Tag: maldives

DRP plan “For Sale” protest

Opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) will launch a protest against the government’s alleged sale of state assets and property tomorrow night at 9pm at the artificial beach.

According to DRP Deputy Leader Umar Naseer, the purpose of the protest, dubbed “For Sale”, was to “raise our voices against the government’s policy of leasing state assets.”

“This government has sold important state assets such as the international airport, schools and other state assets,’’ he claimed, adding that he did not believe the government would listen before police were forced to use tear gas against protestors.

‘’But we are not going to take it that far on the first night,’’ he added.

“Peace talks”

Umar, along with MPs Ilham Ahmed, Ali Arif and Ahmed Mahlouf submitted a resolution to the DRP council to terminate discussions with the government “until the president gets inside the chart.”

The resolution states that the government routinely disregards both the constitution and legislation passed by parliament.

It also claims that the government secretly and publicly attempted to bribe DRP MPs.

If the DRP council adopts the resolution, the main opposition party will not engage in any discussions with the government until it adheres to the Maldives Broadcasting Corporation Act and amendments brought to the Public Finance Act.

Last month, parliament overruled a presidential veto and passed the amendments requiring the government to seek parliamentary approval for any sale or lease of state assets.

Spokesperson for the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) parliamentary group, MP Mohamed Shifaz, argued meanwhile that privatisation and public-private partnerships were the stated policy of the government.

‘’MDP does not have to follow the policy of DRP, they are just afraid that the people may witness the benefits of the privatisation policy’s success,’’ said Shifaz. ‘’DRP is troubling the government instead of making it accountable.’’

Shifaz explained that people protested when the government announced plans to privatise Giyasuddeen School last year.

“But today people complain that there are no seats in Giyasuddeen School because so many people enrolled their kids there after it was privatised,’’ Shifaz said. ‘’Because it was us doing it, DRP was against, if it was done by someone among them, they would have cooperated and supported it.’’

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Comment: Truth, justice and water boarding

For a foreigner living in the exotic hybrid of tourist paradise and Islamic state that is the Maldives, it can be a sometimes tough, occasionally exotic, yet never-boring life as an expat.

But the last few weeks have been particularly odd, with the world seemingly coming to an end amidst the build up to an imminent world war of ideologies.

The emerging conflict I speak of is the growing cultural divide between us, accelerated by ‘nutjobs’ both Islamic and non-Islamic, with sanity – as usual – caught in the middle.

And yet with all the drama triggered by the acerbic comments of the Florida-based pastor, Terry Jones, who recently proposed a ‘Burn a Quran Day’ in his 40 person Gainesville church, there appears to be an unlikely middle ground at the Ameenee Magu offices of the Male’ Water and Sewerage Company.

After all, the potential threat of a global religious war and its resulting nuclear holocaust can only go some way in recreating the monthly spectre of having to waste a lunchtime queuing up to pay a utility bill in the nation’s capital.

But it is in these moments, hunched among Maldivian strangers, that you begin to gleam some hope for society. Awaiting the sight of your ticket number flashing up on the screen – still a hundred or so people away – so one can pay their dues for the privilege of coffee and hot showers, an unlikely solidarity seems to form.

As a distinctly non-Maldivian looking chap amongst a very alien local populace, I was surprised to find myself not excluded from being passed old tickets from my fellow lingerers in a modest attempt to speed up one’s own personal waiting hell.

Between muffled and confusingly pronounced “fank yous” and “shukiriyams”, everyone is soon passing tickets on to one another – whether black, white or anything in between – with a growing sense of ceremony and desire to beat the system. It is about as much fun as you can have paying 500 rufiyaa of your own money over a counter.

Sure, it may not be a significant blow for world peace, but for my fellow queue buddies in the line on Monday afternoon (September 13, 2010) – thank you, it was a hoot, and I look forward to passing on the tickets again next month.

So some advice for Terry Jones and the violent Islamic protestors: whether Maldivian, American or just a pasty white redhead, before giving up in despair at the state of the world, go pay your utility bills and get some faith in your fellow man. It’s what the Male’ Water and Sewerage Company would want.

Neil Merrett is a Maldives-based British writer and journalist and most definitely not an employee of the Male’ Water and Sewerage Company.

All comment pieces are the sole view of the author and do not reflect the editorial policy of Minivan News. If you would like to write an opinion piece, please send proposals to [email protected]

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Supreme Court appeals for respect

The Supreme Court has appealed against “spreading misleading claims” harmful to the character and integrity of judges.

A statement issued by the court yesterday claims that such falsehoods would impede judges from impartially fulfilling their duties.

“And since protecting the honour and dignity of the courts with the law and through other means is obligatory upon all persons under article 141(d), and because the Supreme Court of the Maldives believes that making misleading claims about Maldivian judges violates the dignity of the lawful courts, we remind everyone to immediately cease spreading or repeating any misleading claim,” it reads.

The statement does not reveal the nature of the “misleading claims”; however, speculation in the media has focused on a case reportedly filed at the High Court challenging the eligibility of Supreme Court Justices.

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16-year-old stabbed

A 16-year-old boy was stabbed three times in the back near Star Cinema in Maafannu ward on Tuesday night, according to police.

Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam confirmed the victim was taken to Indira Gandhi Memorial hospital for treatment following the attack.

However, Shiyam said it was too early to say whether or not the attack was linked to the controversial gang-favourite sport ‘Baibala’.

‘’We are still investigating the case and we haven’t discovered yet whether the stabbings are linked to Baibala tournament,” he said.

The government initially refused to authorise the annual Baibala Tournament this year after police expressed concern with the potential for violence between gangs during the competition.

However, permission was granted after a group of 150 players petitioned the president outside his residence.

Last month, a 16-year-old boy was stabbed to death after a football match between two gangs in the ’Maaziya’ football ground.

According to eyewitnesses, the victim was attacked by a group armed with knives and sticks.

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Maldives updates UN Human Rights Council on political developments

A day after taking a seat on the UN Human Rights Council, the government has updated UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on recent political developments in the country, and the challenges “surrounding the division and balance of power between the three branches of government.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the UN in Geneva Iruthisham Adam explained to the Council the Maldives was undergoing a democratic transition and was facing “many challenges and difficulties.”

“Many of the institutions, mechanisms and concepts introduced by the 2008 Constitution are new to the Maldives and all of us, including decision-makers and the general population, are still adapting and learning,” Adam said.

She noted that the government had invited the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) to assist in ensuring the separation of powers between the executive and legislature following recent political deadlocks, and added that the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) had sent a high-level mission to the Maldives to strengthen judicial independence and accountability.

The Maldives delegation also requested the Council to work with the authorities in Myanmar/Burma to ensure the country’s elections in November were “fair and free and reflect the will of the people.”

Press Secretary of the President, Mohamed Zuhair, observed that the Maldives faced its own human rights challenges domestically.

“One allegation many Maldivians are not aware of is human trafficking – the employment of cheap labour, and inhumane treatment of workers,” he said, adding that how to handle it “is one of our biggest [human rights] challenges.”

Minivan News recently reported that exploitation of foreign workers rivals fishing as the second most profitable sector of the Maldivian economy after tourism, according to conservative estimates of the number of Bangladeshi workers showing up at their commission in Male’ after being abandoned at the airport by unscrupulous employment agents.

“Certain sections of society treat their servants appallingly, whether they are Bangladeshi or Maldivian,” Zuhair noted, “but a lot of what is described as human trafficking is not happening intentionally. People obtain labour quotas for foreign workers, and then afterwards the workers fade into society.”

Zuhair noted that on one street corner in Male’, “every morning there are 300-400 Bangladeshis out moonlighting – it looks like a minor demonstration, and people have started calling it Bangladeshi corner.”

“Both sides are culpable,” he observed, suggesting there needed to be awareness programs, better legislation “and also a central point where the rules and regulations are available [for workers].

“Right now there is a split between immigration and the employment ministry – there should not be a split, and it doesn’t help,” Zuhair added.

The Maldives also faced other human rights maladies such as child molestation and civil rights, he noted.

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World’s third largest dredger begins reclaiming Gulhifalhu shallows

President Nasheed visited the third largest dredger in the world on Monday, as the enormous vessel begins reclaiming the shallows of Gulhifalhu in Kaaf Atoll.

The 10 hectares reclaimed by Boskalis International and the ‘Queen of the Netherlands’ – capable of reclaiming two hectares a day – will be converted into an industrial zone.

Nasheed told newspaper Haveeru that an area the size of half the capital of Male’ would be released by the project, boosting the economy by 20 percent and taking the stress of real estate prices Male’.

The first phase of the industrial development will see the construction of 1,500, 2,500 and 3,000 square foot warehouse complexes and hotels.

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Letter on food safety

To the Maldives Food and Drug Authority:

It has been repeatedly noticed that foodstuffs like eggs and fish sold at various shops in Hulhumale’ have been found rotten. These shop owners know that customers don’t take rotten eggs back to the shops and that they can easily make money out of the old stock they purchase from Male’ shops at very cheap prices.

Let me also share a similar information regarding cooking oil found in yellow cans (20 litres) and in bottles (2 litres) coming under OKI brand. Normally products packed in the Free Trade Zone in Singapore are labeled as a product of Singapore. But it seems import of this product has been rejected by Singapore’s Food & Drug Authority (FDA) and is exported to Somalia and Maldives where FDA surveillance is poor.

I understand from an importer of food items that many times he receives egg shipments containing numerous rotten ones but he receives no complaints from customers. This means either people are using such food without knowing the danger or taking it easy and simple.

I believe this is a critical issue because we hear doctors saying they are concerned over the very high number number of cancer, kidney and heart problems diagnosed with causes unknown.

I think it’s very irresponsible if we wait and see if these problems relate to lifestyle changes. We must make our FDA work in line with the times, and with today’s technology.

In the old days we used very fresh eggs and very fresh fish which we did not even need to refrigerate. We used eggs direct from the nests and fish we used a few minutes after catching them.

I believe this is a health hazardous issue that has to be brought to your notice so that you can discuss the issue with relevant agencies or stakeholders.

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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Criminal Court releases assets of alleged drug lord

The Criminal Court has ordered the bank accounts of alleged drug lord Hussein Mohamed Manik be unfrozen.

Manik was arrested for allegedly dealing drugs at a large scale, however the court earlier found that police evidence was insufficient.

The court order issued on last Tuesday overruled an order issued on April 13, 2009 to freeze Hussein’s bank accounts.

Haveeru reported that police have requested the Prosecutor General’s (PG) Office appeal in the High Court, however the matter has yet to be filed.

Earlier this year the Criminal Court acquitted another alleged drug lord, Ahmed Naseer, after police confiscated Rf5 million (US$389,000) from his houses in Male and Hithadhoo.

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Police find stolen beer cans and alcohol bottles

The Maldives Police Service have discovered stolen beer cans and alcohol bottles believed to be stolen from Herathera Island Resort in Addu.

Local radio station SunFM recently reported that a group of people broke in to the resort’s bar and stole alcohol.

Police discovered five beer cans and 38 bottles of alcohol, police said.

The bottles were discovered inside an abandoned house near the harbour.

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