Tag: maldives

“President Yameen’s administration will fall in a coup,” says Nasheed

The presidential system of government in the Maldives is unstable and will result in more coup d’états, former President and opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed has said.

“The presidential system in the Maldives has not brought about a secure government. There is no doubt of coups in the Maldives. President [Abdulla] Yameen’s administration will fall in a coup. It will be overthrown,” he told Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) supporters at a rally in Malé on Sunday.

Nasheed, the first democratically elected leader in the Maldives, claims he was ousted in a coup just three years into his term in February 2012.

However, a Commonwealth backed Commission of National Inquiry  (CONI) called the transfer of power “legal and constitutional.”

The MDP subsequently expressed concern over the exclusion of key security personnel testimony while legal experts accused CONI of selectively gathering and acting upon evidence.

Nasheed said he was not suggesting the MDP would carry out the coup, but that those in power should not rule out a coup given the legitimisation of the February 2012 change of power and the Supreme Court’s silence on the matter.

“I am not by any means suggesting we will carry out a coup. The legitimate means of changing regimes has been demonstrated in 2012. The Supreme Court has demonstrated how to interpret the constitution. With that legitimacy, both ourselves and those in power, we should not rule out the possibility that another group may overthrow the government,” he said.

Nasheed once again proposed amending the constitution of the Maldives to a parliamentary system of government, especially in the aftermath of the dissolution of the ruling coalition.

Yameen’s Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) came to power with the backing of third placed candidate Gasim Ibrahim in November’s presidential polls.

Gasim had won 23.35 percent of the vote in the first round of presidential polls last year, and his eventual backing was crucial for the PPM’s win in the second round.

The PPM had gained 29.72 percent of the vote in the first round and narrowly won the election against Nasheed with 51.39 percent.

Gasim’s Jumhooree Party (JP) support was contingent on a 35 percent stake in government and a pledge to jointly contest March parliamentary polls.

The coalition fell apart in a dispute over which party should control the Majlis speaker position. Gasim narrowly lost the vote to PPM’s Abdulla Maseeh.

Nasheed himself required the backing of the JP and a number of smaller parties to win the presidential election of 2008. The coalition led by Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) also fell apart shortly after Nasheed assumed power.

Speaking to private broadcaster Raajje TV in May, Nasheed said he would work through the new parliament to amend the constitution and facilitate a transition to a parliamentary system.

“It is time for the system of governance in Maldives to be changed into a parliamentary system. When we move to a parliamentary system there won’t be any need to have a cabinet,” said Nasheed.

“The cabinet is very costly, we can cut down that as well [by moving to a parliamentary system]. What I want to say to President Maumoon is to think about how the Maldives has been governed in the past and what happened during the drafting of the constitution,” he was quoted as saying.

Speaking to Minivan News in February, Nasheed said: “Coalitions work in parliamentary systems where you can actually have ministers coming out from the parliament and therefore it’s possible to come to an arrangement. But when the cabinet is not in the parliament, an alliance doesn’t necessarily work.”

“The shuffling or the portions given to different parties are given from the cabinet, and the cabinet is a very superficial layer on the government. The actual essence is the parliament where you make the laws.”

Nasheed had raised the same issue during his presidency in July 2010 in response to difficulties in governance. At the time, Nasheed’s MDP controlled a minority in parliament while the then-opposition opposed and blocked several flagship laws.

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Home Minister returns to Malé, High Court rejects appeal to overturn arrest warrant

Home Minister Umar Naseer has returned to the Maldives from an official visit to the Netherlands, although police have made no move to arrest the minister as per a Criminal Court arrest warrant.

The warrant orders the Maldives Police Services to arrest and present the minister at the Criminal Court on Tuesday (June 17) to answer charges of disobedience to order. The case has been scheduled for 11am tomorrow.

Criminal Court Judge Abdulla Didi issued the warrant on Thursday while Naseer was away in the Netherlands to source sniffer dogs and body scanners.

Naseer’s lawyer Adam Asif appealed the warrant at the High Court, but the court rejected the appeal today claiming an arrest warrant cannot be appealed.

Article 56 of the constitution grants individuals the right to appeal convictions, sentences, judgments or orders by the courts, but arrest warrants do not fall under the category, said the High Court.

The police were not responding to calls at the time of press.

Naseer had failed to attend three consecutive hearings. Two of the hearings were scheduled during Naseer’s Netherlands visit from June 9 – 16.

The minister is accused of calling for 2,000 volunteers on January 23, 2012 to storm the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) headquarters with 50 ladders during the two weeks of protests sparked by the military’s controversial detention of Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla Mohamed.

If convicted, Naseer faces banishment, imprisonment or house arrest not exceeding six months or a fine not exceeding MVR150 (US$ 10) under Article 88(a) of the penal code.

He denied charges during the first hearing into the case on April 27. At a second hearing on May 22, he asked the court to strike down the clause he is being prosecuted under.

The Prosecutor General’s Office is pressing disobedience to order charges under Article 88 of the Penal Code with reference to Article 8 (a) of the General Laws.

The General Laws was passed in 1968 and the clause in question prohibits writing or speech against any tenet of Islam.

Meanwhile, opposition Maldivian Democratic Party MP Eva Abdulla has tabled a motion at the People’s Majlis, to summon Naseer for questioning over comments he made in 2013 implicating President Abdulla Yameen in the death of MP Afrasheem Ali in 2012.

Naseer lost to Yameen in the ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) primaries in April 2013. He held a rally in which he alleged widespread vote rigging and accused Yameen of illicit connections with gangs and the illegal drug trade.

Yameen met with an individual accused of Afrasheem’s murder at the PPM offices, Naseer said at the time.

He was later expelled from the PPM and joined the Jumhooree Party (JP), backing tourism tycoon Gasim Ibrahim for the presidency. The JP placed third in November’s presidential polls, before throwing its weight behind the PPM at the eleventh hour in exchange for a 35 percent stake in government.

Naseer was appointed home minister on a slot allocated for the JP although the coalition agreement was dissolved in May following a dispute over Gasim’s decision to stand for the Majlis speaker position.

Two of the four JP ministers have now joined the PPM and its ally the Maldives Development Alliance.

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Maldives wins Seven Star Global Luxury Awards

The Maldives has won two prizes at this year’s Seven Star Global Luxury Awards, winning best a destination as well as a special achievement honour for Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb.

Nominated alongside destinations including the Bahamas, Fiji, the Seychelles, Italy, and Mexico, the Maldives was named best destination for the second year running.

Meanwhile, the ‘Outstanding Achievement in Tourism Award’ again went to the Maldives’ tourism minister for having overseen the arrival of one million tourists last year for the first time in the country’s history.

“The ‘Seven Star Destination Winner’ award belongs to the tourism industry partners of Maldives who have been working hard to develop the industry and maintain high level standards,” said Adeeb.

The seven star awards are regarded as the most exclusive international luxury award for the hospitality industry, recognising extraordinary achievements by bestowing upon winners the Signum Virtutis – a seal of excellence for all prospective guests.

After being nominated by Seven Star’s expert panel, industry professionals as well as the public voted for the winners, who received their prize at an award ceremony held at the Chateau Spa & Organic Wellness Resort in Malaysia on Saturday (June 14).

Over 1.1 million tourists visited the Maldives in 2013, a milestone achieved one year behind the government’s original plans after political turmoil temporarily deterred visitors during 2012.

Recent statistics have shown that the industry – directly responsible for 29 percent of GDP – continues to grow, with arrivals up by 11.2 percent based on the same period in 2013.

After developing primarily as a destination for European tourists, the recent expansion of the industry has been heavily reliant on the explosion of the Chinese market – which grew from around 6 percent of arrivals in 2008 to over 26 percent in the first quarter of this year.

Despite moves to expand the mid-market tourism product in the country, the luxury single island resort model continues to dominate over hotels, guest houses and safari vessel options – making up nearly 80 percent of the industry’s bed capacity.

Adeeb has previously explained that the image of the country as a high-end destination was vital in order to attract “A-category” guests, with lower-end facilities subsequently benefitting from the luxury image.

The government is currently considering expansion plans to accommodate the arrival of five millions tourists at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport, and has recently reached out to new markets in Australia.

A survey conducted by the Tourism Ministry earlier this year found that 98 percent of tourists would recommend the Maldives as a holiday destination to others.

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Government seeking loan for Hulhumalé phase two development

The government is seeking a loan from the Bank of Ceylon for the second phase of the Hulhumalé development project, reports local media.

“We are going through the terms of the loan deal, assessing all conditions and in discussion with them. The State is of the mind to continue this project with own finances,” Managing Director of Housing Development Corporation Suhail Ahmed told Haveeru.

The development had previously been one of five mega-projects pitched to international investors at a landmark forum in Singapore in April. The cost of the project has been estimated at US$60 million.

After having reclaimed 188 hectares of land during the first phase of development between 1997 and 2002, the next stage is set to add another 230 hectares to the northern side of the Maldives’ first fully reclaimed island.

Potential investors in Singapore were made aware of President Abdulla Yameen’s plans to develop the island into a ‘youth city’ with a population of 50,000, which will include a “technopolis park” to facilitate light industries.

The construction of the long-awaited bridge between Malé and Hulhumalé is also planned to further open up economic opportunities in the reclaimed island city.

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Indian armed forces doctors conducting medical camps in central atolls

A team of Indian doctors will be conducting medical camps across the central atolls until Friday (June 20), having treated 133 patients in Thulusdhoo, Kaafu atoll, yesterday.

The newly arrived team of four doctors from the Indian Defence Forces, led by Col RK Thapar, will be accompanied by specialists from Malé’s Senahiya military hospital, on a tour of the central atolls.

The team  – specialising in internal medicine, dermatology, dentistry, paediatrics and general surgery – plans to visit Kaafu, Alif Alif, Alif Dhaal and Vaavu atolls this week.

During the Maldives-India friendship celebrations in January, a similar scheme saw 2000 patients treated by Indian doctors.

The‘Dosti-Ekuverikan’ friendship week in January also included a free ‘Eye Camp’ providing free consultation and services for more than 500 people in Malé and Hulhumalé.

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Maldivian reported missing in Malaysia crossed the Thai border

A Maldivian student reported missing in Malaysia has crossed the Thai border, the Maldivian High Commission in Malaysia has said.

Hamdhan Mohamed, 28, checked in at a Malaysian Airlines counter at KL Sentral train station on June 12. He was on standby for a flight that night.

Maldivian Ambassador in Malaysia Mohamed Fayaz told news agency Haveeru that Malaysian immigration records show Hamdhan crossed the Bukit Kayu Hitham border into Thailand at 6:30am on Friday (June 13).

Hamdhan is also reported to have crossed the border in 2013.

“We heard [from the family] that they could not reach Hamdhan after his check in at KL Sentral 7:30pm on Thursday June 12,” Fayaz said.

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Criminal Court on recess until June 30

The Criminal Court is in mid-term recess starting from today until June 30.

Home Minister Umar Naseer’s trial for disobedience to order, however, will proceed as scheduled at 11:00am on Tuesday (June 17).

A Criminal Court media official said the court will focus on administrative affairs and will reduce hearings during the period.

The Juvenile Court is also currently on recess.

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Mohamed Ashmalee appointed state minister of finance

Presdent Abdulla Yameen has appointed Mohamed Ashmalee as a state minister for finance and treasury.

The appointment brings the number of ministers to include 16 cabinet members, 5 other appointees at ministerial rank, 32 state ministers and 60 deputy ministers.

Yoosuf Abdul Ghafoor was appointed as the ‎‎state minister for home affairs last week. ‎

The president has also submitted the name of Aishath Zahira to the People’s Majlis for a second term as the ‎deputy governor of the Maldives Monetary Authority, while applications are currently being received for the new post of information commissioner as well as a new member of the Police Integrity Commission.

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Former Progressive Coalition partners dispute validity of agreement

The ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has said its former coalition partner Jumhooree Party (JP) must initiate a new coalition, while the JP maintains the initial agreement is still valid.

Speaking to ‘Haveeru‘ Ahmed Adeeb – minister of tourism, co-chair of the cabinet’s Economic Council and PPM deputy leader has said the JP would have to express interest in forging another coalition with his party.

Blaming JP leader Gasim Ibrahim for ending the coalition, Adheeb said President Abdulla Yameen does not want to persecute political opponents or make statements about such issues.

Noting his respect for Gasim as a “generous” and “politically experienced” individual, Adeeb acknowledged the JP leader’s contribution helping the government to power, but stated that PPM would not allow anyone to pressure the government.

“We should be faithful to the votes people has given us. We should respect the opportunity to improve the economy given to PPM by the people. I am sure Gasim would also acknowledge [this]. And Gasim will also acknowledge that President Yameen will do no harm to him,” Adheeb was quoted as saying.

He told Haveeru that the opposition MDP had manipulated Gasim into believing that he could become the speaker of the parliament – the cause of the Progressive Coalition’s breakup last month.

Responding to Adeeb’s comments JP Secretary General Ahmed Sameer said the party still believes the initial coalition agreement is valid and will continue to respect the terms of that agreement.

“The coalition agreement was never abrogated, so there is no reason to form another coalition. I think what they [PPM] are saying is just a media stunt, there is no truth in it. It is sad that they have acted against the agreement [in purging political appointees in JP slots], but JP will continue to abide by it,” said Sameer.

He noted that the JP have not been informed about the abrogation of the initial coalition agreement.

“There have been no discussion with us about this and no formal communication of any sort,” Sameer said.

The fall out between the two parties became visible after the 18th People’s Majlis was elected and when both parties expressed interest in nominating candidates for the position of Majlis Speaker.

Despite the PPM’s warnings that the coalition agreement would be cancelled if JP proposed a candidate, party leader Gasim decided to stand for the position – eventually losing the ballot to the PPM candidate MP Abdulla Maseeh.

Soon after Gasim announced his candidacy PPM council unanimously passed a resolution announcing the coalition agreement had been “brought to an end by the Jumhooree Party”.

Within the week the government moved against political appointees belonging to JP removing and taking administrative action against them. One of the Cabinet ministers on a JP slot later signed for PPM.

JP has since accused PPM of not honoring the coalition agreement form the early days of coming to power, noting that the promised 35 percent stake in political appointees was not delivered.

The party claimed that only 29 slots were offered to them among as many as 300 positions. PPM has said that many of JP nominees had been unqualified.

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