avenue official website.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Broadcasting Commission to investigate Criminal Court barring Rajje TV from court proceedings

The Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC) is to investigate the Criminal’s Court’s decision to bar Raajje TV journalists from court proceedings.

The opposition aligned broadcaster was barred from the Criminal Court after a Rajje TV journalist and cameraman videotaped an alleged meeting between Judge Abdul Bari Yoosuf and Prosecutor General Muhthaz Muhsin at Café Layaali in Malé on Sunday night.

“Raaje TV has been barred from attending hearings because they are spreading lies about judges, meddling in judges personal affairs and engaging in actions that may harm judges,” a Criminal Court official told media yesterday.

MBC has also decided to investigate whether Rajje TV journalists had breached codes of ethics by videotaping Muhsin and Bari at the café.

Muhsin has denied the meeting took place, claiming he had been at the café for a separate meal with his family. The PG has said he would resign if the meeting could be proved.

Raajje TV crew said they were forced to delete the footage after a ruling party MP and gang members arrived at the café and threatened them.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

PG travels to Russia for extradition deal

The Prosecutor General (PG) Muhthaz Muhsin has left for Russia today where he will sign multiple agreements, officials from the PG’s Office have revealed.

“One would be regarding extradition and the other on mutual legal assistance between the two countries,” said a spokesman.

It is not clear whether the two countries would sign an agreement or an MOU, he added.

Muhthaz got the invitation to visit Russia last November when the Russian PG Yuri Chaika visited the Maldives.

President Abdulla Yameen had pledged to introduce a bilateral extradition treaty after the controversial detention of Russian national Roman Seleznyov in July last year.

The alleged hacker was detained by Maldivian authorities before being transported to the US military base in Guam, with Russian authorities calling it a “kidnapping” by the US Secret Service.

Despite a decline of 13 percent in the number of Russian arrivals last year – partly caused by the fall in the rouble – over 65,000 Russian tourists visited the Maldives in 2014, placing it fourth in terms of market share.

PG Muhthaz left with Deputy PG Mahmood Saleem and legal affairs director Mohamed Iyas. The delegation will return to the Maldives on March 15.

The PG’s trip comes during the state’s controversial prosecution of former President Mohamed Nasheed and former defence minister Mohamed Nazim.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

STO head Azim dismissed from post

The government has sacked State Trading Organisation (STO) Managing Director Adam Azim, brother of former defence minister Mohamed Nazim.

President’s Office Spokesperson Ibrahim Muaz tweeted yesterday that the government has appointed Ahmed Shaheer, formerly head of the procurement department, to the post of managing director.

Speaking at the organisation’s 50th anniversary celebration in January – just days after Nazim’s dismissal, but prior to his arrest – President Abdulla Yameen had said that managing directors of state owned companies should not expect their jobs to be permanent if they do not perform well.

Former defence minister Nazim is accused of plotting to harm senior government officials. He is also facing illegal weapons charges after police allegedly discovered a hand gun, ammunition, an improvised explosive device, and a pen drive containing incriminating documents at his home.

Nazim has repeatedly denied the claims, accusing tourism minister Ahmed Adeeb of framing him. Nazim’s defense team has raised questions over the transparency of the trial and accused Prosecutor General (PG) Muhthaz Muhsin of politicising the case.

Nazim’s wife Afaaf Abdul Majeed was also charged along with Nazim before the state withdrew charges on the first hearing. saying that they had found new evidence on the pen drive that proved Afaaf was not involved.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Hulhumalé houses will be affordable for youth, says President

The housing units built under the housing scheme in Hulhumalé will be affordable to all youths, says President Abdulla Yameen.

After observing the pre-construction work on the housing units in the suburb adjacent to Malé, the president said the housing scheme would provide reasonable and affordable living conditions.

“If all goes according to the plan the phase two of Hulhumalé will be completed with a beautiful scenario with some parts adjoining to the sea,” Haveeru reported Yameen as saying.

The president repeated his invitation for islanders from small communities to move to Hulhumalé once phase two is completed.

“My invitation is open to all islands,” he said.

The president also spoke of the bridge that would connect Malé City and Hulhumalé, one of the main pledges in the 2013 elections.

“The development of Hulhumalé phase two and the bridge will go side by side.”

Earlier this week, economic minister Mohamed Saeed said the design and feasibility report of the bridge would be completed by June this year. The funding for the construction would come from Chinese aid and a China Exim bank loan, the minister explained.

The government estimates that more than 230,000 people will be able to live in Hulhumalé once the development is completed, which will also provide office and business spaces.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)