Category: News in Brief

Police to investigate Housing Ministry billing scam worth Rf24 million

The country’s auditor general on Thursday revealed plans to request police investigate a case involving a private company that has allegedly defrauded the Housing Ministry out of Rf 24 million (US$1.5 million) in a double billing scam.

According to the Ibrahim Niyaz, the company first received the payment for the bills in 2005, but had fraudulently charged the ministry for the same bills in 2009 and 2010.

“We found out about the fraud during the recent audit of the ministry.This case will be forwarded to the police today,” Niyaz told local media.

The company’s identity was not revealed by the auditor general. Those who are negligent or responsible in the scam will be found after the investigation, he added.

Police media official Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef said that the police will inform the media when the case is lodged and the investigation is started.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Reforms should be made within presidential decree: CNI

The Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) has today said that any reforms to its composition should be made by a presidential decree.

Speaking at a press conference today, the commission said that President Waheed need not wait on its  recommendations before bringing reform to its composition.

The CNI was set up by Dr Waheed Hassan to investigate the controversial change of power on February 7, which the ousted Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) maintains was a coup d’état orchestrated by remnants of the former dictatorship and funded by several resort interests.

The CNI’s comments came as Dr. Waheed told the press on Wednesday that it was now up to the commission to decide on whether to “allow new members into the commission” as well as any suggestions to reform its mandate.

Ismail Shafeeu, the man appointed by Dr. Waheed to head the CNI,  noted in local media that the “commission was established upon a Presidential decree.”  Shafeeu added that it was his belief any reform process must be followed the same way, according to local newspaper Haveeru.

He added that the commission has the authority to independently seek outside guidance and assistance.

Meanwhile,  CNI member Dr Yasir said that he does not believe that the President must await a suggestion from the commission to enact changes to the commission’s composition.

The CNI has itself come under widespread criticisms for perceived delays in implementing changes recommended by the Commonwealth and local NGOs to make its investigation more “credible” and “impartial” through cross-party agreement on its composition, mandate and scope of investigation.

The independence of the existing three member commission has been openly criticised by MDP, which argues that an impartial investigation cannot be conducted with members linked to the elements accused of  participating in an alleged “coup d’etat”.

However, CNI head Shafeeu today said that he does not wish to respond to any political remarks directed towards him by anyone. Shafeeu was the former Defence Minister at President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s administration.

“I am here not to respond to political remarks. [But] to present what I concluded from the findings based upon the different statements of witnesses,” Shafeeu said.

He added that anyone who  takes up such a responsibility would do it with confidence and that he has nothing more to say regarding the matter.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Over 250 people reach Aasandha outpatient care finance limit

The manager of the Aasandha Private Limited company Ahmed Shabig has revealed that 257 people have reached their entitlement limit of Rf10,000 for outpatient care provided under the recently launched healthcare scheme, local media has reported.

These 257 people will now have to pay for their own outpatient care, although they will still be entitled to other services as part of the Aasandha universal healthcare scheme introduced on January 1.

Shabig told Sun Online that an SMS text service had also been introduced that would allow people to check how much of their allowance had been used.

The scheme has come under fire in recent weeks after its current rate of expenditure has reportedly  threatened to reach Rf1billion on an approved budget of Rf720 million.  The government has anticipated its annual spending will be Rf2billion over budget this year as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned this week that economic growth and stability in the Maldives were unlikely to be maintained “in the medium term” unless the government substantially cut its spending.

Amid suspicions of corruption, the Majlis Finance Committee announced its intention to audit the scheme earlier this week.

The President’s Office claimed last week that figures showing 150,000 people had used the healthcare scheme a total of 250,000 times indicated something must have gone wrong with the system.

Despite the Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) claims that President Waheed’s administration intends to end the scheme, the government has stressed repeatedly that it aims instead to reform the existing system.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Repair work commences on Dhiraagu submarine cable

Dhiraagu has reportedly commenced work this afternoon on repairing a damaged section of submarine cable off the Sri Lankan coast responsible for disrupting the company’s internet services in the Maldives over the last week.

Local media has reported that repair work on the cable began at around 2pm this afternoon in a collaboration between Dhiraagu technicians and engineers from Sri Lankan Telecom (SLT).

Commencement of the repair work has been dependent on the arrival of a specially equipped ship called the Asean Explorer, which completed its journey from India to Sri Lanka yesterday.  It is not known yet how long repairs may take, though Dhraagu claims it has continued to work on strengthening services and capacity for its internet clients.

Earlier this week, a spokesperson for the company said it did not wish to speculate on the possible cause of the damage to the submarine cable that connects Dhiraagu’s Maldivian broadband network to the wider world.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Politicians must seek ”broadest support” rather than dividing country: Dr Hassan Saeed

Since 2008, our country has become even more divided. Politics in the Maldives seems to be pretty polarized with citizens and voters seeing things in very black and white terms, President Waheed’s Special Advisor, Dr Hassan Saeed writes for Haveeru.

Responsible government, and for that matter responsible opposition, should not seek to divide the country but try to gain the broadest support possible by building consensus.

But how do voters make up their minds about how they are going to vote? Do they study the manifestos or policy platforms of respective candidates and parties and then weighing all the options make their minds up in a calm and collected fashion? Are they offered distinct and competing visions of the road down which the Maldives might travel by political parties? How much genuine choice and difference is there in the offer from our politicians and political parties?

In 2008 it was relatively easy. The election was really only about whether voters wanted change or continuity. In 2013 political parties will have the opportunity to come of age and spell out to the voters what they really stand for and why their ideas and policies can take the country forward. At present many voters will cast their vote because of

•    Habit – “I’ve always voted this way”,
•    Family – ‘my family is..’
•    Island loyalty- “this is an X political party island”
•    Personal interest-“what are you going to do for me personally?”
•    Personality-“I like X”

And the last one is the most dangerous because it can lead to a crude populism where big personalities attempt to outbid each other with unkeepable promises and voters compile ever more unachievable and unrealistic shopping lists. That’s how we end up in the financial mess that we are in now with a budget deficit of over US$300 million this year.

Read More.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Thieves threaten security staff, steal Rf 1600 and electronics from National Museum

Early this morning two thieves entered the National Museum after breaking a window, local media has reported.

Items taken from the museum included Rf1600 (US$110), a laptop, a hard disk and an iPod.

Newspaper Haveeru quoted an official at the museum saying the thieves threatened two security officers at the museum.

Police are investigating the case.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

President to confer Award for Special Achievements

Cabinet has decided to reimplement a presidential award scheme designed to honour figures of national distinction – the first accolade of its kind to be given since 2007.

The President’s Office today announced that the cabinet has decided the national Award for Special Achievements will now be given by President Mohamed Waheed Hassan rather than a specially assigned government body.

The decision was taken following a cabinet discussion over a paper submitted by the National Awards Committee to try and iron out potential “inconsistencies” from occurring in the selection process for the accolade.

Under the previous administration, the award was given by specially assigned government office. Recipients of the accolade will now be decided by a technical committee, the President’s Office has announced.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Criminal Court Judge Abdulla Didi appointed as VP of JSC

Criminal Court Judge Abdulla Didi has been appointed as the Vice President of the Judicial Services Commission (JSC).

Newspaper ‘Haveeru’ has reported that Abdulla Didi’s name was proposed by Parliamentary Speaker Abdulla Shahid, himself a member of the JSC.

Seven members of the JSC present at the meeting voted in favor of Abdulla Didi, the paper reported.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)