A new bill has to regulate rent in Malé been proposed in Parliament by Independent MP Mohamed Nasheed, reports Miadhu.
Nasheed said the bill aims not to control rent, but to set certain standards for the real estate business.
Nasheed noted that in a time when human rights have become key in policy-making, this bill would protect the rights of both owners and tenants. The bill would also form a tribunal to arbitrate rent cases.
Most of the MPs supported the bill, which could help with overcrowding in Malé. But it was proposed that the bill also include rented offices and businesses, so it will not reduce the cost of goods and services.
Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali said the bill could potentially harm the real estate industry.
He said the government should not intervene, because fewer people would enter the market and fewer would construct new homes.
Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ahmed Hamza also said introducing the bill at this moment could hinder construction business, adding that the bill would present challenges to the free-market.
The Elections Commission (EC) has released a new political party registration form to avoid a recurrent problem of people being registered for political parties without their knowledge.
President of the EC Fuad Thaufeeq said the commission had uncovered an estimated 900-1100 people registered to political parties without their knowledge, “from all political parties.”
Fuad said the commission had sent notice to all the political parties that they would not accept any other registration form than the new form.
”Before all the parties had their own registration forms,” Fuad said. ”Those forms only required the person’s name and identity card number.”
Fuad said the new form required the person’s fingerprint, two witnesses and their signature.
”If anyone complains about the registrations [from now on] we can check the fingerprint through the police fingerprint database,” he said. ”If a form is presented with the wrong fingerprint we can identify the person and charge him with forgery, giving false information and signing another person’s signature.”
He said that the commission was contemplating creating a law concerning false registration.
”We cannot charge anybody over the 900-1100 false registrations,” he said, ”but hereafter we can identify it and treat it as a serious issue.”
He said the new registration form was now effective.
Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Ahmed Mahloof said that he was pleased with the new procedure.
Mahloof claimed that there were many recent complaints by DRP members that they had been registered instead as members of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).
”They have stolen lots of our people,” he claimed. ”MDP would not even have a membership of 25,000 people.”
MDP MP Ahmed Easa said the new procedure was good and would avoid false registration.
Easa said MDP had received many complaints from people that they were registered in a political party without their knowledge.
”This form will make it more difficult for people to be registered in political parties,” he said.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is celebrating World Health Day today with activities around the world, and the theme “urbanisation and health” which aims to improve urban equity gaps, the leading cause for many health problem’s in the world’s poor according to the WHO.
Past themes have been “working together for health” in 2006 which focused on the health workforce crisis; “international health society” in 2007, aiming to improve the first line of defence against public health emergencies; “protecting health from climate change” in 2008, which looked at the effects of climate change on vulnerable populations; and “save lives, make hospitals safer in emergencies” in 2009.
This year’s campaign 1000 cities, 1000 lives is bringing attention to the issues of urban health. The WHO believes “urbanization is one of the major threats to health in the twenty-first century.”
Urban health
Although the WHO recognises urban environments can provide “great opportunities for individuals and families to prosper,” they can also harm our health in many ways, if the infrastructure and lifestyle in these urban sectors aren’t improved.
Some of the challenges the WHO cites as being problematic in urban areas are “overcrowding; air pollution; rising levels of risk factors like tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and the harmful use of alcohol; road traffic injuries; inadequate infrastructure, transport facilities, solid waste management systems; and insufficient access to health facilities in slum areas.”
According to the WHO, more than half of the world’s population now lives in urban areas, something that has never before happened in our history. They note that about 34% of the total population of the WHO’s South-East Asia Region is urban.
This year’s World Health Day aims to promote finding solutions to the roots of urban health issues and to “build partnerships with multiple sectors of society to make cities healthier.”
But improving urban sectors does not just benefit health, but is an economically sound proposal. The WHO estimates that “every $1 spent on sanitation gives a return of US$ 9.10 in terms of prevention and treatment of illnesses. Improved transportation, infrastructure and greener technologies enhance urban quality of life, including fewer respiratory ailments and accidents and better health for all.”
WHO Representative to the Maldives Dr Jorge Mario Luna says the solution to many of the health issues exacerbated by overcrowding, pollution, inactivity and unhealthy diets, violence and injury is proper urban planning.
“Proper urban planning can promote healthy behaviours and safety through investment in active transport, designing areas to promote physical activity and passing regulatory controls on tobacco and food safety. Improving urban living conditions in the areas of housing, water and sanitation will go a long way to mitigating health risks. Building inclusive cities that are accessible and age-friendly will benefit all urban residents.”
He added that “such actions do not necessarily require additional funding, but commitment to redirect resources to priority interventions, thereby achieving greater efficiency.”
Malé Health Fair
With this in mind, this year’s campaign is promoting ‘greener’ and healthier lifestyle options, which will be showcased in Malé’s Health Fair, to be held on Saturday 10 April from 4:00-6:30 pm, and then from 8:00-10:30 pm in different locations around the city.
There will be activities held in Ameenee Park, Children’s Park, the Social Center, and other locations around Malé, Hulhumalé and Vilingili.
Some of the activities include free sporting events like dodge-ball and gymnastics; public awareness demonstrations on first aid and sanitation; food preparation counselling for kids; quizzes and puzzles; medical check-ups at ADK hospital; and distribution of information on living a healthier life.
On Friday 9 April there will be a ‘bicycle round’ where senior government officials and other volunteers will join in bicycle round of Malé.
The ‘round’ will start at the Artificial Beach at 4:00 pm and will follow a westerly route, for about half an hour, along Boduthakurufaan Magu, ending at Licence Sarahahdhu near IGMH.
Historically, Malé city has been an engine of economic growth, a centre of culture, and a generator of ideas. But while human potential is infinite, resources are finite.
Urbanisation creates problems, but healthy cities can solve them. A billion people now live in the world’s urban slums. The urban population of Asia is expected to double between 2000 and 2030. The health sector needs to take the lead in calling attention to the enormous implications of this growth in cities for the health of the people who live and work in them.
On 7 April 2010, World Health Day, WHO will focus on the themes of Urbanisation and Health.
With the possibility that over the next 30 years all population growth will be in urban areas, urbanisation becomes a real challenge for public health.
Urbanisation is associated with many health challenges related to water, environment, violence and injury, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and their risk factors like tobacco use, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, harmful use of alcohol as well as the risks associated with disease outbreaks.
In poorly planned cities, the urban poor are the ones who will suffer the burden of these and other health problems, including an increased risk for violence and for some communicable diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.
In 2008, the Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) carried on a “Rapid Assessment of the Housing Situation in the Maldives”.
In interviews in Malé, the study described issues such as exorbitant rent levels, housing space, size, overcrowding, unaffordable access to clean drinking water, and many other problems like unhealthy living conditions, social problems as a result of overcrowding.
Many of the respondents indicated that these problems were the key causes of rising social issues such as gang warfare and drug abuse.
Furthermore, several social problems are also faced within the household including child abuse, psychological impact in growing up in areas of overcrowding, breakdown of many families due to the hardship faced by them stimulating a ripple effect of social disorder for the families, particularly the children caught in the situation.
The assessment highlighted that the sources of such housing stress are many, but it is mainly attributed by the raising demand for housing as a result of increased migration of Maldivians and foreigners to the capital. There are over 30,000 international migrant laborers now living in Malé under more crowded situations.
In the rapid assessment, local residents reported as many as 30 men sharing 3m x 3m flats without running water or sanitation facilities. These workers have to queue at public water taps to access clean water and often have to sleep in shifts as not all of them are able to fit into the space they occupy at the same time.
Among nationals, they felt that public services in Malé and to a lesser extent in Hithadhoo, Thulusdhoo and Kulhudhufushi were significantly better than the services they could receive at home or urban centers closer to them, being hospitals, secondary schools and higher education the most commonly mentioned services.
Other important factors for individual and family migration included the availability of employment opportunities and higher wages in Malé and better prospects for developing one’s own business from the capital.
As we can see, it is important to note that the major drivers, or social determinants, of health in urban settings are beyond the health sector, including physical infrastructure, access to social and health services, local governance, and the distribution of income and educational opportunities.
The solution? Proper urban planning can promote healthy behaviours and safety through investment in active transport, designing areas to promote physical activity and passing regulatory controls on tobacco and food safety. Improving urban living conditions in the areas of housing, water and sanitation will go a long way to mitigating health risks. Building inclusive cities that are accessible and age-friendly will benefit all urban residents.
Such actions do not necessarily require additional funding, but commitment to redirect resources to priority interventions, thereby achieving greater efficiency.
The Rapid Assessment of the Housing Situation in Maldives conducted by the HRCM, concluded providing a series of recommendations, which together are designed to kick-start a broader process leading to continuously improving housing conditions in the Maldives.
Dr Jorge Mario Luna is the WHO Representative to the Maldives.
A man sentenced for six years for charges of terrorism relating to the Himandhoo incident escaped yesterday as he was being transferred from the court to Malé Prison.
Spokesperson for the Juvenile Court Zaeema Nasheed identified the man as Hussein Nishan, 18, of Roze Hose in Himandhoo of North Ari Atoll.
Zaeema said that the man escaped by the time he was transferred to Male’ prison by a court officer from the Juvenile Court yesterday around 3:00pm.
”A court officer took him to the Department of Penitentiary and Rehabilitation Service (DPRS) and the department requested a court officer to take him to Male’ jail,” she said. ”It is the responsibility of the DPRS to take prisoners to the place where they are to be kept.”
She said Nishan fled on a motor-bike which stopped near Galolhu Male’ Hiya.
”The court officer immediately informed us about the incident,” Zaeema said, adding the department “immediately informed the police.”
She said the court officer did not manage to see the registration number of the motor bike.
Zaeema said there had several recent cases where prisoners had escaped custody, but noted that this was the most recent incident.
”We do not have a vehicle at the court [to transfer prisoners,” she said, ”and we have very low security procedures.”
She said Nishan was charged for terrorism in 2007 for attacking the Armed Forces of Maldives in Himandhoo when he was only 16 years old.
”The case was sent to the court by the Prosecutor General’s office on 24 July 2008.”
A source in DPRS told Minivan News that the court officer went with Nishan to DPRS around 4:00pm yesterday.
”We told him to transfer Nishan to Male’ Jail,” he said, ”and when we called after a while to check where he was, Niham said that the man escaped.”
He added that Nishan had cooperated during the trial.
Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam confirmed the case was reported to the police yesterday afternoon.
Shiyam said Nishan had not yet been found and added that the police are searching for him.
Spokesperson for the DRPS Moosa Rameez did not respond to Minivan News at time of press.
President Mohamed Nasheed has previously vowed to the people of Himandhoo that the government will grant clemency to Himandhoo inmates convicted for terrorism.
The European Union has contributed EU€6.5 million (US$8.8 million) to the newly created Climate Change Trust Fund which aims to help the government of the Maldives in its bid to become carbon-neutral by 2020.
Minister of Finance Ali Hashim signed the tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on behalf of the Maldivian government at a “little ceremony” held at the President’s Office this morning.
World Bank Country Director for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Naoko Ishii, signed on behalf of the World Bank, and Ambassador of the European Union to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Bernard Savage, on behalf of the EU.
The ceremony was attended by President Mohamed Nasheed, Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed, Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Ahmed Shaheed and State Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Naseem, Minister of Health and Family Dr Aminath Jameel, members of the Danish delegation and other senior members of government.
Climate change trust fund
The trust fund will be administered by the World Bank for a period of three and a half years, with the majority of resources being used by the government to conduct their projects relating to climate change adaptation and mitigation.
The World Bank will offer security for donors and hopes more countries will add to the fund to help the Maldives break its dependency on fossil fuels.
The government intends to use the trust fund to “strengthen knowledge and leadership” in the government, build “adaptive capacity” through pilot programmes, develop renewable energy through low-carbon options and Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) and “improve policy and institutional capacities” in both public and private sectors to deal with adaptation and mitigation of climate change.
The trust fund will also be used to strengthen coastal protection, biodiversity conservation, tourism, fisheries industry, solid waste management and energy solution.
A Climate Change Advisory Council will be established and will include members from the government and will “provide strategic direction to the climate change activities under the trust fund.”
There will also be a Technical Committee composed of experts from the government, private sector and civil society. This committee will be responsible for reviewing and recommending project proposals for financing and monitoring the progress of the trust fund programme.
EU on climate change and the Copenhagen Accord
The European Union is the first to donate to the Maldives’ Climate Change Trust Fund and is paving the way for other countries and financial institutions to do the same.
President Nasheed and Connie Hedegaard
After the last international climate change summit in Copenhagen last year, President Nasheed proved himself to be an influential figure in the fight against climate change.
According to the CIA World Fact Book, the Maldives has the 174th largest population in the world out of 237 countries, but despite its small population and current status as a Least Developed Country (LDC), it has shown unmatched initiative in combating climate change.
Conversely, China and India, who are the two largest populations in the world and according to the New York Times are “among the largest and fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the world,” had not agreed to join the Copenhagen Accord until March 2010.
President Nasheed’s urge to “move into the Green Age” has made the Maldives a global voice on the issue.
The creation of the trust fund coincides with the EU’s newly appointed Commissioner of Climate Action, Danish national Connie Hedegaard, who is in the Maldives for two days to see the impacts of climate change in the country and oversee climate change adaptation programmes.
Hedegaard is currently running the EU’s climate change policy and will be departing for India after her visit to the Maldives.
Signing ceremony
Minister Hashim said this MoU showed the government is “making progress” on climate change adaptation, and noted that this was one of the promises the government made before they came to power and one of the “key elements…that we will deliver to the people.”
Ambassador Savage noted he was the very first European commissioner to visit the Maldives and found it “very appropriate” that he is the commissioner in charge for climate change action, “the very subject of the MoU that were are signing here today.”
He said climate change mitigation “demands urgent, cooperative and shared responsibility” and the “EU welcomes the opportunity to assist the government of the Maldives” to fulfil their pledge of carbon neutrality.
“The EU is and has always been a real friend of the Maldives,” Savage said, “so this MoU is a further indication of that friendship and also a recognition by the EU of the priorities set for the country’s development as it moves through this democratic change and into the future.”
He said the EU “recognises, shares and participates in the priorities set by the government of the Maldives and we wish to further cement that partnership as we move forward.”
Savage added that signing the MoU “in such distinguished company” showed the importance of climate change to both the Maldives and the EU.
Naoko Ishii said the World Bank thought the government’s bid to be carbon-neutral by 2020 was “a very ambitious goal but it’s not impossible to achieve.”
She said the World Bank was inspired by the government’s way of dealing with this challenge and hoped the trust fund “will really help you achieve your vision.”
“It’s crucial for Maldives to build a climate resilient economy and society through adaptation,” she said.
Ishii said “this could be a real opportunity for other donors to come in and help the government,” and was “so pleased to see there is an actual instrument to realise [the] dream [of carbon neutrality].”
Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Ahmed Nihan has called on the government to reopen the closed public water taps in Malé by the end of this week.
Deputy Head of Malé Municipality Mohamed Arif told Minivan News yesterday that all but four of the 19 taps closed because they were “mostly being used by expats [and] not Maldivians.”
The water taps cost the municipality Rf3.5 million (US$270,000) last year, he said.
Today, Nihan said many people were complaining that the municipality’s decision was causing them difficulty.
”Expat or locals, both are human,” he said. ”Water is a basic fundamental right for any human being.”
”We want the government to keep at least eight taps available,” Nihan said, ”so that two are available for each district.”
He said the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) standards would not allow a country to keep its public water taps closed.
Nihan said he did not want the water from the taps to be used for car washing or business purposes.
”We are ready to go out on the streets and protest on this issue,” he said. ”If they do not reopen the taps by this week we will come out to the streets and will even take the issue to parliament.”
Nihan said the party was waiting so as to give some time for the government to reverse the decision.
”This shows how incapable and unable the government is to run this country,” he said. “They cannot even manage the public water taps.”
Head of Male’ Municipality Adam Manik said the government “might or might not” reopen four more taps.
”We do not want to know what the DRP wants,” Adam said. ‘We understand what the people want, and so far nobody has complained [to us] that they are having difficulties.”
Adam said there would be enough water available from the four open taps, and that he did not wish to comment on the issue further.
MDP MP Alhan Fahmy also said he did not want to comment on the issue while spokesperson for the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Parliamentary group, Ahmed Shifaz did not respond to Minivan News at time of press.
President Mohamed Nasheed presented a certificate to British national Guin Batten yesterday, after she rowed solo across the equatorial Zero Degree Channel on 30 March.
The president signed and presented the certificate at a function held at the President’s Office yesterday afternoon.
President Nasheed congratulated Guin on her achievement and she thanked him and the people of the Maldives for supporting the crossing.
“I hope that my crossing is an inspiration to bring rowing back here to the Maldives,” she said.
The crossing makes Guin the first rower to cross the 60 km channel alone and she now holds the record for the fastest crossing, 7 hours 16 minutes.
World famous Islamic speaker Zakir Naik has confirmed he will visit the Maldives from 28-30 April upon an invitation from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, reports Miadhu.
Naik, his wife and child are to deliver speeches according to Sheikh Farooq and the chance to ask questions will be given.
Naik is the president and founder of religious NGO the Islamic Research Foundation, which also owns Mumbai-based TV channel Peace TV.
The Indian national is a medical doctor and has become one of the most renowned speakers of Islam and comparative religion.
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