Tag: maldives

Government to release full details of economic reform agenda

The government will publicise its entire economic reform agenda at a launch on Monday, President Mohamed Nasheed has said.

Speaking during his weekly radio address, Nasheed downplayed the “unfavourable consequences” of the reforms he said were being predicted by some members of parliament and “a few business associations”, stated that the package of bills would allow further development and promote growth in the Maldives.

Nasheed also noted that 40 convicts had been released under the government’s ‘Second Chance’ program and were currently being rehabilitated. The government is also running a program to train 8500 local workers in various skills, in a bid to combat widespread unemployment, particularly among young people.

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No maritime agreement, confirms Sri Lankan High Commission

The Sri Lankan High Commission has refuted the existence of a special agreement allowing Sri Lankan vessels to cross Maldivian territorial waters.

News of such an agreement was published last week in Maldivian media after Sri Lanka’s Deputy External Minister Neomal Perera was quoted in Sri Lanka’s Daily Mirror newspaper as saying such an agreement had been signed.

In the Maldives, Fisheries Minister Dr Ibrahim Didi and Foreign Minister Ahmed Naseem denied such an agreement existed, while the President’s Press Secretary Mohamed Zuhair said foreign vessels already had such permission under the UN Convention on Law of the Sea.

The opposition Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP) denounced the supposed agreement as an assault on soverignity and “an insult to Maldivian fishermen”, questioning the capacity of the country to monitor illegal fishing, while Maldivian Democratic Party Chairperson ‘Reeko’ Moosa retaliated by saying such a statement was “very irresponsible” as it implied Sri Lanka were “thieves”.

The matter entered parliament and MDP MP Mohamed Musthafa threatened to present a motion without notice to reverse the supposed agreement.

However in a letter sent to the Maldives Foreign Ministry seen by Minivan News, referring to articles on the matter published in local newspapers Haveeru and Miadhu, the Sri Lankan High Commission stated that “The Deputy Minister of External Affairs of Sri Lanka has made no statement claiming that a maritime agreement to facilitate Sri Lankan vessels to cross Maldivian territorial waters has been signed between the two countries. This is the official position of the Government of Sri Lanka.”

Attached to the letter was the original statement from Sri Lanka’s External Ministry, reporting that the minister had successfully negotiated the release of seven Sri Lankan vessels held by the Maldives on suspicion of poaching, but made no mention of a signed agreement to allow vessels traffic through the Maldives.

The Ministry of Fisheries meanwhile noted that while “innocent passage” was routinely granted for foreign vessels, unlicensed foreign fishing vessels were required to notify the ministry before entering the Maldives exclusive economic zone.

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President forms office to oversee “second chance” inmates

President Mohamed Nasheed has formed an office to oversee the release of almost 400 inmates released under the “second chance programme”, and has also formed a steering committee and a technical committee to monitor the reintegration of former inmates into society.

According to the President’s Office, the Second Chance Office will be administered by the Department of Penitentiary and Rehabilitation Services (DPRS), which is under direct authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs

“The Second Chance Programme Office is a government agency which will provide employment assistance, counselling for substance abuse, mentoring and other services that can help to reduce recidivism and promote social reintegration of inmates,” the President’s Office said.

The Steering Committee consists of Minister of Health and Family Dr Aminath Jameel, Minister of Human Resources, Youth and Sports Hassan Latheef, Minister of State for Home Affairs Mohamed Naeem, Deputy Minister for Health and Family Lubna Mohamed Zahir Hussain, and Director at the Ministry of Human Resources, Youth and Sports Aishath Rasheed.

The members appointed to the Technical Committee are the Mayor of Male’ City Maizan Ali Maniku, Deputy Minister of Islamic Affairs Mohamed Farooq, Deputy Commissioner of Police Ahmed Muneer, and Deputy Director at the Maldives Police Service Sabra Nooraddeen.

At a press conference today, Deputy Health Minister Lubna Mohamed announced that 47 inmates will be released this evening.

Lubna told press that all inmates will be given three days free to spend with their families before they will have to come out for work and attend programmes held at the Second Chance Office.

Of the 47 inmates to be released tonight, 16 have job placements secured at the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) engineering corps, Lubna said.

Speaking at the press conference, State Minister for Home Affairs Mohamed Naeem stressed that all the inmates will be closely monitored by police.

He added that any inmate that fails to fully comply with the Second Chance Office will be promptly sent back to prison to complete the rest of their sentence.

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Former DRP MP wins beachfront house in Hulhumale’ with Rf4.6 million bid

Former opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Ali Waheed, who recently joined the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), has just won a beachfront house for Rf4.6 million (US$300,000), bidding Rf3020 per square foot.

Local newspaper Haveeru reported that Ali Waheed’s wife had also won a house from the 36 beachfront residential plots on Hulhumale, bidding Rf 3020 per square foot, for Rf 4,749,651 (US$310,000). Waheed and his wife were the third highest bidders for the property, under the Hulhulmale Development Corporation (HDC)’s housing programme.

Waheed’s former opposition colleague, MP Ahmed Nihan, questioned Waheed’s ability to afford such a property on his MP’s wage. Waheed, he alleged, “was quite a poor boy when we first met him as a DRP MP – that’s why we spoke with a friend and arranged him a house for rent that did not require an advance paid upfront,” said Nihan. “There was no way that Waheed could afford to buy a house in Hulhumale’ for Rf4.6 Million unless there was a hand of corruption in it.”

Nihan claimed that Waheed “earns a little more than Rf 60,000 (US$4000) a month like other MPs, pays Rf 25,000 (US$1600) in monthly rent for the apartment he currently lives in, and has to spend the rest on living expenses and helping constituents and travelling to islands to attend meetings and stuff – where did he get the Rf 4.6 million?” Nihan questioned.

Waheed, who was dropped to parliament every session by a fellow MP, “now owns a Mazda 3 with a driver”, Nihan added, further claiming that the MP had paid an advance for his apartment in US dollars.

“Since he joined MDP he always seems very happy and contented. He now has a Mazda 3, has paid the advance payment of his rented house in US Dollars – the payment we delayed for him because he wasn’t wealthy and the landlord was a DRP supporter.”

If Waheed got all the money genuinely by being a MP, “Why does no other MP get to buy a beachfront house in Hulhumale’ for Rf4.6 Million? I cannot afford that,” Nihan claimed.

“MDP MPs are not only fortunate enough to win houses, they also have been winning reefs, uninhabited islands and resorts as well,” he claimed.

Waheed was not responding to calls at time of press.

Aside from Ali Waheed, President Mohamed Nasheed’s brother Dr Ibrahim Nashid and two children of Human Rights Ambassador Mohamed ‘Go Go’ Latheef also won bids for houses in Hulhumale’.

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Tourism Ministry condemns “misleading statements” from MATI over economic reform

The Tourism Ministry has condemned the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI) for “making statements to media outlets in a way that misleads the public about the government’s economic agenda”.

In a statement, the Ministry claimed that “MATI’s misleading statements in various media recently about the tax bills of the government’s economic reform agenda imply that the government’s efforts were undertaken without consulting officials from the tourism industry.”

The Ministry said it had “consulted a number of parties active in the tourism sector and sought advice for shaping the tax bills so that it would not be a disproportionate burden on the industry.”

“After these consultations, the Ministry is assured that businesses in the tourism industry support the reform agenda. Likewise, those in the front ranks of the tourism industry as well as MATI support it. Therefore, [the ministry] regrets an organisation like MATI making statements that are contrary to the advice and suggestions of senior industry leaders.”

Secretary General of MATI ‘Sim’ Mohamed Ibrabim was not responding at time of press.

The government has presented a raft of economic reform bills to parliament detailing several new taxes, including a business profit tax, general GST and income tax of those earning over Rf 30,000 (US$2000) a month. The government is also looking to increase its previously-passed tourism goods and services tax (TGST) of 3.5 percent to 6 percent, in exchange for lowering import duties, claiming that this will benefit businesses by allowing them to pay tax at the point of sale.

Secretary General of the Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO), Mohamed Maleeh Jamal, told Minivan News that his organisation had been consulted by the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) prior to the passage of the TGST, and was pleased to see some clauses implemented reflecting the input.

While no government body had sought to meet MATATO regarding the latest batch of bills, Jamal said parliament had forwarded them to MATATO for comment and input.

The Maldives pledged to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) earlier this year that it would pursue a package of policy reforms in exchange for a a three year economic programme to stabilise and strengthen the Maldives’ economy.

Under the new IMF program the Maldives has committed to:

  • Raise import duties on pork, tobacco, alcohol and plastic products by August 2011 (requires Majlis approval);
  • Introduce a general goods and services tax (GST) of 5 percent applicable to all sectors other than tourism, electricity, health and water (requires Majlis approval);
  • Raise the Tourism Goods and Services Tax (TGST) from 3.5 percent to 6 percent from January 2012, and to 10 percent in January 2013 (requires Majlis approval);
  • Pass an income tax bill in the Majlis by no later than January 2012;
  • Ensure existing bed tax of US$8 dollars a night remains until end of 2013;
  • Reduce import duties on certain products from January 2011;
  • Freeze public sector wages and allowances until end of 2012;
  • Lower capital spending by 5 percent
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Opposition Parliamentary Group to reject appointment of ministers Didi and Tholhath

The opposition parliamentary group has announced that it will reject the appointment of Dr Ibrahim Didi as Fisheries Minister and Tholhath Ibrahim as Defense Minister.

Spokesperson for the group, MP Ahmed Mahlouf  of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP)’s Z-faction, has confirmed the decision.

DRP MP Abdulla Mausoon said the faction of the party loyal to leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali had decided to accept Tholhath but reject Dr Didi.

“Our parliamentary group found that it does not make much sense appointing someone who has been already dismissed by us,” Dr Mausoom said. “Our leader MP Ahmed Thasmeen Ali met with the press when they both were appointed by the President and revealed our stand.”

Dr Mausoom insisted that the same procedure had to be applied for everyone, recalling that when President Mohamed Nasheed reappointed Dr Ahmed Ali Sawad as the Attorney General after the parliament rejected him once, he was rejected a second time.

DRP MP Ahmed Mahlouf and DRP MP Ahmed Nihan did not respond to Minivan News at time of press.

Dr Didi is currently the President of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), but was reappointed as Fisheries Minister by President Nasheed on July 19.

Dr Didi resigned from his position as the Fisheries Minister along with the other cabinet members in protest to the opposition parliamentarians alleged obstruction of executive power in June last year. His subsequent reappointment was dismissed by the opposition-majority parliament, along with seven other ministers.

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Maldives calls for end to state-sponsored violence against civilians in Syria

The Foreign Minister of the Maldives Ahmed Naseem has called on Syria to immediately stop all the violence committed against civilians and urged the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to refer the issue in its upcoming session if the Syrian government continues to oppress its citizens.

Syria remains in turmoil following anti-government riots that spread across the Arab world earlier this year. Al-Jazeera reports that 1730 civilians and 406 security personnel have been killed in clashes in Syria since the start of the violence.

“The Maldives, like many other peace-loving Muslim nations as well as the wider international community, is deeply disturbed by the State-sponsored violence being perpetrated against civilians in Syria, violence which represents a serious violation of Islamic values, as well as of international human rights and humanitarian law,” Naseem said.

“The fact that such violence is increasing as we enter the Holy Month of Ramadan, a period of devotion and compassion, makes the actions of the Syrian authorities even more unacceptable.”

The Foreign Minister called on Syrian authorities to cease all violence against citizens and to begin a process of democratic and human rights reform.

“The time for promises is over – it is now time for action. That means the government must immediately stop all violations of human rights, including arbitrary killings, arbitrary detention, disappearance and torture; and must immediately allow the full enjoyment of all core human rights including freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. It also means that stated commitments of reform – which the Maldives has welcomed in previous statements – must be translated into real and urgent change, including free and fair multiparty elections.”

In addition Foreign Minister Naseem said that Syria must also fully comply with UN Human Rights Council resolution S-16/1, noting that Syria had yet to comply with any of the provisions of the  resolution including the call to cooperate fully with the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission.

“The indiscriminate killing of innocent Muslim men, women and children by the Syrian State security forces, especially during the Holy Month of Ramadan, is completely unacceptable to the Maldives,” Naseem said.

“The Maldives, which is a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, voted in favor of resolution S-16/1 because of our strong commitment to human rights, especially in the Muslim world.”

“The Maldives takes note of, and supports, the recent statements on this matter made by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council,” he added.

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Dhivehi Language Academy inaugurated

President Mohamed Nasheed has inaugurated a Dhivehi Language Academy to promote, preserve and study the origins and usage of the Dhivehi language.

Nasheed appointed five members to the Academy: Nu-uma Abdul Raheem, Rafia Abdul Gadir, Mohamed Amir Ahmed, Zeenath Ahmed Dhanbu Suthulige, and Ashraf Ali, stating that their appointment reflected their “skill and dedication to linguistics”.

During the inaugration ceremony held at the National Art Gallery, Nasheed urged members of the Academy “to be broad minded and open to adaptation of foreign concepts while dealing with the study of creation and evolution of Dhivehi language over a period of time in history,” according to a statement from the President’s Office.

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Finance Secretary Ahmed Mausoom appointed President’s Chief of Staff

President Mohamed Nasheed yesterday appointed Ahmed Mausoom as Chief of Staff of the President’s Office, the country’s highest administrative authority and a post with the same rank as Minister.

As Chief of Staff, Mausoom will direct the daily functions of the President’s Office under the President and Vice President.

Mausoom was formerly Finance Secretary, a post he has held since Nasheed assumed office on November 11, 2008.

A founding member of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Mausoom lived in exile in Sri Lanka for many years prior to being granted political asylum in the UK in 2004. He returned to the Maldives in 2006 to promote political reform in the country alongside then-opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed.

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