Category: News in Brief

Police Commissioner notes “huge decline” in crime in 2014

Police Commissioner Hussein Waheed has delivered a New Year message to the public, calling upon all Maldivians to work together to ensure the safety and peace of the community.

“The numerous and arduous work done by Officers of all ranks in the year 2014 has resulted in a huge decline in crime across the country. The Maldives Police Service firmly resolves to carry on with the noble work to make this year as productive and as rewarding.”

“The Maldives Police Service stands ready to safeguard the people of the Maldives and their interests, to uphold the law and taking steps to prevent youth from getting involved in crime,” continued the message.

While President Abdulla Yameen has claimed his administration has brought peace to all parts of the country, which had been riven by political turmoil, the opposition has accused the government of failing to protect citizens.

Although police statistics appear to reveal a drop in all reported instances of serious crime, 2014 saw a series of high-profile crimes including the murder of five individuals, four of which came as a result of gang violence in the capital Malé.

Additionally, a number of politically motivated abductions remain unresolved by authorities, while Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan has been missing – believed abducted – since August 8.

“The youth of the nation should be determined to work even harder to build a better nation for their future, as well as the community as a whole. They should strive to avoid crime and criminal behavior and see it as their civic responsibility,” said Police Commissioner Waheed.

2014 saw the introduction of a number of ‘Blues for Youth’ camps held across the country by the police, with the aim of broadening the role of youth in national activities, preparing them for the job market, and facilitating opportunities to strengthen assertiveness.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Fisheries Ministry to set up stricter fines for turtle hunting

The Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture has revealed today that it is working on setting up stricter fines of up to MVR10 million (US$650,000) for the illegal capture of turtles and tortoises.

Senior research officer Adam Ziyad told Haveeru that the regulation would allow the ministry to penalise offenders who illegally capture turtles and tortoises, adding that the regulation had been sent to the Attorney General’s Office for legal advice.

The government’s response came after local environmental NGOs Ecocare and Bluepeace condemned images circulating on social media showing a turtle being cut in half, demanding an immediate response.

Also speaking at the press conference today, Director Hussein Sinan said that current procedures required the police to file the cases as criminal offenses, leading to a court case which often does not yield results due to difficulties in obtaining testimony from offenders.

However, with the new regulation in place, the fisheries ministry would have the authority to punish the offenders.

Speaking to Minivan News yesterday, Bluepeace Executive Director Ali Rilwan said that the main obstruction to preventing such instances was poor coordination between the ministry of fisheries and the Environmental Protection Agency – a regulatory body under the Ministry of Environment and Energy.

According to the existing fisheries regulations, the “catching, fishing, collecting or killing” of sea turtles is illegal throughout the country. The collection of sea turtles and eggs is also illegal, but only in 14 of the country’s 1,192 islands.

Source: Haveeru

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Police arrests 18 foreigners for gambling

The Maldives Police Service (MPS) has arrested 18 foreigners found gambling in Malé.

A police statement said a court warrant was obtained before the arrests were made from a house in the Maafannu ward in Malé. All of those arrested were Bangladeshi nationals.

The MPS said that large sums of money were discovered after searching the house and that the case is now being investigated by the Criminal Investigation Department.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Former President Maumoon “saddened” over Judge Shujoon’s resignation

Ruling Progressive Party of Maldives leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has expressed sadness over the resignation of Civil Court Judge Aisha Shujoon.

A tweet posted yesterday by the former president read that he was “saddened by the resignation of Judged Aishath Shujoon one of the first two women judges I had pleasure of appointing in 2007”.

Haveeru reported Shujoon gave her letter of resignation to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) on Monday (December 29).

Shujoon, a founding member of Maldivian Democracy Network, was recently re-elected to UN subcommittee on the prevention of torture and other inhuman treatment or punishment.

Earlier this month, the seven member Civil Court bench condemned the removal of two Supreme Court Judges, including the chief justice, saying the JSC was “forced” to deem the two judges unfit for the bench through an “unconstitutional” amendment to the Judicature Act.

A subsequent case challenging the decision was removed from the Civil Court’s jurisdiction by the Supreme Court.

In February, JSC launched an investigation into Shujoon after she announced on state television that she was once offered a US$5 million bribe, which she refused.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

MVR22 million fine issued for ship stranded on Thilafushi reef

A cargo ship which ran aground on the reef near Thilafushi earlier this month has been fined MVR22 million (US$1.4 million), the Transport Authority has told local media.

The MV Mutha Pioneer – registered in Dominica – became lodged on the reef to the north west of the industrial island on December 10, with an analysis by the Environmental Protection Agency revealing it had caused damage to 588 square meters of reef.

After spending around ten hours stranded on the reef, the Maldives National Defence Force was able to free the 1,900 tonne cargo vessel.

At the start of the year (January 7) a 27,000-tonne vessel called Auguste Schulte became stranded in shallow water while attempting to make a turn near the coast of the Raalhugandu area in Malé.

After assessing the damage caused by this incident, the government claimed damages of MVR 62.7 million (US$4 million).

Source: Haveeru

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Civil Court Judge Aisha Shujoon resigns

Civil Court Judge Aisha Shujoon has given her letter of resignation to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), reports Haveeru.

Shujoon, a founding member of Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN), was recently re-elected to UN subcommittee on the prevention of torture and other inhuman treatment or punishment.

Earlier this month, the seven member Civil Court bench condemned the removal of two Supreme Court Judges, including the chief justice, saying the JSC was “forced” to deem the two judges unfit for the bench through an “unconstitutional” amendment to the Judicature Act.

A subsequent case challenging the decision was removed from the Civil Court’s jurisdiction by the Supreme Court.

In February, JSC launched an investigation into Shujoon after she announced on state television that she was once offered a US$5 million bribe, which she refused.

Source: Haveeru; Sun Online

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

ACC sends Rathafandhoo Island Council corruption case to PG

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has submitted a case against Gaaf Dhaal Rathafandhoo council President Ahmed Fauzee and three others to the Prosecutor General’s Office.

Haveeru reported that the commission has accused Fauzee and three others of using the influence of their positions while assigning security work, suggesting that the members of the proposal evaluation committee had allocated points in violation of set standards.

According to the paper, an ACC statement explained that documents and testimonies collected during investigations proved the accused had acted in violation of the State Finance Act to provide unlawful benefit to a third party.

The others implicated alongside Fauzee are Fathuhulla Basheer, Abbas Haneef, and Fathuhulla Ahmed – all members of the proposal evaluation committee.

Source: Haveeru

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Chinese cultural items gifted to Maldives

China has today gifted a number of cultural items to the Maldives, following discussions between the countries’ respective first ladies during President Xi Jinpeng’s visit in September.

During a ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this morning, Chinese Ambassador Wang Fukang signed an official certificate marking the handing over of the gifts, which included books, ethnic costumes, musical instruments, and Chinese crafts.

“During the meetings, both our countries’ leaders have made a decision to build a future-oriented, all-round, cooperative friendship,” Sun Online reported Wang as saying during the ceremony.

“We each promote our bilateral relations to new heights. So from our Chinese government we are very satisfied with our bilateral relations.”

Source: Sun Online

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Hulhumalé Central Park to be completed, land reclamation to begin next month

The Housing Development Corporation (HDC) has revealed that Hulhumalé Central Park will be completed next month, while phase two of the island’s reclamation is also due to begin.

Speaking to local media, HDC Managing Director Suhail Ahmed said that the park – now under construction – will benefit the population of Hulhumalé

“God willing, we are aiming to finish construction of the park sometime next month. The park is believed to provide relaxed atmosphere for the people in Hulhumalé. We designed the park so that people could sit in the park,” said Suhail.

While a section of the main road in Hulhumalé has been blocked for its contruction, Suhail said that even after the park is completed, much of it would not be accessible to motorized vehicles.

Suhail also said that phase two of the Hulhumalé land reclamation project is also due to begin next month, with a dredging vessel from Belgium’s Dredging International company arriving in early January.

Sun Online reported that a US$30 million loan has been approved by the bank of Ceylon for the project which will see 240 hectares of land being reclaimed near Farukolhufushi.

Developing a ‘youth city’ in Hulhumalé with a population of 50,000 is a key aim of President Abdulla Yameen’s administration, with modern facilities and light industry designed to attract young persons from the atolls.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)