Tag: Male’ city council

Malé City Council holds first public consultation

Malé City Council held a meeting with the general public last night (September 17) to discuss its progress over the last six months.

The meeting, which was the first of its kind, consisted of a presentation from the council detailing the many projects undertaken followed by a general question and answer session during which the public was allowed to raise any concerns they had about the council and to voice their opinion on different issues.

Speaking at the meeting, Mayor Mohamed Shihab said that the main difficulty faced by the council at the moment is obtaining the resources required to manage the rapidly expanding city.

“The official population of this city is sixty thousand. With the census happening next week we will be able to get the new figure which is estimated to be around two hundred thousand.”

The meeting concluded with the council promising to hold many meetings of the like in the future.

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Police disposes of 36 motorcycles

Police have disposed of 36 impounded motorcycles and six four-wheeled vehicles on Saturday (September 6) for the first time under the land vehicles law.

The vehicles were destroyed with an excavator at the Gaakoshi waste yard in Malé.

Malé City Council Director General Abdul Hameed Ali – a member of a committee formed between the council, transport authority, and police – told newspaper Haveeru that some of the vehicles disposed of yesterday included motorcycles impounded ten years ago.

Hameed said the committee hoped to dispose of vehicles in the tow yard once a month following due procedure allowing owners to reclaim the vehicles.

In July, police have announced that 722 vehicles impounded for illegal parking will be disposed of as no one has come forward to claim ownership of the vehicles.

The impounded vehicles included 156 motorcycles, 560 bicycles, and six four-wheelers (cars and pickups).

Police noted that only five vehicles were reclaimed by their owners from the tow yard following the last announcement.

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Dharubaaruge reopens after renovation

The Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure reopened the Dharubaaruge convention centre in Malé on Thursday (August 7) following renovation and repair work.

Housing Minister Dr Mohamed Muiz told the press at an opening ceremony that the project had cost MVR5 million (US$324,254).

Muiz explained that extensive repair work was needed for the convention centre as the roof leaked when it rained, the stairs were dilapidated, and the walls were crumbling.

In addition to repair work and a new paint job, Muiz said glass panels, wall fabrics, and carpets have been replaced.

The ministry has also decided to make changes to rental prices for leasing Dharubaaruge halls for private functions, Muiz continued, while food and drink would not be allowed in the Rannabadheyri, Hiriya, and Hakura halls.

In May, following a long-running dispute over jurisdiction and ownership, the housing ministry took over Dharubaaruge from the Malé City Council, with police deployed to change locks.

The convention centre was constructed ahead of the SAARC summit held in Maldives in 1990.

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Police to dismantle huts in Malé to curb gang violence

The Maldives Police Service (MPS) has decided to dismantle huts in public spaces in Malé used exclusively by gangs in the capital.

Police said that huts and other sheltered areas in Malé used as makeshift dens by gangs “facilitate the assaults happening in Malé as well as the drug trade”.

Police have decided to clear out the huts and “bring an end to the areas being used to plan criminal offences,” it was revealed in a statement, which also noted that violent assaults in the past week have occurred in such areas used exclusively by gangs that were off-limits to the public.

Earlier this week, police launched “special efforts” to curb gang violence following a spate of violent assaults since July 28 that left an 18-year-old stabbing victim dead.

As part of the efforts, police have been confiscating weapons and drugs from parks and other open spaces in the capital, Chief Inspector Ismail Naveen told the press on Sunday (August 3).

Areas where weapons have been found included the Henveiru Park – the scene of three violent assaults last week – as well as the park on Alikilegefaanu Magu and the open space near the State Trading Organisation’s head office in Maafanu.

According to police media, discussions initiated by police took place today with the Malé City Council, the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

Both ministries and the city council assured cooperation with police efforts to clear out the huts and open the public spaces for sports and use by the general public.

The authorities informed police that the huts were not built with permission, police noted, adding that some areas were being used for business enterprises.

Moreover, police have found that sports facilities have been set up in areas which were being leased or used exclusively by certain groups.

The ministries and city council agreed that public spaces should be open for use by “any youth and people of all ages,” police said.

In May, police dismantled similar huts and hangouts in the suburb Vilimalé following reports of criminal activity, including drug use and gang violence.

Malé City Councillor Shamau Shareef told Minivan News at the time that the council had asked police to clear out “all such hangouts around Malé instead of just that one place in Villimalé.”

The move drew criticism from Villimalé MP Ahmed Nihan – parliamentary group leader of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives – who told Minivan News that destroying the huts without providing alternatives would only create more social problems.

The Malé City Council meanwhile passed a resolution on Tuesday (August 5) calling on law enforcement authorities to redouble efforts to combat gang violence in the capital, which has created an atmosphere of “fear and panic”.

Speaking at press conference yesterday, Mayor Mohamed Shihab stressed the need for long-term measures to ensure security in the capital, noting that unemployment and lack of entertainment and sports facilities for youth were factors that contributed to gang activities.

“One of the biggest problems faced by citizens of Malé is the lack of housing,” he said, adding that youth often lacked space in their homes to “hang out with friends.”

Meanwhile, speaking at a scholarship awarding ceremony of the Trans-Maldivian Airways’ youth pilot training programme last night, President Abdulla Yameen said it was “about time that youth come to their senses with what they are doing.”

“Maldives is not a country that is infested with stabbing, Maldives is not a country that is infested with these kinds of juvenile delinquencies or crime. These are isolated incidents,” he said.

“Whatever foreign media writes about Maldives, what can clearly be said about Maldives today is that after all the political difficulties we have had in the past, and thanks to some of the foreign interventions in these – that certainly did not make our lives easier –  but that is a story of the past.”

“Today we have a strong government, we have the support of the public and we also have a strong support in the parliament.”

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Malé City to improve bus service based on new survey

Malé City Council has conducted a bus service survey to identify potential improvements to the capital’s public transport.

“From this survey, we found that many people are using the bus service, and many want to improve the service. Necessary improvements must be brought about as a top priority,” said Male’ Mayor Mohamed Shihab.

The survey was conducted after the council received a number of complaints regarding buses. It consisted of thirty questions posed to a randomly selected sample of 180 people.

The results showed that women make up the majority of passengers (52 percent) using the service which was introduced in 2011.

The percentage of people travelling by bus is low during weekends, particularly on Fridays, the survey revealed. It also indicated that most people (40 percent) use the bus in the morning compared to the afternoons (20 percent) and evenings (16 percent).

While only 31 percent reported being unhappy with the overall bus service in Malé, respondents reported several concerns.

Approximately half of respondents said they were unhappy with the bus fare – currently MVR5 per journey, while 58 percent said were unhappy with the hours of service. The bus currently runs from 6am until 1am.

Over a third of respondents did not approve of the current seating arrangements on the bus while another 32 percent complained about the condition of the vehicles. Twenty one percent said they were unhappy with behavior of bus conductors, while a similar number of people said they were bothered by the behavior of other passengers.

Respondents complained over punctuality of buses, with only 24 percent stating that buses arrived on time.

Even though buses are supposed to arrive at each stop every 15 minutes, 30 percent of respondents said they had to wait for over 20 minutes. Those who expressed discontentment with the bus stops (35 percent) said their main concerns was the lack of a shelter or a place to sit down.

A majority of respondents (61 percent) wanted more bus routes to be introduced.

Shihab said that, while the results of the survey indicated the sentiments of those who utilise the service, there would be many who were not taking the bus due to certain other issues.

He said that providing a bus service in Malé is very challenging due to the conditions of the city, including heavy traffic and construction work, but also due to failures of the service provider.

The service is provided by MVK Maldives Pvt Ltd, who are also facing criticism over failures in providing public ferry services.

The mayor noted that any reforms would be made in accordance with the agreement between MVK and the council.

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Government overrules city council over vehicle ban

The government has overruled a Malé City Council decision to enforce a ban on motorised vehicles from 4:00 to 7:00pm today on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr.

Transport Authority Chairman Abdul Rasheed Nafiz told local media that a number of special events had been planned in advance to take place in the capital this afternoon, which would require the use of vehicles.

Following the decision, police have also said it would not be enforcing the city council’s ban, which was announced on Wednesday (July 23).

The opposition-dominated city council has, however, urged the public to “follow our previous announcement and keep roads free of vehicles.”


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Police to dispose of over 700 impounded vehicles

Police have announced today that 722 vehicles impounded for illegal parking will be disposed of as no one has come forward to claim ownership of the vehicles.

Police are working with the Malé City Council to transport the vehicles to the Thilafushi industrial island, police said.

According to a statement by the police, the vehicles to be destroyed includes 156 motorcycles, 560 bicycles, and six four-wheelers.

Police noted that only five vehicles were reclaimed by their owners from the tow yard following the last announcement.

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Authorities perservere in efforts to create a litter free Malé

As authorities continue efforts to eradicate littering from the capital city Malé, the council has today revealed the scale of the problem.

Statistics released by Malé City Council showed the litter collected on the streets of Malé on a single day amounted to nearly one ton’s worth.

Among the waste collected was 18,499 empty bottles of water, 1,868 bottles of soft drinks, 4,198 juice packets, 8,740 soda cans, and 8,384 empty cigarette packs.

“I would like to call upon those living in Malé to keep the streets clean,” said Director General at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Ahmed Naeem.

“It’s not just your homes you should clean for Ramadan. Malé is a small, congested island with a large number of inhabitants. Every one needs to do their bit to keep the island more habitable.”

Naeem stated that the amount of waste observed on streets has increased tremendously with the approach of Ramadan, during which household waste is expected to double.

Earlier in June, the council displayed a day’s litter collected from Malé’s streets – amounting to 1,600 large garbage bags – in an attempt to raise awareness of the issue.

“We are doing all this in the hope that seeing the amount of waste they are producing, the people of Malé will become more responsible and stop such actions,” said Malé City Mayor Mohamed Shihab.

Responsibility

Meanwhile, some locals continue to complain that, while the dustbins placed around Malé for public use are often “difficult” to use.

“Have you even gone near one of those bins? There’s rotting food and fish guts in there. It’s gross. I would much rather toss my soda can near the side of the street then go up to one of those bins,” 18-year-old Hawwah Nashwa opined.

Waheeda Ali, meanwhile, said that the dustbins are “always full that it is not worth the effort to walk a few blocks to find one”.

Mayor Shihab noted that the dustbins are meant for the disposal of waste produced while on the streets, like candy wrappers, soda cans, and so on, and not for household waste.

“People should not be disposing household waste in these bins. It is labelled clearly and people need to be more responsible. Household waste is to be disposed in the barge we have in the harbour for the purpose,” Shihab responded.

Another individual complained about there not being sufficient dustbins in the streets.

“You have to walk a dozen blocks to find one of those. No one is going to go to the trouble, not after a culture of littering has already set in to people’s mindsets,” said Jailam Ali.

“If the council can’t afford to place more dustbins, maybe they should make it mandatory for shops to place dustbins out on the streets near their establishments,” she added.

Mayor Shihab responded to these comments by explaining that too many dustbins has been seen to result in issues with the disposal of household waste.

Referring to this larger issue, Shihab stated that while the council is ready for implementation, the agreement with Tatva Global Renewable Energy remained on hold due to the Finance Ministry’s failure to sign the final approval.

Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad was not responding to calls at the time of press.

Fines for littering

Meanwhile, the EPA began imposing fines on those who litter on the streets of Malé City earlier this month – in accordance with new waste management regulations.

The regulation – which came into partial effect on February 5 – imposes an MVR100 (US$6.5) fine for littering and a fine between MVR10,000 (US$648.5) and MVR100,000 (US$6,485) if any authority in charge of public spaces fails to provide dustbins.

EPA Director General Ibrahim Naeem stated that so far the fine is only being levied against those who litter on streets of the capital. In addition to EPA staff, the police’s Environmental Protection Unit and the council itself are mandated to issue fines.

“We will begin implementing the other fines, and littering fines in other islands, when the councils and other relevant bodies become ready for enforcement. So far, it only applies in Malé,” he said.

Police media confirmed that they had begun implementation of the regulation, but were unable to provide statistics.

While not providing figures either, Naeem assured that many fines have been issued so far, and that positive effects can be seen in areas of Malé, especially around the local markets in Maafannu.

Naeem added that currently most of the fines have been levied against shops and vendors, instead of individuals.

“It’s far easier to fine shops who leave their garbage outside their shops than it is to catch an individual in the act of littering. But that is where we aim to go. We aim to reach the level where a person can be fined for throwing a tissue or cigarette butt on the street,” he continued.

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Government temporarily extends cafe hours for World Cup

The Ministry of Economic Development has decided to temporarily extend the closing time for food outlets during the World Cup.

An announcement from the ministry issued yesterday stated that food outlets will be allowed to operate until 3am from June 14 until July 14.

The ministry requested service providers and customers to observe socially acceptable behavior during these hours.

Interested businesses are to obtain a special temporary permit from the ministry.

Malé City Council has told Minivan News that, following this decision, the council will once again renew its efforts to bring back 24 hours opening times for shops and cafe’s.

While the World Cup matches run into to the early hours in Maldives, many people stay up to watching the games – some at public screens and in cafes.

Football is the most popular sport in country, with President Abdulla Yameen recently describing it as the “king or queen of sports” in the Maldives.

Many international football tournaments, particularly the World Cup, generate huge enthusiasm across the country with media and businesses such as electronic equipment dealers making special offers and promotions for the season.

Currently, all food outlets in the Maldives are required to be closed after 1am hours, and shops by 11pm.

24 hour permit were issued to one Malé eatery in 2003, and since then a few more businesses have been allowed to operate around the clock.

In December 2010, however,  the government decided to give permission to all cafe’s who made such a request, allowing 24 hour shops for the first time in 2011.

A senior member of the Economic Ministry at the time said that the government wanted to open more opportunities for businesses and were in the process of reviewing laws and regulations to end restrictions.

In October 2012, however,  Dr Mohamed Waheed’s administration revoked all permits issued for 24 hours businesses “for national security reasons” as a response to increasing criminal activity. The decision was made in the aftermath of the brutal murder of the MP and moderate Islamic Scholar Dr Afrasheem Ali.

A total of 44 businesses were affected by this decision in the capital Malé city alone – leading to public discontentment.

President Abdulla Yameen’s government has continued the reduced opening hours, deciding against bringing back 24 hour businesses.

In March this year, Malé City Council unanimously passed a resolution to work towards bringing back the 24 hour permits through dialogue with the government to “fulfill basic necessities of people”.

“We will do whatever it takes. This is the capital city, and there are 24 hours ferries operating, people coming from other islands, people are working round the clock. There should be some way for them to eat or buy things they need. We are talking about basic necessities of the people,” Councilman Shamau Shareef told Minivan News at the time.

The council today said that this attempt was unsuccessful due to immediate negative comments on the issue from the government, adding that the council was not consulted or informed of the extended World Cup opening times.

Speaking to Minivan News today Deputy Mayor Shifa Mohamed said the council will now renew its efforts.

“We are not talking about allowing all cafe’s and shops to run 24 hours. We asked [the government] to allow a few shops and cafe’s to run like that to fulfill basic necessities of the people,” said Shifa.

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