Tag: maldives news

Government to tender Malé-Hulhulé bridge project next month

The government will announce invitation to tender for the Malé–Hulhulé bridge project in early June, President Abdulla Yameen revealed last night.

Speaking in the Feydhoo ward of Addu City, President Yameen said the company chosen in the bidding process would commence a technical survey upon being awarded the project.

“God willing, before the end of the first two weeks of June, we will tender the bridge project. With that, additional studies needed for the project – that is the direction and extent of ocean currents – will be undertaken by the party awarded the tender,” he explained.

He added that the construction of a bridge connecting the capital and the airport as well as the reclaimed artificial island of Hulhumalé was “a dream” of the current administration.

Yameen also appealed for support and cooperation from the public to successfully implement the government’s infrastructure development projects.

He reiterated calls for the public to ensure cooperation of the People’s Majlis for the executive through their elected representatives.

Yameen said he did not doubt that the development of a “Youth City” in Hulhumalé would solve the problem of high unemployment among youth.

In February, Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed pledged that the Malé – Hulhulé bridge project – which he described as “iconic for the whole region” – would be completed in two years.

Of 19 parties that had expressed interest in the project, Saeed noted that seven were international companies.

First announced as a campaign pledge of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom in 2008, a bridge connecting the congested island of Malé with its relatively spacious suburb was also an aim of Gayoom’s successor Mohamed Nasheed.

In December 2011, the President’s Office revealed that preliminary surveys conducted by international experts had established the viability of the project with an estimated cost of between US$70 million and US$100 million.

Upon assuming office in November 2013, the present administration called for expressions of interest for the project under a public-private partnership contract that would require the selected company to engage in the design, build, financing, maintenance and operation of the bridge.

“Primary objective of the government is to bring a relief to the socio-economic issues arising from the urban congestion that is present in Malé,” the Ministry of Economic Development explained at the time.

Former Minister of Economic Development Mahmoud Razee – a member of Nasheed’s cabinet – meanwhile told Minivan News in February that a bridge would improve local commerce and reduce traffic congestion in Malé.

“There will be a mediation of the traffic because what happens in Malé – in the afternoons and evenings – a lot of the traffic is leisure traffic as motorcycles are out on the road, not to go to any particular place but for the sake of having a ride. If these are connected, the area they are able to mill around is increased by several kilometers,” he explained.

Speaking at a groundbreaking ceremony in Hulhumalé last month, President Yameen said that the vision of his administration was to develop the artificial island as a “youth village” with a population of 50,000 people.

Hulhumalé will become “a paradise on earth” for migrants from across the country, he said, whilst economic opportunities would be created by the construction of a bridge connecting the island to the nearby capital city.

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President Yameen defends nomination of Maumoon Hameed for prosecutor general post

President Abdulla Yameen has defended the nomination of his nephew Maumoon Hameed to the vacant post of prosecutor general (PG), announcing his intention to nominate the lawyer to parliament for a second time.

Parliament rejected Hameed – son of former Atolls Minister Abdulla Hameed – on April 14 after the nominee fell three votes short of securing parliamentary approval.

Addressing supporters in the Feydhoo ward of Addu City last night (May 18), President Yameen insisted that Hameed was chosen based on competence and qualification rather than family connection.

“I don’t want in any case for the People’s Majlis to appoint Maumoon Hameed to the post of Prosecutor General  because he is my brother or a member of my family,” Yameen said.

“But even tonight, I want to say proudly, standing before the public, that yes, it is true, there are educated and competent persons in my family. They want to serve the Maldivian government and the Maldivian people. They will be brought before the law when they violate the law. I am sending Maumoon Hameed’s name [to parliament] this time as well.”

He added that he wished for parliament to approve “approve a trustworthy and experienced person as prosecutor general.”

Opposition members of the Majlis involved in the previous approval process have suggested that he had failed to meet the oversight committee’s assessment criteria, suggesting that he had shown a poor understanding of current legal issues concerning the country’s legal system.

Yameen observed that the nomination of his nephew has been the subject of criticism in the media, noting that the names of other applicants would be forwarded to parliament as well.

Earlier this month, the President’s Office invited applications for the PG post for a third time after too few candidates put forward their names.

President’s Office Spokesperson Ibrahim Muaz revealed this week that the applicants included four judges in addition to former Tourism Minister Mariyam Zulfa and state prosecutor Aishath Fazna Ahmed.

The PG’s post has been vacant since November following the resignation of Ahmed Muiz ahead of a scheduled no-confidence motion in parliament.

The criminal justice system was meanwhile temporarily brought to a halt with the resignation on May 4 of Deputy Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem – who had been fulfilling the responsibilities of the PG – citing “obstruction” by the Criminal Court.

In the wake of Shameem’s resignation, state prosecutors refused to attend trials in the absence of both the PG and his deputy. However, the prosecutors resumed work after a week-long hiatus following a Supreme Court order last week.

18th People’s Majlis

Following parliament’s rejection of Hameed last month, opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor suggested that the failure to secure a simple majority of 39 votes was down to either poor organisation on the part of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) or a sign of discord within the governing coalition.

“MP Gasim Ibrahim [Jumhooree Party leader] was openly lobbying against the PG nominee 30 minutes before vote but voted with PPM,” Hamid claimed, noting the conspicuous absence of a number of prominent government-aligned MPs for the vote.

Hamid predicted that Maumoon Hameed’s name would be resubmitted to the newly-elected parliament as the Progressive Coalition secured a comfortable majority in the March 22 polls.

Tension has however arisen between the PPM and coalition partner JP over the post of speaker. While Gasim announced his intention to stand for the post, President Yameen said the speaker should be a member of the ruling party as it won the most number of seats in the 18th People’s Majlis.

The Progressive Coalition won a combined total of 53 seats in the March 22 parliamentary polls, well above the simple majority of 43 required to approve presidential nominees and pass legislation.

In his speech last night, President Yameen strongly criticised the outgoing parliament, reiterating the importance of parliament’s cooperation for implementing the government’s policies and carrying out infrastructure projects.

“I want a member of our party to become speaker of the People’s Majlis in this term. I don’t want a member of another party to hijack our party,” he said.

Speaking at the function, former President Gayoom also said that the PPM needed to ensure public backing for the government.

“The government needs the sincere support of the Maldivian people at this time. We can provide that support to the government by increasing the number of members in our party,” he said.

The PPM leader launched a recruitment drive to increase party membership earlier this month.

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Family Court rules baby cannot be separated from German mother

The Family Court has ruled that the baby of Ahmed Sharuan and Tanja Sharuan cannot be separated from the mother.

The verdict last week however stated that the court cannot rule on child custody as the couple is still legally married.

In March 2014, Ahmed Sharuan was accused by his wife Tanja Sharuan of abducting the couple’s baby from her home in Zurich.

The Family Court subsequently released an injunction ordering the father to return the child to the mother. Sharuan appealed the decision at the High Court.

However, the High Court upheld the decision of the Family Court on March 20, and on March 24 Sharuan returned the baby to the mother in the presence of police.

Tanja also launched an Aavaaz petition at the time, seeking support for her cause while claiming that Sharuan was accusing her of attempting to raise the child as a non-Muslim despite her conversion to Islam.

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Vice President pledges to raise teachers’ pay once state income increases

Vice President Mohamed Jameel Ahmed has stated that the government will review and raise teachers’ pay once the state income increases.

Speaking at a meeting with the school management staff of several atolls held in Nasandhura Palace Hotel on Sunday, Jameel also spoke of the policies for teachers which the current administration has introduced since it assumed office in 2013.

In addition to increasing the amount of pay that teachers can earn during overtime working hours, the government also introduced a scheme in which teachers can pursue studies while on pay leave, Jameel said.

He described the teachers work as a service done “in national spirit”, stating that they continue to work with extremely low wages, adding that the services are so valuable that it cannot ever be repaid.

“At the moment, there is no additional income to the state budget. However, I am aware of how to develop the Maldives. While we introduce huge plans and talk about needing accountants and hundreds of doctors or other professionals, the truth is that it all rests in your hands,” he told the education professionals.

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MJA to hold executive committee elections in June

The Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) has announced that it will be holding its executive committee elections on June 2.

The association has attempted to hold the elections on two previous instances, with each attempt halted due to disagreements on procedural matters between its members.

MJA President Ahmed Zahir said that he is hopeful that the election can be successfully held this time.

“Our intention has always been to hold a successful election. Even on the previous two tries, we tried to complete it. However, some of our members had various reservations. We have tried to address them this time around, and so are hopeful that it can be successfully concluded,” he said.

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Police suspend investigations into Supreme Court judge’s sex scandal

The Maldives Police Service has suspended investigations into Supreme Court Judge Ali Hameed’s alleged appearance in a series of sex tapes.

“We have filed the Ali Hameed case. We do not have enough evidence to proceed further and it will only be opened again if we receive additional information,” a police media official told Minivan News today.

In December, Superintendent Abdulla Nawaz told the press the police had been unable to determine if the man seen fornicating with three different foreign women was Ali Hameed. The incident reportedly occurred in a hotel room in Colombo.

Nawaz at the time pledged to continue with the investigations with assistance from a foreign country. The police press conference followed local media reports that the investigations had stalled due to the Criminal Court’s failure to provide a warrant to take a facial photograph of the judge and a separate warrant to search his residence.

The judicial oversight body Judicial Services Commission (JSC) has meanwhile failed to take any action on the matter despite repeated recommendations by two subcommittees to suspend the judge for failure to cooperate with investigations.

The sex tapes first surfaced in May 2013 shortly after a film – also involving Hameed – began circulating on social media in which the judge appeared to be discussing political influence in the judiciary with a local businessman.

JSC member Shuaib Abdul Rahman and former member MP Ahmed Hamza have accused JSC President and Supreme Court Judge Adam Mohamed of stalling the commission’s investigation into the scandal.

Meanwhile, the Prosecutor General (PG) has pressed corruption charges against Hameed over the illegal transfer of US$144 worth credit from his state-funded mobile phone in 2010.

But the Criminal Court has said case documents were destroyed in a coffee spill and has asked the PG’s Office to submit files again.

The auditor general discovered the offense in a 2010 audit of the Department of Judicial Administration and the case was subsequently investigated by the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC).

The audit also discovered that MVR13,200 (US$856) was spent out of the apex court’s budget to repair a state-owned car used by an unnamed Supreme Court Justice, later revealed in the media to be Justice Hameed.

According to the police report cited by auditors, the driver of the justice’s car was responsible for the accident, which occurred on January 23, 2011.

However, the official driver insisted the car was undamaged when he parked and left it the previous night.

Despite the findings of the audit report, in March 2011 the Supreme Court dismissed allegations of corruption reported in local media regarding phone allowances and use of court funds to repair Justice Hameed’s car.

Moreover, in September 2011, the ACC began investigating allegations that over MVR50,000 (US$3,200) of state funds was spent on plane tickets for Justice Hameed’s official visit to China in December 2010.

The complainant alleged that Hameed also visited Sri Lanka and Malaysia, both before and after his trip to China to attend a conference by the International Council of Jurists.

A return ticket on a direct flight from Malé to Beijing at time cost MVR16,686 (US$1,080).

Furthermore, in May 2012, the ACC revealed that Justice Hameed was among three sitting judges illegally occupying state-owned apartments.

The Maldives Bar Association in April has said Hameed’s continued presence on the Supreme Court bench contravenes Islamic Shariah and the norms of justice.

“Given the serious nature of the allegations against Ali Hameed, that the judge continues to hold trial contravenes norms of justice, conduct of judges, and established norms by which free and democratic societies deal with cases of this nature,” the organization said.

Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz Hussain has refused to comment on the issue, stating in January: “We are speaking about accusations. The Chief Justice will comment on the matter when relevant authorities decide on the nature of the accusations. How many other’s have also faced accusations?”

Images and symbols depicting scenes from the sex-tape formed a prominent part of protests against the court’s repeated interference in the presidential election of 2013.

Hameed was one of the four judges who formed the majority in the Supreme Court’s decision to annul the initial first round of the 2013 presidential election, the ruling that unseated two opposition MPs over a controversial case of decreed debt, and the ruling that removed Elections Commission President and Vice President for alleged contempt of court.

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Family Court throws out corruption investigators

The Family Court has thrown out two investigators from the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC).

ACC President Hassan Luthfee told local media the two investigators had gone to the court last Thursday (May 15) with a warrant from the commission but court officials refused them entry.

“We have faced this issue with [government] offices before. It is very concerning that this is happening in the judiciary or the courts,” Luthfee told newspaper Haveeru.

The ACC will continue with its legal obligations despite challenges, he added.

A Family Court official denied the allegations, but declined to comment on the matter further. Local media have said this is the second time the ACC has been denied access to the Family Court.

In December, Luthfy said government companies passed board resolutions to prevent the ACC from accessing information. He then urged the government to pass an anti-corruption bill stating that the biggest obstacle to the fight against corruption was lack of laws on the issue.

The ACC currently relies on the outdated law on Prevention and Prohibition of Corruption passed in 2000 under former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

The commission’s ability to prevent state institutions from proceeding with questionable agreements has also been hampered by a Supreme Court verdict in September 2013.

The ruling said the ACC did not have the legal authority to stop the Department of Immigration and Emigration from signing a contract with Malaysian mobile security firm Nexbis in 2010, to establish a border control system (BCS).

Recently, the Malé City Council cited the ruling in its refusal to abide by the ACC’s instruction to cancel a contract on holding a night market in the capital.

Meanwhile. President Abdulla Yameen last week urged the ACC to expedite investigations involving infrastructure projects worth “hundreds of millions of rufiyaa” claiming the government is facing losses due to delays.

The ACC told the state broadcaster at the time that the commission has always endeavoured to complete investigations as quickly as possible in order to avoid losses to the public and the government.

The commission noted that recurring problems hindering investigations included having to provide a legally-mandated period for accused parties to respond to allegations after seeking legal counsel, as well as difficulties in obtaining relevant documents from state institutions.

According to a survey published by advocacy NGO Transparency Maldives in December, 83 percent of people surveyed felt corruption had increased or stayed the same during the past two years.

The Majlis topped the Global Corruption Barometer (GCB) survey with 60 percent feeling it to be ‘extremely corrupt’, followed by political parties at 57 percent, the judiciary at 55 percent and the police at 34 percent.

A recent survey on public attitudes towards democracy also found 46 percent of the public have no confidence in the courts. Only 20 percent reported a great deal of confidence in the courts.

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MMA governor calls for courageous cuts at third Maldives Finance Forum

The third Maldives Finance Forum was opened with the Governor of the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) Dr Azeema Adam calling upon stakeholders to take more courage in reducing government expenditure.

“There needs to be a change particularly with regards to disorganised subsidies, and revenue needs to be increased,” Dr Azeema was reported to have told attendees.

“But that is not something the government alone could do. It should be done together by many.”

Azeema’s comments echoed the findings of the MMA’s 2013 macroeconomic report, which warned that further “slippages” in revenue or spending would undermine medium-term debt sustainability,with adverse effects on exchange rate and prices.

The third Maldives Finance Forum took place today at Bandos Island Resort, focusing on the issue of international financial and capital markets, and financial literacy.

Organised by the Maldives Pensions Administration Office (MPAO), the event sought to bring together leaders from the political, academic, financial, and social sectors to share ideas for the further development of the Maldivian financial sector.

Also speaking at today’s forum were Head of Official Institutions at Schroders Gavin Ralston, Global head of the JP Morgan’s Islamic Finance practice Dr Hussain Hassan, Minister of Economic Development Mohamed Saeed, and leading figures from the Maldivian business community.

Among the forum’s stated objectives the identification of legal and regulatory impediments to development, the promotion of financial literacy among the public, and awareness raising of the potential of the country’s pension fund.

The pension fund – overseen by the Capital Market Development Authority (CMDA) – is currently in need of diversification, CMDA CEO Fathimath Shafeega recently told Minivan News

“As you know the pension system in Maldives has assumed that there will be a developed capital market. The development of the capital market has not kept pace with the pension development,” she explained .

Beginning in March this year, the government more than doubled the monthly pension – with head of the Cabinet’s Economic Council Ahmed Adeeb stating that “innovative” investment would prevent the need to divert funds from within the current budget.

The CMDA’s quarterly report last week for the first time featured details of the country’s nascent Islamic Capital Markets, indicating the rapid growth of Shariah-based financial products in the country in recent years.

Shafeega expressed confidence that the Maldives was well positioned to become an international centre of both Islamic and non-Islamic finance in future years – the evolution of both these areas was discussed by touched Mr Ralston and Dr Hassan, respectively, at Bandos today.

Today’s speech from the economic development minister discussed issues faced in attracting foreign investment and finance – something the current government has made a priority, organising a landmark foreign investment forum in Singapore last month.

The ensuing panel discussion at today’s forum concerned accessing global financial markets and securing foreign investments.

During the recent investment forum in Singapore, President Abdulla Yameen announced his intention to create “a resilient, diversified high income economy in the next decade.”

The government was committed to exploring “openings for increasing foreign investment flows to non-traditional sectors to lift Maldives beyond the image of a picturesque postcard,” said Yameen.

The current economy relies on the tourism industry for an estimated 80 percent of GDP.

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Green public lighting project launched in Hoadedhoo

A green public lighting has commenced in Hoadedhoo, Gaaf Dhaalu atoll which will replace ninety street and harbor lights with LED lights, and power twenty of these with solar energy.

The project titled ‘Improving efficiency in municipal street lighting and public space lighting in Hoadedhoo’ will also place 24 new streetlights in a recently populated area of the island .

Additionally, through this project a study will also be carried out to identify carbon emission contributions at houses and in other institutions on the island, with programmes being held to create renewable energy awareness in the community.

To initiate the project an inception workshop was held from 16 -17 May and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Hoadedhoo  Council and Huvadhoo Aid – the implementing organisation.

The project, worth US$73,750 is jointly funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) (US$48,700) and Huvadhu Aid (US$18,210) with contributions from the council and community (US$6,840).

Huvadhoo Aid is a Hoadedhoo based civil society organisation focused on rural socio-economic development and improving quality of life in Gaafu Alifu and Gaafu Dhaalu atolls. Initially established 1987, the organisation now has over 270 members.

GEF is an independent financial organisation consisting of a partnership between 183 countries which works with international institutions, civil society organisations, and the private sector to address global environmental issues.

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