Category: News in Brief

Police suspect arson in Thimarafushi fire

Police have revealed that they suspect arson in a fire that broke out in a private residence in the island of Thimarafushi in Thaa atoll last night.

Sun Online reports a police media official as saying there was evidence of an attempted break-in before the incident occurred.

The fire was put out an hour later but had caused extensive damage to furniture and equipment in the house. No one was injured in the incident as the house was newly-built and uninhabited.

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Former Post Limited MD faces corruption charges

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has requested the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) to prosecute former Managing Director of the Maldives Post Limited (MPL), Mahudy Imad, for alleged abuse of authority.

In a press statement today, the ACC said it forwarded the case to the PGO on December 28 after completing an investigation into a complaint accusing Mahudy of using his influence to send an employee overseas for a law degree.

The complainant had alleged that funds were not allocated in the MPL budget for the course and that other employees were not invited to apply for it.

In its inquiry, the ACC found that Mahudy had abuse his authority to secure the course for the employee, who had reportedly been working at MPL as an administrative staff for less than a year before leaving to Malaysia for the course.

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Cabinet decides to sign UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime

The Cabinet decided yesterday to accede to the United Nation’s ‘Convention against Transnational Organised Crime’ at its weekly meeting on Tuesday.

The decision followed deliberations on a paper presented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Crimes classified in the convention include terrorism, illegal migration, drug-related crimes, money-laundering, corruption and human trafficking.

“Each State Party shall Endeavour to ensure that any discretionary legal powers under its domestic law, relating to the prosecution of persons for offences covered by this Convention are exercised to maximise the effectiveness of law enforcement measures in respect of those offences and with due regard to the need to deter the commission of such offences,” the convention states.

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DJA and JSC continues formation of Drugs Court

The Department of Judicial Administration (DJA) has requested President Office to provide an office complex to establish the Drug Court, while the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) continues the work of appointing court judges.

DJA Director Ahmed Majid told Minivan News today that DJA is responsible for all the “administrative and financial responsibilities of the Judiciary” and therefore continuing the work to establish the Drug Court’s office and staff.

“We have sent a letter to the President’s Office yesterday requesting them to provide a building to establish the court. We are looking to employ around 30 administrators as well”, Majid said.

Meanwhile, JSC Spokesperson Zaheen Hassan said that the commission members decided yesterday to solicit five judges – which is minimum number of Judges required to be appointed, according to article 39 of Drug Act which came into effect on December 31.

However, he noted that the law allows JSC to increase the number of judges on the bench. “We will open applications for judges very soon,” he added.

The Criminal and Juvenile Courts have meanwhile suspended all drug cases while they await the formation of a Drugs Court over the next 60 days as stipulated. Article 33(b) states that the courts should not hear or accept drug-related cases during that period.

After that two month period, the Criminal and Juvenile Court have 30 days to transfer those cases determined to fall under the jurisdiction of the Drugs Court.

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Retailers expect prices of foodstuff to fall

Prominent retailers expect prices of foodstuff to come down in about a month following the elimination of import duties for a range of items on January 1, 2012, reports Haveeru.

Owner of BHM Traders Hussein Moosa told the newspaper that prices of coast milk, cooking oil and tea expected to arrive in a shipment later this month would be lower, adding that BHM has dropped the price of Ye Ye instant coffee yesterday.

Moosa said new prices would reflect savings from import duties or tariffs.

Owner of Lily Store ‘Malla’ Ahmed Nasir also said prices of goods imported after January 1st would be lower. He added that the shops would run out of old stocks at the end of this month.

Items with GST rate set at zero percent for which import duties have now been eliminated include rice, flour, sugar, salt, milk, cooking oil, eggs, tea, fish products, onions, potatoes, fruits and vegetables, baby food, diapers, gas, diesel and petrol.

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Ahmed Abbas appointed Concept Advisor at President’s Office

Famous cartoonist and former Amnesty International ‘prisoner of conscience’ Ahmed Abbas was appointed Concept Advisor at the President’s Office this morning at the level of State Minister.

During the post-2004 pro-democracy reform movement, Abbas was sentenced in absentia to six months imprisonment for ‘disobedience to an order’ in November 2006 and later charged with inciting violence regarding comments made to the now-defunct Minivan Daily newspaper.

Abbas was quoted in the newspaper on August 2, 2005 as saying: “What we should do to those in the Star Force [police] who beat us, is to seek them out individually and for us to act in such a manner that makes them feel that beatings result in pain, otherwise they will not be subdued.”

Abbas also sensationally sought refuge in the UN building in the capital Male’ on November 2 after being sentenced in absentia. The UN was unable to offer him sanctuary.

Abbas was one of designers of the Maldivian rufiyaa banknotes.

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Minister Aslam appointed acting head of Finance Ministry

Housing and Environment Minister Mohamed Aslam has been appointed as acting head of the Finance Ministry.

The appointment was made in the wake of Ahmed Inaz’s resignation from the post on December 29, following a covert meeting with Mulaku MP Abdulla Yamin of opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) on December 27.

The meeting, held in a car on a poorly lit side of Male’, was discovered by ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) activists who demanded Inaz’s resignation.

State Finance Minister Ahmed Naseer also resigned on December 29, for undisclosed reasons.

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Sheikh Ilyas elected to replace Dr Bari as Adhaalath scholars council chair

The religious conservative Adhaalath Party elected Sheikh Ilyas Hussein as the new chair of the party’s religious scholars council today following the resignation of Islamic Minister Dr Abdul Majeed Abdul Bari from the post last year.

Dr Bari resigned from the post in the wake of the party’s decision to sever its coalition agreement with the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

Sheikh Ilyas had been vice chair of the council prior to Dr Bari’s departure. In addition to Ilyas, the party also elected Dr Mohamed Iyaz as vice chair and Sheikh Izzudeen Adnan as secretary.

While Sheikh Ilyas has a first degree in Quran, Dr Iyaz has a PhD in Shariah and Sheikh Izzudeen a first degree in Shariah.

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“Begging for medical care is at an end”: President Nasheed

The practice of “begging for prescriptions” has come to an end with the introduction of a universal health insurance scheme on January 1, President Mohamed Nasheed said today.

Free universal health insurance is one of the five core campaign pledges of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

Speaking to press during a visit to the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) to observe arrangements for the free health care service, Nasheed said he expected services at the main referral hospital to improve.

He added that private clinics that agree to the terms of the ‘Aasandha’ programme could be included in the scheme.

The scheme offers treatment worth Rf100,000 a year for all Maldivian citizens with valid national identity cards and does not require registration.

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