Tag: maldives

Councils ordered to seek president’s permission before leasing state lands

The Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure has sent a letter to all local councils ordering them to refrain from making any decisions regarding state owned land without seeking prior permission from the president.

In a circular sent to the councils, the ministry stated that in accordance with the Land Act, it is the President who will decide on all matters concerning state owned land with the advice of his ministerial cabinet.

It was stated that the need to send a circular reminding councils of this had come after the president became aware of some councils continually failing to comply by the law.

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Police seizes over 600 coconuts kept on the streets

Police have seized over 600 coconuts which were kept on the streets near the local market in Malé City on Sunday and taken them to the tow yard.

Police stated that they seized the coconuts after they had been kept on the street for “a long period of time in a manner against regulations”.

They stated that police patrolling the market area will only seize goods after they have been kept for hours in a manner that obstructs traffic in public places.

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Health Minister seeks parliament approval for new role

The President’s Office has submitted the name of Minister of Health Dr Mariyam Shakeela for parliament approval on Sunday.

Shakeela was appointed to the post on July 1 after the ministry was renamed to the Ministry of Health from the Ministry of Health and Gender.

The re-shuffle also saw the creation of the Ministry of Law and Gender, which is set to oversee all government functions related to families, children, women, people with special needs, and human rights.

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UK visa forms to be accepted in Malé from August

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that it has made arrangements for visa applications from students seeking to studies in the UK to be accepted from Malé from August.

In an announcement released on Sunday, the Foreign Ministry stated that the arrangement had been made with the work of the ministry in liaison with the UK High Commission and VFS Global.

The ministry called on students to prepare the necessary documents in advance and stated that they will later announce the arrangements for visa appointments and how the service will be given.

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President nominates members to the Police Integrity Commission

President Abdulla Yameen has submitted three names to parliament to be considered for the posts of members of the Police Integrity Commission.

The names submitted by the president are Al Usthaz Ali Nadheem of Gloriosa in Henveiru ward of Malé, Fathimath Sarira Ali Shareef who is Malé Municipal Registry number 1320, and Mohamed Faruhadh of Hasankaarige from the island of Meedhoo in Addu City.

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Majlis calls for applications for public’s representative on JSC

Parliament on Sunday announced it will be accepting applications for the pubic’s representative on the Judicial Services Commission.

In an announcement released yesterday, the parliament stated that applications for the seat on the judicial watchdog can be sent in until noon on July 13.

Currently, the post is being filled by Sheikh Shuaib Abdul Rahman.

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Kurendhoo and Fulidhoo erosion threatens communities

Both Vaavu Fulidhoo and Lhaviyani Kurendhoo are suffering the impacts of increased coastal erosion and Udha waves as the south-west monsoon season continues.

Vaavu atoll Fulidhoo Council has said it is about to lose the island’s football stadium, while the local graveyard on Kurendhoo is now just 15 feet from the encroaching waves.

Fulidhoo has already lost its cultural center and a 50 foot tower – erected as a navigation guide for vessels traveling within the atoll – to erosion, says the council.

It estimates that approximately 350-400 feet of soil has been eroded so far, with the erosion speeding up following the 2004 tsunami and accelerating every south-west monsoon since then.

Council President Moosa Faiz says the sea is now around just six feet away from the Dhiraagu telecommunications tower, with the power cable already in the water. At the current rate of erosion, he expects it to fall before this monsoon ends.

“Now the only option we have is to move the cable into the football stadium, but the youth and general public do not want this. Some are asking how long before we move the tower into the stadium?”

The council has instead opted to keep the cable as it is – in the sea – and to the electricity to the tower for safety.

With no sufficient funds at their disposal to protect the beach, the council traveled to the capital Malé city last month, meeting with nine different government ministries and Dhiraagu without a gaining a positive response, Faiz continued.

The council has now started requesting assistance from nearby tourist resorts.

Meanwhile the island is being approached by Udha waves from the northern side of the island which last month encroached 100 feet into the island, rather than the usual 10 0r 20.

“People were afraid this time,” explained the council president.

Kurendhoo

Approximately 114 miles north of Fulidhoo, the island of Kurendhoo in Lhaviyani atoll is also facing increasing land erosion.

The northern side of the island is eroding at a fast pace, leaving the only graveyard on the island within 15 feet of being taken by the ocean.

The erosion has accelerated in the past three years, with 15-20 feet of sand already washed away by the sea on Kurendhoo.

A Kurendhoo council official said that part of the beach was reclaimed earlier during the harbor construction approximately ten years ago, but all this had all now been washed into the sea.

The previous council had tried unsuccessfully to control the erosion by placing concrete blocks and stones at the area.

The council’s only hope at the moment is the now- stalled harbor project of the island, which includes a 309 meter rock revetment, the construction of a 207 meter concrete quay-wall, and a 582 meter Rock Armour Breakwater.

The MVR40 million project was handed over to Maldives Transport and Construction Company in March 2013 and was expected to be completed with a year.

Kurendhoo also faced Udha waves from the southern side of the island in this season, affecting approximately four houses and flooding the streets.

Possible causes

The Kurendhoo council president believes that beach erosion on his island could be related to the construction of the harbor at the thundi side of the island where sand naturally comes and goes from the beach.

These moving sands, which some locals call the ‘dancing thundi’ are an important part of the natural system which forms and sustains the islands, may have been interrupted by human interference.

The Environment Protection Agency’s (EPA) Senior Environment Analyst Rifath Naeem said that this is very likely to be an underlying reason for the increasing number of islands with chronic beach erosion.

“Sometimes construction of harbors or other development activity could throw off the balance in this system. When the complex dynamics and equilibrium of sand movement are affected by such activity, it could increase accretion or erosion of beaches. What’s happening to the beach of one island could affect that of another island in that same reef.” He said.

Since the establishment of the agency, all development projects are carried out with an Environment Impact Assessment, but Rifath said this information may not be enough considering how complex these systems are.

While this assessment minimizes the negative environmental impact, he said, to fully grasp the complex systems at work and minimize impact further would require a lot more time and work.

“Chronic erosion has been going on for a while now, both on inhabited and uninhabited islands. But lately the number of reports we receive have increased significantly along with reports of other environmental issues such as salt water intrusion and changes in rainfall,” he said.

At the moment there is not enough data to say clearly that it is in fact an increase in erosion or just an increase in reporting, he explained, if it is caused by human intervention or if it is a direct impact of climate change.

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Teachers Association condemn “overhauling of the academic calendar” for Ramadan

Following the government’s decision to close schools for grades 9 and under during Ramadan, the Teachers Association of Maldives had said the move will damage students academically.

“We cannot at all accept the way schools were shut down all of a sudden,” said President of the Teacher’s Association Athif Abdul Hakeem.

While teachers do not have a problem with the concept of closing schools for Ramadan, he said, the manner in which the decision was made had given rise to numerous problems.

“It would have been alright if it had been planned ahead and included in the academic calendar,” he said. “The excuse that the Education Ministry gave for closing schools is also unacceptable. If students in Grades 10 and above can understand lessons in three hours, so can those in grade 8. It’s illogical to claim otherwise.”

Hakeem also refuted the ministry’s claims that attendance was lower during Ramadan, adding that students will face disadvantages as a result of the sudden closure.

Earlier in June, the Education Ministry announced the decision, saying that the reduced three-hour days during the month of fasting were insufficient time in which to take lessons.

It further claimed that the decision had been made after holding discussions with those in the education sector and parents – a claim Hakeem has denied.

Parents and teachers

“It is a horrible decision,” said Mariyam Maanaa – mother of a Grade 8 student. “It is making children lethargic. How will they cope when they start working and have to go to office during Ramadan if they get used to this being a vacation?”

Civil service working hours – also the subject of some controversy prior to the start of the holy month – are between 10am and 2pm throughout Ramadan.

“This is the first time school has been closed during Ramadan and I see no reason why it had to be done,” she continued

Parent Rahima Ali, meanwhile, feels that it was a reasonable decision to not hold sessions for youngest of students.

“Perfectly understandable that school is closed for pre-schoolers. It might have been okay to close them even for Grades 1 to 5. But over that, they are not so young anymore. They must be able to concentrate on lessons even if fasting.

“Fasting is not meant to be a break from life when all you have to do is sleep through the day. The ministry’s decision is ruining our children’s discipline.”

Teacher Aishath Inas stated that while they had been asked to provide handouts to students for the holidays, teachers did not have sufficient time to effectively do so.

“It will also be extremely hard to try to cover a full month’s syllabus later. Many teachers are unhappy with the fact that we have to work through Ramadan even when students are not here, and while we will also need to come out to work on every Saturday for the rest of the year,” she said.

Extra classes

Despite the government’s decision, some schools – especially those in the islands – have begun to take sessions under the name of holding extra classes.

The Teacher’s Association was informed today that the ministry had notified those schools to stop holding such classes.

“The fact that schools are taking the initiative and holding classes shows just how concerned teachers are that we may not be able to complete the syllabus on time,” he said.

On July 3, the Ministry announced that the mid-term break would now be rescheduled to fit in into the last days of Ramadan.

Hakeem stated that this would once again pose problems as it may interfere with travel and other plans that parents may have already made in accordance with the annual academic calendar.

“The gist of the matter is we cannot accept the overhauling of the academic calendar in the middle of the year. There is no formula that will allow us to complete the syllabus on time now. As for working on Saturdays, it will be a burden on the state budget to have teachers work then as according to the law, teachers will need to be paid double the rate if they are working on an official holiday,” he continued.

Minivan News was unable to contact Ministry of Education Media Officer Maina Latheef at the time of press.

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