Category: News in Brief

Male’ City Council gives tsunami monument area to MDP until end of June

Male’ City Council has extended the duration given to Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) to continue its protest at the tsunami monument area, reports online newspaper ‘Sun’.

Sun reported that the Council today decided to give the area to the MDP until the end of June this year.

The council first gave the area to MDP until the end of March.

The MDP is protesting the ousting of former President Mohamed Nasheed in what the party says was a military and police-led coup, funded by several opposition politicians and resort owners.

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RF46 million needed to cover damage to court buildings: DJA

A total of Rf46 million (US$3 million) will be needed to repair the damages caused to seven courts in different islands of the the southern most three atolls during the political unrest on February 8, the Department of Judicial Administration (DJA) has revealed.

During intense political tensions which erupted across Maldives on February 8  after the security forces brutally cracked down on a peaceful march of the former ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), police buildings and courts were torched and vandalised by protestors on several islands.

In a statement released on Tuesday the DJA said that four courts in Seenu atoll were damaged, including magistrate courts on Hithadhoo, Maradhoo, Feydhoo and Hulhudhoo-Meedhoo.

The magistrate court in Fuvahmulah and two courts on islands Rathafandhoo and Thinadhoo of Gaaf Dhaalu atoll were also damaged extensively in the attacks which has been blamed by the government on MDP supporters.

A total of Rf46 million is needed to replace furniture and machinery out of which repair costs account to almost Rf485,00, Rf1.8 million on furniture and the remaining Rf5.4 million will cover the cost for new equipment, according to the statement.

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STELCO explains power cuts

Maldives’ State Electricity Company (STELCO) yesterday explained that intermittent losses of power in the capital Male’ are a result of vital upgrade work.

The company said that more losses of power should be expected as new generators were being installed.

Yesterday’s power failure was caused by the technical failure of three main generators.

STELCO explained that demand for power is rising every year and that the company plans to add two generators of 8000kW to its current capacity of 38.8MW.

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Jabir resigns from post as Special Trade Representative

Recently appointed Special Trade Representative to President Waheed, Abdulla Jabir, has resigned from the post three weeks after accepting it.

According to the President’s Office, Jabir’s resignation followed his decision to contest the Kaashidhoo by-election, after the Supreme Court upheld charges against sitting MDP MP Mohamed Mustafa and stripped him of the seat.

Jabir, now the deputy leader of fellow businessman Gasim Ibrahim’s Jumhoree Party (JP), has also been a member of both the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP).

Jabir’s wife, Dhiyana Saeed, was the former Secretary General of SAARC prior to her resignation in protest over the detention of Chief Judge of the Criminal Court, Abdulla Mohamed.

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Visa and work quota functions of human resource ministry reassigned to immigration

The Cabinet has decided to reassign certain functions currently in the mandate of the Ministry of Human Resources, Youth and Sports (MHRYS) to more relevant offices, the President Office has revealed.

According to the president office website,  the cabinet took this decision during  Tuesday’s cabinet meeting “‘because those functions of the MHRYS overlap with the mandate of other offices.”

When these changes come into effect, issuing of quota and work permits and related work will be done by the Department of Immigration and Emigration while issuing of licence for employment agencies, making regulations to facilitate employment agencies and other related work will be carried out by the Ministry of Economic Development.

Maintaining statistical records and research on job market and publishing information the job market will also be done by the Economic Development, president office said.

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BML fined Rf10,000 for not publishing quarterly report

The Capital Market Development Authority (CMDA) has fined the Bank of Maldives Plc for upto Rf10,000 (US$648) after the bank failed to publish the quarterly report for the last three months of 2011 before the requested due date.

According to a statement released on Sunday, the companies listed under under the Securities (Continuing Disclosure Obligations of Issuers) Regulations, including BML, must produce a quarterly report after every three months, within the following 30 days.

However, CMDA noted that BML failed to produce fourth quarterly report for last year within the given 30 day period and the 37 day extension which ended on March 8.

Therefore under the 17 section of the regulations, the bank has been fined Rf 10,000 (US$648) and ordered to publish the report by March 15.

According to the bank, the report has been delayed due to a pending audit, local newspaper Haveeru reported.

The fourth quarterly report requires more work as it must be published with annual figures that must be audited prior to publication, the bank said.

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Maldives out of AFC Challenge Cup after loss to Palestine

The Maldives national team were yesterday knocked out of the Asian Football Confederation’s Challenge Cup after a 2-0 loss to Palestine.

The Maldives entered the game still capable of qualifying from their group but were forced to rely on the heroics of goalkeeper Imran Mohamed to keep out the Palestinian team in the first half.

The deadlock was broken on 58 minutes when Palestine’s Wadi headed his team into the lead.

With the Maldives pushing for an equaliser, Palestine broke against the run of play to make it two nil in the 88th minute, confirming the Maldives’ exit from the tournament.

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Iranian President congratulates Dr Waheed on “winning presidential elections”

Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sent congratulations to Maldives President Mohamed Waheed on Monday for winning presidential elections, reports Iran’s president’s office website.

Waheed, former VP, was sworn in on February 7, after President Mohamed Nasheed resigned in what he later alleged was a bloodless coup d’état.

President Ahmadinejad wished Waheed success, and expressed hope that Iran-Maldives would witness expansion of justice “based on ideality, end of unilateralism in the world and promotion of friendly relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Maldives.”

President Ahmadinejad wished progress to the people of Maldives.

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President Waheed appoints fisheries minister, eight state ministers

President Dr Mohamed Waheed appointed Ahmed Shafeeu as Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture. Shafeeu was formerly Director General at the Education Ministry.

The appointment of Shafeeu fills the last post in Dr Waheed’s cabinet.

Dr Waheed also appointed eight state ministers, including Hussain Maniku Dhon Maniku (Home Affairs), retired Deputy Commissioner of Police Mohamed Fayaz (Home Affairs), December 23 protest organiser and spokesperson Abdulla Mohamed (Home Affairs), Ali Shareef Mohamed (Health and Family), Dr Aishath Rameela (Health and Family), Hassan Saeed Hussain (Foreign Affairs), Abdulla Ziyad (Housing and Environment), and Abdul Matheen Mohamed (Housing and Environment).

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