Category: News in Brief

High Court upholds order to reinstate policeman accused of sexual assault

The High Court on Monday upheld a Civil Court verdict to reinstate the job to a policeman who had been accused of sexual assault, reports Haveeru.

Husham Hameed and three other police officers stand accused of undressing and sexually assaulting a woman after they forced her into a police car in August 2010.

However, the High Court bench unanimously ruled that Husham could not be dismissed from his job unless he was proven guilty of a criminal act.

Husham had previously held the title of ‘Mr. Maldives’, Haveeru reports.

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Maldives resorts and travel agents head to Arabian Travel Market

The Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation (MMPRC) is participating in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), the largest annual travel fair aimed at Arab travel agents, held in Dubai until May 4.

The fair includes 21,000 square metres of floor space hosting over 2,400 exhibitors from around the world.

The Maldives has registered a 77.8 percent increase in tourist arrivals from the Middle East region in the first quarter of 2012 compared to the same period last year, while some traditional markets have shown signs of recovery. The MMPRC has remarked on a particular increase in travellers from Saudi Arabia.

Sixteen resorts from the Maldives and 17 travel agents are participating the ATM fair, the MMPRC noted.

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Vice president commits to preserve Islamic values with development plans

Vice President Mohamed Waheed Deen has used his first televised address since receiving Majlis approval to call for a greater focus on Islamic values when considering development in the country.

The vice president, a businessman whose interests include the Bandos Island Resort and Spa, gave a speech yesterday stressing his belief that the nation’s leaders were required to strive to preserve the nation’s Islamic faith.

Deen also raised concerns about what he saw as the “deteriorating social conditions” in the country, particularly concerning the current social, political and economic situation, according to the President’s Office website.

“The political situation will not improve, unless the socio-economic situation improves,” he stated.

The vice president claimed that education would be a key feature of his proposals to improve the socio-economic situation across the nation.

Deen claimed he aims to provide long-term education loans along with social and entertainment developments like “empowering” sports associations as part of his development plans.

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This government will not detain Nasheed, says VP Deen

Deposed former President Mohamed Nasheed will not be detained and government has no intentions to make the arrest, the new Vice President Mohamed Waheed Deen said on Sunday.

Speaking at a press conference at the President Office, Deen contended that the current administration has no intention of “seeking revenge against anyone”.

“This government will not detain Nasheed. We are not even intending to do so,” Deen said in response to a question relating to allegations that President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan administration was seeking to arrest Nasheed, who insists he was  been forced out of office in an opposition-backed coup.

Criminal court issued an arrest warrant for Nasheed, two days after he resigned, but it was not executed by the police at the time.

Meanwhile, former President Mohamed Nasheed could face charges for his alleged role in the Maldives National Defense Force’s (MNDF) decision to detain Criminal Court’s Chief Judge Abdulla. The Maldives Police Service has sent the case against Nasheed to the PG’s Office but a decision by the office to proceed the prosecution is still pending.

A second case involving Nasheed has also been sent to the PG by the police, involving the confiscation of bottles of alcohol allegedly found at his residence shortly after his three year presidency ended on February 7.

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44 year-old man arrested for sexually assaulting six year-old

A 44 year-old man was arrested on Friday after he was accused of sexually abusing a six year-old kid on the island of Hinnavaru in Lhaviyani Atoll, police said.

Police said the man was arrested with a court warrant on Friday afternoon at about 3:25pm.

Hinnavaru Police and Police Family and the Child Protection Unit are conducting a joint investigation into the case.

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24 year-old man arrested with three packets containing drugs

Police have arrested a 24 year-old man after he was found to be in possession of three packets containing illegal drugs on the island of Himandhoo in Alifu Alifu Atoll.

In a statement police said he was arrested upon his arrival to Himadhoo from the Feridhoo, an island nearby reachable in less than two hours on local boats.

The packets were found inside his mouth, according to police.

He went to Himadhoo on a speedboat he had rented, said police.

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Gayoom urges “rethink” of Maldives Commonwealth membership

Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has this week discussed the Maldives’ membership in the Commonwealth, urging the country to “rethink the whole situation” in regards to its role in the organisation.

Gayoom’s comments were made as the Maldives comes under pressure from the 54 member state intergovernmental organisation to modify the terms of reference and composition of an independent body to ascertain the exact details of February’s controversial transfer of power in the country.  The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (GMAG) has said it would otherwise consider “stronger” measures against the government should it fail to establish a “credible” and “independent” Commission of National Inquiry (CNI).

Covering an address given by Gayoom Thursday evening at a ceremony to honour former Foreign Minister Fathulla Jameel, Haveeru reported the former president as saying the Maldives did not really have a basis to be a member of the Commonwealth.

The former president also claimed the Commonwealth’s role has changed since the Maldives joined back in 1982.  Gayoom claimed the body has formerly worked with smaller nations to maintain their independence  – a purpose he now questioned.

“The actions of the Commonwealth have changed since then, to a point where we now have to have a rethink about the whole situation. That’s how much the world has changed now,” he claimed

Gayoom’s said his comments were also based on the fact that the country had never itself been a former colony unlike neighbours such as India and Sri Lanka.

“We were under the protection of the British. That’s a different situation altogether. There wasn’t a British ruler in the form of a Governor General or a Governor in the Maldives. The leader of the nation had been a Maldivian even during that time. Hence Maldives really have no basis to become a member of the Commonwealth as the member States of the Commonwealth include nations that had been subject to British rule,” Gayoom was reported as saying.

The Sun Online news service meanwhile reported that Gayoom also noted concerns that the Commonwealth had changed from when the Maldives first joined as a member back in 1982 to a body  representing larger countries aiming to “impose their influence on smaller ones.”

“Earlier, smaller nations had the opportunity to express their interests to the world through Commonwealth. That’s why we decided that Maldives should join Commonwealth. But now things are very different,” Sun Online quoted the former president as saying.

Some government-aligned MPs and political representatives have in recent weeks called on the state to renounce its membership in the Commonwealth.  Hoever, the government itself has stressed it remains committed to the organisation and the CNI.

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Tourism industry contemplates 40th anniversary celebrations

The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture has announced plans for a year-long programme of events to mark 40 years since the country’s resort industry was first founded.

Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture Mohamed Maleeh Jamal has told local media that the fortieth anniversary of the country’s first resort opening in October will herald a series of celebratory events around the country.

Jamal told Haveeru that the exact nature of these plans had not yet been decided on, but claimed discussions were ongoing on how best to commemorate the founding of the country’s travel industry. The celebrations will be marked as the industry this year commits itself to a plan of welcoming one million annual tourist arrivals to the country.

“Boosting tourist arrivals to one million is part of the preparations to celebrate World Tourism Day and there is a lot more to see yet,” he told the newspaper.

Maldives Kurumbaa Village was originally opened on October 3, 1972, becoming the first resort property in the Maldives, according to Haveeru. The number of isolated island resorts has since grown to over 100 properties, which represent some of the world’s largest and most prestigious multinational hospitality groups as well as local operators.

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