Tag: maldives news

Construction of flats for teachers cost MVR62 million: Education Ministry

The Ministry of Education has revealed that MVR62 million was spent on the construction of a ten-storey apartment complex for teachers.

Speaking at a press conference held on Tuesday, Deputy Minister Ibrahim Ismail stated that MVR 36 million out of the Educational Fund of the ministry, as well as a loan of MVR26 million from the Maldives Islamic Bank has been spent on the building.

The ten-storey apartment complex consists of 18 single-room apartments and 62 two-room apartments.

Seventy-five flats are reserved for those who serve as teachers or education development officers. The other five flats are reserved to provide accommodation for visiting educational experts brought in by the Ministry of Education.

Application forms to rent the flats can be submitted from February 16 to March 13. The rent for a single-room apartment is MVR4000, and for a two-room apartment is MVR6000.

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MNDF officers to travel with hajj pilgrims for assistance

The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and the state enterprise Hajj Corporation have signed an agreement under which officers of the MNDF will attend hajj pilgrimage to provide assistance to pilgrims.

The memorandum of understanding was signed at an event held at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs on Tuesday – signed by Chief of Defence Force Major General Ahmed Shiyam and Hajj Corporation Managing Director Yamin Idrees.

Speaking at the event, Islamic Minister Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed revealed that a similar agreement will be signed with the police force in the near future.

The minister further revealed that the Hajj Corporation would be covering all expenses of the officers who will be attending the pilgrimage. He stated that he aimed to eventually have all MNDF officials attend hajj prayers under the initiative.

The corporation is sponsoring seven MNDF officers this year.

An official of the Hajj Corporation stated that the idea behind the initiative was not to have MNDF officers conduct menial tasks for the pilgrims, but rather to facilitate a means for soldiers to engage in the prayers of Hajj.

Hajj Corporation Chairperson Dr Aishath Muneeza stated that 400 pilgrims would be taken to Mecca for the pilgrimage this year. She added that a delegation of the corporation is soon leaving for Saudi Arabia to seek ways of increasing convenience for Maldivian pilgrims, including the renting of a separate hotel solely for the use of Maldivians during the hajj season.

MNDF Spokesperson Major Hussain Ali told Minivan News that they have not decided a criteria under which officers who will get the seven pilgrimage slots this year will be selected.

“So far, we have just signed the memorandum of understanding with the Hajj corporation and announced it. We have not yet drafted a selection criteria, though it will be done under some form of selection process,” Major Ali said.

Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed stated that the ministry would not be directly involved in either the selection of officers, or in the compilation of criteria for selecting officers. He said that the target was to allow officers selected by the Hajj Corporation and the MNDF to be able to attend pilgrimage completely free of charge.

The MNDF also concluded a Quran recitation ‘Qari’ course on Monday, held in alliance with The Centre for Holy Quran. Twenty MNDF officers participated in this course.

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MP Sameer joins Jumhooree Party

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ahmed Sameer has signed up to the government aligned Jumhooree Party (JP) on Tuesday.

According to the JP, Sameer joined the party after it promised him the ticket to contest in Dhihdhoo constituency – a seat he currently occupies in parliament – in the upcoming Majlis elections.

Sameer was initially a member of the JP, but later joined the opposition MDP in 2009 to contest in that year’s parliamentary elections.

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Maldives High Commission in Sri Lanka seeks Islam, Dhivehi teachers

The Maldives High Commission in Sri Lanka has announced that it is seeking Dhivehi language, Islam, and Quran teachers to teach the Maldivian community living in neighbouring Sri Lanka.

An official of the high commission also stated that they are seeking interested parties to renovate Sosun Villa – the previous building where the High Commission was housed – for the purposes of conducting these classes.

He added that, in addition to classrooms, after renovation Sosun Villa will house a football ground, courts for indoor games, and a hall where cultural Maldivian activities can be held.

“First we are seeking teachers interested in taking these lessons. We will then see how many persons are interested in learning in these classes. For example, if we manage to get enough students to fill three classes, we will need to hire three teachers,” he told local media.

He revealed that the High Commission is aiming to start the classes at the earliest possible opportunity.

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Chinese tourist drowns in Fulhadhoo

A 30 year old Chinese tourist staying at a guesthouse with his wife in the island of Fulhadhoo in Baa Atoll drowned on Tuesday morning.

Police have stated that the man was already dead when taken to the Fulhadhoo Health Centre.

They were made aware of the drowning after his wife had sought help from the island community on Tuesday, mid-morning.

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Attorney General refuses to attend parliament committee regarding revenue bills

Attorney General Mohamed Anil has refused to attend the parliamentary committee tasked with reviewing revenue bills after being summoned to a meeting scheduled for Tuesday.

The rejection letter sent to the parliament secretariat argued that the bill of amendments to the Tourism Act and T-GST [Tourism Goods and Services Tax] bills include policies compiled by the Economic and Youth Council of the cabinet.

Anil stated that the only role played by the Attorney General’s Office had been to draft the bills as directed by the council.

“As this office has no comments to make on the content of these bills at this moment, I respectfully inform you that I excuse my office from sending staff to attend the meeting we have been invited to,” a parliament official quoted the letter as saying.

Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ahmed Hamza has suggested that the absence of the Attorney General (AG) suggests disapproval of government policies.

Upon forming a government late last year, President Abdulla Yameen divided his cabinet into two sub-divisions – a social council and an economic council.

Government aligned parties have initiated special sessions of the parliament in order to extend the duration in which bed taxes can be charged, and also to increase T-GST. The government has also proposed to take full payments as lease from resorts that have extended their contracts.

President’s Office Spokesperson Ibrahim Muaz Ali stated that, while the attorney general’s reasons for refusal are “absolutely clear”, the cabinet has thus far not decided whether it will hold discussions on the relevant policies with the parliament committee.

Ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Ali Arif – who sits in the committee tasked with reviewing the revenue bills – stated that he would be able to further comment on the matter after deliberations with the attorney general.

“What the AG has actually said is that he has already provided his views on the matter to the cabinet’s Economic Council, and therefore he declines from attending the committee to present the same views,” Arif stated.

Opposing view

An opposition MDP member in the same committee has interpreted the AG’s refusal to attend the committee meeting in a different light.

“Reading between the lines, MDP feels that the AG refused to attend as he does not agree with some of the things proposed by the government,” MDP MP Ahmed Hamza told Minivan News today.

“One of the things we feel he disagrees on is the government’s proposal to change the payment terms for resorts, to cancel the extentions granted to payments in breach of what the government has previously agreed with resort owners,” he continued.

“The other thing is the bed tax. The law says bed tax charges are to be ceased from December 31, 2013. The government is now proposing to continue taking it from January 1, 2014, but there is no law to support this. We feel the AG does not support taking this in retrospect after a law is formed now,” Hamza stated.

The AG, Mohamed Anil, was not responding to calls at the time of press.

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President Yameen institutes parole board, appoints commissioner of prisons

President Abdulla Yameen yesterday instituted an eight-member parole board under the recently ratified Prisons and Parole Act – he also appointed a commissioner of prisons.

The members appointed to the parole board were Fauziyya Ali from the Education Ministry, Mohamed Rasheed from the Health Ministry, Deputy Counsel General Khadeeja Shabeen from the Attorney General’s Office, Mohamed Shah from NGO Irama Youth Association, Chief Superintendent of Police Abdulla Ahmed, Dr Ahmed Ziyad from the Islamic Ministry, Dr Mohamed Habeeb to represent the medical community, and Dr Shanooha Mansoor as a psychiatrist.

President Yameen also appointed Moosa Asim, of Henveiru Dhiyadhoo, as the commissioner of prisons at the Maldives Correctional Service.

Asim previously served as deputy superintendent at the now-defunct Department of Penitentiary and Rehabilitation Service.

Additionally, President Yameen also appointed Abdulla Ahmed, of Dhevinage in Gaaf Dhaal Thinadhoo, as a deputy minister at the Ministry of Home Affairs.

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Three stabbed in Malé

Two men and one minor were stabbed in Malé City’s Maafannu ward on Monday evening.

According to the police, an 18-year-old male was stabbed before dusk near the Mary Brown restaurant on the southwest corner of Malé. He suffered injuries to his right arm and ribs.

Shortly afterwards, another 18-year-old male was attacked by two individuals on motorbikes near Maafannu Yagoothuge.

A 17-year-old male was also attacked near Ace hardware store. He was stabbed in the back.

None of the victims suffered serious injuries, the police said.

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MDP announces winners in six parliamentary primaries

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has announced the winners in primaries for six parliamentary constituencies today.

Incumbent MP Nazim Rashad won the party ticket for Thulhadhoo constituency, while Ismail Ahmed won the Dhuvaafaru constituency.

Mahmood Idris won the primary for the Maamigili constituency and Ismail Gasim (Souvenir Isse) won the Vilifushi constituency. Abdulla Afeef won the ticket for Gemanafushi and Ahmed Ibrahim Didi (Campus Didi) secured the ticket for Fuvahmulah Medhu constituency.

Meanwhile, Abdulla Nafiz has secured the party ticket for Fuvahmulah South without a vote after his opponent pulled out of the primary today.

Of the 85 People’s Majlis constituencies, the party ticket was initially granted to 27 candidates without a primary due to a lack of contenders.

The party had scheduled primaries for the remaining 58 constituencies, but called off polls due to administrative and voter registry issues.

Voting has now been completed for 25 constituencies. Polling for Baarashu constituency will be held tomorrow,and the MDP expects to hold voting for 30 constituencies during the upcoming weekend.

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