A 22 year-old man has died in Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) of dengue fever, reports Haveeru, taking the death toll to 11 and making 2011 the worst recorded year for fatalities due to the virus.
Ten people died in 2006 from the mosquito-borne virus.
The latest victim, Ahmed Shinah from the island of Vaadhoo in Gaaf Dhaal Atoll, was treated for dengue fever at regional hospitals in Villingili and Thinadhoo, Haveeru reported.
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(0)The Ministry of Transport is drafting regulations that will limit applications for private vehicles via a bidding process, in an effort to halt further congestion of cities such as Male’.
“The idea is to control the rising number of vehicles on the streets of Male’,” said Transport Minister Adhil Saleem. “73 percent of people on the street are pedestrians, but the streets are small, especially with two rows of parked motorbikes, and pedestrians are being pinned against the wall.”
The new regulations, which will soon be published in the government’s gazette, will see a certain number of license numbers released to the public each year through public auction. The numbers will go to the applicants who score the most points, and not necessarily the highest bidder.
60 points will be allocated for vehicles with zero emissions, 50 points to the highest bidder, and 10 points for brand new fossil fuel vehicles. No points will be given for imported second hand vehicles, Adhil explained.
“We estimate that this will mean it will cost Rf100,000-200,000 (US$6485-12970) to put a brand new electric vehicle on the road, and Rf300,000-400,000 (US$19455-25940) to put a fossil fuel vehicle on the road,” he said.
The Ministry is also seeking to reform the taxis, Adhil said, which were currently operated like private vehicles rather than as a professional service.
“It’s encouraging the number of taxi drivers who have switched to driving the new buses. I think the scheme has been very successful. Already we can see little improvements in order on the main streets where the buses travel,” he said.
Co-founder of local environmental NGO Bluepeace, Ali Rilwan, said the bidding scheme sounded positive as long as it did not put vehicle ownership only within reach of the privileged.
Male’ already was way beyond its capacity for vehicles, he said. “More high rises are going up and there is just enough room for pedestrians.”
“When school kids come out on a road like Chandhanee Magu there is no space and the road closes,” Rilwan said.
It was a “good question” as to why so many cars and motorbikes were needed on a 2.2 square kilometre island, he noted.
“It’s a fashionable thing – it’s trendy for people to spend their free time riding around.”
People needed to be encouraged to use bicycles, he said, but said many were put off by the high rate of theft.
“Fifteen years ago bicycles had to be registered with a number plate. But when registration was relaxed in the late 1980s, the police were no longer able to identify bicycles and they were frequently stolen. People mark chickens and coconut trees on the islands, but not bicycles.”
It was not uncommon for a student to have to buy 7-10 bicycles during his school life, Rilwan said.
(0)Dislikes(0)President Mohamed Nasheed has sent a message of sympathy to His Majesty King Harald V of Norway, after a bomb attack in Oslo and a shooting rampage on Utoeya Island killed 92 people on Friday.
Norwegian police have since arrested 32 year-old right-wing anti-Islam fanatic Anders Behring Breivik, as the country comes to terms with its worst attack since World War II and the single worst attack by a lone gunman.
85 of the casualties were young people attending the annual summer camp for the youth wing of Norway’s ruling Labour party.
One of the survivors told news agency Reuters that the gunman was dressed as a policeman and “would tell people to come over: ‘It’s OK, you’re safe, we’re coming to help you.’ And then I saw about 20 people come toward him and he shot them at close range.”
Another survivor told media that Breivik “seemed very focused. He took his time and picked victims out one by one. People lay on the ground, and he went over them and shot them in the back. He shot them all twice to make sure they were dead.”
Breivik had undergone compulsory military training as part of Norway’s national service and held licenses for several firearms, including automatic weapons. He surrendered to armed police who arrived at the Utoeya Island camp 40 minutes after being called by panicked attendees.
Police are investigating whether the car bomb, which exploded outside government offices in Oslo, was linked to Brevik’s purchase of six tons of fertiliser for a farm he bought 10 weeks ago.
Al-jazeera reported that under Norwegian law, Breivik faces a maximum sentence of 21 years extendable indefinitely in five year increments.
Norway has meanwhile entered a period of national mourning.
“This is beyond comprehension. It’s a nightmare,” Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg told press in Oslo.
In his letter to the Norwegian King, President Nasheed said he was “deeply shocked and saddened to hear about the bomb attack on government buildings in Oslo and the subsequent shooting on Utoeya Island. The Government and the people of the Maldives and I condemn this wanton act of terror in the strongest terms. At this time of distress I extend my profound sympathy and support to Your Majesty, the Government and the people of Norway.”
(1)Dislikes(0)The main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) will begin travels across the country “in about two months” to seek public opinion in preparation for the 2013 presidential election, DRP Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali said last night.
Speaking at a ceremony in Funadhoo in Shaviyani Atoll to mark the party’s sixth anniversary, Thasmeen explained that it was necessary to find out the concerns of young people, who will make up the majority of the electorate in 2013, as well as the needs and opinions of other age groups.
According to newspaper Haveeru, Thasmeen speculated that a majority of voters were unhappy with the current government “because of the difficult situation the Maldivian people are facing now.”
“Therefore, we can only bring the country back to the right track if DRP wins the upcoming presidential election,” he said.
Thasmeen also expressed gratitude to former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on the occasion of the party’s sixth anniversary, who was made the DRP’s ‘Honorary Leader’ at its national congress in March 2010.
The Z-faction of the DRP meanwhile launched separate activities to celebrate the anniversary at a rally Thursday night.
The breakaway faction formed around the party’s ‘Zaeem,’ led by dismissed Deputy Leader Umar Nasser, opened a new office last week for use by Gayoom.
Speaking at the anniversary rally, Gayoom invited DRP members who wished to seek an audience with him to make appointments at the new office, which is located in Boduthakurufaanumagu a short distance from the DRP’s main office.
(0)Dislikes(0)President Mohamed Nasheed opened a new 600-capacity mosque yesterday built in Rasdhoo in Alif Alif Atoll by Universal Enterprises.
According to the President’s Office, “the mosque was constructed in remembrance of the late Aminath Hussain Kaleyfaanu of Kolige, daughter of the late Maizaandhoshuge Hussain Kaleyfaanu of Rasdhoo.”
Following the opening ceremony, islanders of Rasdhoo presented Universal Enterprises Chairman Mohamed Manik with a memento of appreciation.
The mosque was designed by Ahmed Abbas and built by private contractors Amin Construction.
Prior to his visit to Rasdhoo, the President on Thursday met the island councils of Rinbudhoo, Meedhoo and Bandidhoo during a tour of Dhaal Atoll.
President Nasheed spoke about decentralisation and devolving more decision-making powers to local councils and exchanged views on planned development projects.
(0)Dislikes(0)Local environment consultancy company Water Solutions has released a comprehensive and up-to-date tourist map dubbed “Discover Addu City.”
Haveeru reports that the tourist chart was unveiled at an official function Thursday by Addu City Mayor Abdulla Sodiq.
The map features bus routes and stops, road networks and places of interest, such as special geographical features or historical relics and heritage sites.
Water Solutions explained that the map was intended for tourists visiting the southernmost atoll ahead of this year’s SAARC [South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation] summit due to place November in Addu City.
(0)Dislikes(0)The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has destroyed a broken missile that washed up ashore last week on the island of Goidhoo in Noonu Atoll.
An MNDF expert was dispatched to the island to study the missile, who determined that it was a naval missile.
As the expert believed the broken missile could still pose a danger depending on the way it was handled, the missile was safely disposed of around 4.15pm yesterday.
(0)Dislikes(0)The Maldives Police Service signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) last week to combat transnational crime and develop cooperation between the countries.
At a function held at the police headquarters, the MoU was signed on behalf of the AFP by Commissioner Tony Segus and Commissioner of Police Ahmed Faseeh on behalf of the Maldives.
The MoU is expected to strengthen the existing professional relationship between the law enforcement agencies.
(1)Dislikes(0)The annual night market organised by the Maldives National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI) drew to a close last night.
Newspaper Haveeru reports that some stalls gave away commodities for free while others sold goods at much lower rates than market prices. The market was held at the the tsunami memorial area at the eastern end of Male’ with 450 tables and took place from July 10 to 22.
According to local businesses, each stall made between Rf8,000 (US$500) and Rf15,000 (US$970) a night with kitchen utensils among the most popular items ahead of the upcoming fasting month of Ramadan.
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