Tag: maldives

Letter on expatriate workers

To the Employment Minister,

If one asks me what time it is, I would say it’s time for us to check and screen the expatriate workers working throughout the country, and the expatriate staff doing tourism and fishing industry jobs that Maldivian young men and women could do.

And if someone asks me why we have to do this, I would say it’s for the sake of developing our economy, for the sake of repairing the country’s damaged social fabric, for the sake of not making our country famous for spitting here and there (the majority of the laborers working here do it as if it’s part of their life or habit).

Minister, it’s unbelievable that we see 300-400 expatriate laborers standing at various corners of the capital Male’ like a minor demonstration, and at the same time the country’s Immigration Department and the Employment Ministry keep quiet and silent, enjoying the art of doing nothing.

I agree that we have to recruit laborers for government and private construction projects and also an individual can recruit laborers for building a house. But it doesn’t mean that these laborers live here for the rest of their life. I think the reason why we see 300-400 expatriate laborers at various corners of Male’ are because the country’s relevant authorities do not work together for the sake of the country.

In Malaysia, I have seen Malaysian young men and women working in the shops and restaurants, but here we see expatriate unskilled laborers doing everything for us. In Dubai we see same scenario as our country but I think we better look at Malaysia for making our fragile economy better. I tried to get a job in Malaysia and Singapore and it was impossible, but here a foreigner gets a job much easier than a Maldivian.

A friend of mine living in Malaysia told me that if the government authority knows someone making even a boakiba (short eat) and sells it, immediate action is taken by the authority, and that no Maldivian could think of earning an income there.

But here we see expatriates moving like the nationals – they can prepare lunch packs in their rooms and make money freely. I think this is a problem to be solved for the sake of the country’s economy and the country to remain as an independent country.

Thanking you,

Mohamed Saeed

All letters are the sole view of the author and do not reflect the editorial policy of Minivan News. If you would like to write a letter piece, please submit it to [email protected]

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Renewables will reduce dependency on imported oil, Vice President tells Yale

Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan has claimed high oil prices will dampen the economic growth of the Maldives and the global economy unless the world shifted to renewable energy.

Speaking at Yale University in the US, the first address by a Maldivian leader at the prestigious university, Dr Waheed said the most important outcome of the Maldives plans for carbon neutrality would be freedom from a dependency on imported oil.

The unpredictable price oil and the prospect of higher oil prices over the long term meant the shift to renewable energy was essential, he told the audience, reiterating that carbon neutrality was not only necessary for ecological reasons, but it was also influenced by economic considerations.

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Corel Ville Housing contractor in legal dispute

The main contractor of the Corel Ville Housing Project, Javaz Construction, has sued Kaysorn Construction for unsettled debts of US$533,000 reports Haveeru.

Managing Director of Javaz Construction, Ibrahim Ali, told Haveeru that the civil case concerned the project’s client HDC-Pruksa Housing Private Limited.

“We also decided to claim US$1.3 million as compensation for the damage to the management of the company and US$7.5 million, as the company lost several potential projects due to false press releases issued to defame the company,” Haveeru reported Ali as saying.

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Teachers’ Association files cases with CSC

The Teachers Association of the Maldives has sent seven cases to the Civil Service Commission (CSC) concerning issues including wages, lack of modern work environment and support from the Ministry, reports Miadhu.

President of the Association Abdullah Mohamed told Miadhu that these issues also included the use of political influence by “some politicians” against schools not supporting certain parties.

The Teachers Association filed the claims after holding discussions with CSC, Miadhu reported.

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Lale student expelled in school stabbing incident

Lale Youth International School has expelled a 14 year-old student after he allegedly attacked a 13 year old student with a knife on Thursday.

A member of staff told Minivan News that the 13 year old victim required hospital treatment after suffering the injury to his arm, following a dispute over a girl.

“The parents of the cut student were very upset and contacted police,” the staff member said, noting that the implement used resembled a Stanley knife and had “left quite a scar”.

The student was expelled following a meeting of executive staff at the school. A source noted that the offending student had a history of “violence and behavioral problems” at the school.

“He failed the entrance exams at several other schools, came here and failed our entrance exam, but was still enrolled,” the source claimed, suggesting the matter highlighted “the lack of facilities available [to rehabilitate] juvenile [offenders].”

The source reported that police had fined the offending student Rf 50 (US$3.80) “as they said he was under age and it was the heaviest penalty available.”

However Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said police had no information concerning the issuing of an Rf50 fine, and noted that as the incident was a criminal act it would be investigated and the case sent to the Prosecutor General’s office.

“[The student] used a cutter to cut four inches on the other student’s skin,” Shiyam stated. “The injury was not so serious, but still the parents were concerned about the issue.”

Lale Youth International currently lacks a school counsellor after he returned to Turkey in mid-July, together with four other Turkish members of staff.

“The absence of a recognised counsellor has cost us, but other staff attempted to fill the gap without success,” the staff source told Minivan News.

“This incident underlines the fragility of the Maldivian juvenile system, as well as schools not properly screening students, and not giving them adequate care and education.”

Last month the school’s former principal, Turkish national Serkan Akar, was found guilty of assaulting children and sentenced by the Criminal Court to pay a Rf200 (US$14) fine.

Serkan had denied the charges against him, which included strangling and whipping a child with a belt.

Deputy Prosectutor General Hussain Shameem noted at the time that the Rf200 sentence was legitimate under the current penal code, which was drafted in 1968 and apparently not reflective of inflation.

In July the school’s Deputy Principal Suleiman Atayev, also a Turkish national, fled the country along with the computer studies teacher Yunus Yildiz.

Both staff members left seperately and did not inform the school they were leaving.

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HRCM conducts research trips on human rights

The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) has commenced trips to different islands seeking to determine the extent of human rights experienced by various people.

During this year the commission will visit the islands of Vaavu Atoll and Gnaviyani Atoll, and expects to complete Vaavu Atoll by the end of this month.

The Commission also it will meet with elderly people, teachers, students, expats and NGOs across the islands.

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Cargo plane slides off runway at Male’ airport

A cargo airplane that landed at Male’ International Airport slid off the runway, breaking a wheel and two runway lights, reports SunFM.

The radio station reported that strong wind caused of the incident and that nobody was injured.

According to SunFM the cargo flight from Sri Lanka was warned by the airport tower that the wind was strong across the runway and potentially dangerous..

The Civil Aviation Department is now investigating the case.

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Storm in Addu Atoll causes floods, RF millions in damages

A storm has hit Addu causing islands to flood and severely damaging houses and property on several islands.

Addu Atoll Councilor Abdulla Sadiq said that Gan, Maradhu, Maradhufeydhoo and Feydhoo were flooded due to the torrential rain,’’ Sadiq said, adding that Feydhoo was the most severely damaged with almost 600 houses affected.

70 houses in Maradhufeydhoo and 10 houses in Maradhu were also damaged in the flood, according to Sadiq.

“Almost 80 percent of the houses in Feydhoo were damaged, including property, and some are now inadequate for living,’’ said Sadiq. “People have been forced to move to their relatives’ houses.’’

In Maradhufeydhoo all the computers in the island school, the school library and the school office were damaged, Sadiq said.

The weather forecast for the area showed steady rain for the next few days as well, he added.

“We are trying to drain the floodwaters and settle the situation,’’ he said.

Although Gan was also flooded, the island has a good drainage system and the streets will drain automatically, he added.

He also estimated that the damage was set to rise to millions of ruffiya.

Meanwhile, the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Southern Area reported that the airport and airport office of Gan in Addu were damaged, including the computers and some furniture inside the office.

The MNDF is are now active on the flooded islands and trying to drain the floodwaters.

Deputy Director General of the National Meteorological Department Ali Shareef said the whole of the Maldives will experience heavy rain during the next 24 hours.

”North and central Maldives will experience strong winds and heavy rain,” said Shareef, adding that the Addu Atoll would likely be spared the strong winds and heavy rain that would affect other parts of the country.

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CSC demands restored salaries be included in next year’s budget

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has called on the government to include the restored salaries for the civil servants in next year’s budget.

In September last year the Finance Ministry and the Civil Service Commission agreed to reduce the salaries of civil servants for three months because of the country’s poor financial circumstances. The matter became controversial towards the end of September when the Finance Ministry refused to restore all of the salaries to former levels.

The CSC has since taken the Finance Ministry to court, winning the first round in the civil court and forcing the government to appeal in the High Court.

At the same time, in its Country Report for the Maldives, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) acknowedged the “intense political pressure” but maintained that the restoration of public sector wages “would have a large fiscal impact”, and prevent economic recovery “in the near term”.

President of the CSC, Hassan Fahmy, said today that the commission had met with President Mohamed Nasheed to discuss the issue, and that he had told the commission that the salaries “could be restored soon.”

“Nine months have passed, and we have been trying to resolve the issue through the legal system,’’ Fahmy said. “When the Civil Court ruled that the Finance Ministry does not have the authority to give out orders to decrease the salaries of civil servants, instead of implementing the verdict, the government has appealed in the High Court.”

The High Court has yet to rule on the issue.

Fahmy said the commission wanted “the original salaries of civil servants to be included in the budget next year.”

“It cannot be said that salaries were ‘increased’,” Fahmy said. “It will be the ‘original’ salary of civil servants.”

He said the commission had also sent a letter to the president yesterday as well.

“If it is included in the budget, then it will be for the MPs to approve it [and not the government],’’ Fahmy said. “We hope the government will understand and take leadership to restore the salaries of civil servants.”

The President has meanwhile established a committee to hold discussions between the governtment and the CSC, according to a statement issued by the President’s office.

The Committee will be chaired by the President and will include Minister of Finance and Treasury Ali Hashim, Minister of Economic Development Mahmood Razee, Attorney General Ahmed Ali Sawad, Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture Dr Ibrahim Didi, President of CSC Mohamed Fahmy Hassan, Vice President of CSC Ahmed Hassan Didi, CSC member Dr Mohamed Ali, CSC member Khadheeja Adam, Secretary General of CSC Abdulla Khaleel.

The President’s Press Secretary Mohamed Zuhair and State Minister for Finance Ahmed Assad were not responding to calls at time of press.

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