Tag: male

Department of Immigration and Emigration transferred to Defence Ministry

Responsibility for overseeing the Department of Immigration and Emigration has been switched to the Ministry of Defence and National Security.

According to the President’s Office, the decision to transfer the department to within the mandate of the Ministry of Defence was taken to make administration of the country’s immigration system more efficient.

The Immigration department had previously been operated under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Immigration Controller Dr Mohamed Ali was not responding to calls at the time of press.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Parliament committee passes implementing tobacco-free zones as scheduled

Tobacco-free zones are to be implemented from January 1, 2013, after the Subordinate Regulations Committee of the People’s Majlis decided not to delay their introduction, local media has reported.

Entitled “Regulation of Determining Tobacco-Free Zones”, the regulation aims at inhibiting the consumption of tobacco products by prohibiting smoking in certain public areas.

Traders’ associations and MP for Nolhivaram Constituency Mohammed Nasheed proposed to delay the starting date of the Regulation for one year, according to local newspaper Haveeru.

Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs were reported to have  supported the proposal to delay the starting date, claiming there to be “a lot of issues” with the regulation.

After considering the matter, the Subordinate Regulations Committee made a final decision on a narrowly-approved vote.

Under the new regulation, smoking or similar consumption of tobacco will be prohibited within the following places; tea shops, cafes and restaurants, parks, government office premises, office premises of companies with government shareholding, office premises of independent state institutions, public places where people usually gather in numbers, old age homes, homes for those who need special care, and rehabilitation centres.

However, under special permission from the Ministry of Health, cafes and restaurants can define a special area where people can smoke.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Mother of abandoned baby requests custody of child

A mother arrested this week after her baby was found abandoned on a pavement in Male’ has requested custody of the child, Police have said.

According to the Head of Family and Child Protection Hasssan Shifau, the mother of the abandoned baby is still in police custody.  Authorities have added that any decision to hand over the child would be made by the Gender Ministry.

State Gender Minister Aishath Rameela told local media on Friday (December 28) that a decision on whether to grant custody of the child to the mother had yet to be made.

Rameela stated that the ministry would have to find out if the mother had suffered any physical or psychological trauma before she abandoned the infant.

“Either way we will hold the woman responsible for negligence. So for the time being we will not handover the baby to her,” Rameela said.

According to local newspaper Haveeru the child is to be taken to a children’s shelter in Villimale after being released from hospital.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Pieces of metal allegedly found in MPs food

Parliament members have claimed that “pieces of metal” were found in a meal provided by a Male’-based catering service, according to local media.

Jumhooree Party (JP) MP Abdulla Abdul Raheem told Haveeru that the pieces of metal were found on the plates of Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MPs Abdulla Mausoom and Mohamed Ramiz during a lunch provided from the Kings Corner restaurant near to the parliament.

According to local media, Raheem said that Parliament’s general committee has decided to return to caterer South Beach, despite its service being stopped over a reported case of food poisoning.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Mother of abandoned baby arrested in Male’

The mother of a baby discovered abandoned on a pavement in Male’ yesterday (December 26) has been arrested, police have announced.

Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz last night tweeted that the mother of the baby had been “found & arrested”.

The Maldives Police Service has not at present disclosed any more information regarding the case, although local media has reported that a woman believed to be the child’s mother was arrested from the second floor of a house called Release.

The baby was discovered at 5:45am on Wednesday (December 26) just outside of the same house in the Maafannu Ward of Male’, police confirmed yesterday.

Police Spokesperson Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef was not responding to calls at the time of press.

The woman who allegedly found the baby told local media that the umbilical cord had still been attached to the infant when she found it.

“I was on my way to the toilet at dawn when I heard a cry, so I came out to the balcony to see where the cry came from. The baby was on the doorstep then I immediately informed the police.

“This is a house with separate entrances. I am unaware that there are any pregnant ladies in this house or even in the neighbourhood. Hence, I believe that someone might have abandoned the baby here as the location is discreet,” she was quoted as saying in local newspaper Haveeru.

According to a police statement the child was found to be in a healthy condition by doctors at Indira Gandi Memorial Hospital (IGMH).

The Police Family and Child Protection Department is now investigating the case.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Umar Naseer may consider one of former President Gayoom’s children as presidential running mate

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Interim Deputy Leader Umar Naseer has said he may consider choosing one of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s children as his running mate should he win the party’s upcoming presidential primary.

Speaking to local media after an event at Ghiyasuddin School in Male’ held to try and recruit volunteers for his campaign, Umar said that rival candidate Abdullah Yameen also “has the option” to be his running mate.

“There is the possibility that I might give the option to one of Maumoon’s children. The possibility to form a coalition and choose a running mate from that coalition is also an option,” he said.

“Three of Maumoon’s children are of eligible age. So I might also choose to give it to the most competent one amongst them,” Umar told Sun Online.

Out of Gayoom’s children, only Farish Maumoon, Dhunya Maumoon and Yumna Maumoon meet the requirements set out by Article 112 (c) of the Madives constitution, stating that a person has to be at least 35 years of age to be elected as president or vice president, according to the report.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Nexbis to challenge termination of Border Control System project

Additional reporting by Ahmed Naish.

Nexbis has said it will challenge parliament’s decision instructing the government terminate a Border Control System (BCS) project signed under the previous administration.

The Malaysia-based IT group has said it will seek a court injunction preventing any attempts to cancel the agreement whilst court hearings over the contract were still ongoing.

Speaking to local media on Tuesday (December 25), Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed claimed the government would respect parliament’s unanimous decision to halt the BCS project agreement with Nexbis.

Dr Jameel told local newspaper Haveeru that it was “difficult to come up with an exact figure at present” for the level of compensation the government would potentially have to pay Nexbis after prematurely terminating a contract with the company.

The home minister was not responding to Minivan News at the time of press.

Yesterday’s vote on the deal was taken after Parliament’s Finance Committee claimed there had been foul play in the agreement signed between Nexis and the Maldives immigration department.

Prior to the parliamentary vote, an official spokesperson for Nexbis told Minivan News on December 23 that the company would “challenge” any decision by the Majlis to halt the BCS contract while court hearings were continuing in the country.

“We are asking the Supreme Court to intervene with the decision as we have come to be aware that the contract cannot be legally terminated if there is an ongoing legal case. Presently we have legal cases in the Civil Court, the High Court and the Supreme Court,” the Nexbis source added.

Meanwhile, Director of the Department of Judicial Administration Ahmed Maajid today (December 26) confirmed that to his knowledge, Nexbis was currently involved in ongoing cases within the Maldives’ judicial system.

Maajid added that on a legal basis, the contract between Nexbis and the government could not be terminated until all proceedings involving the company were concluded.

“There is a provision in the Judicature Act under Law 22, 2010 that basically states no public body can terminate a contract with a company that is involved in judicial proceedings in the courts,” he said,

“The government has made their decision based on the the Majlis’ vote. But the legality of that decision can be challenged at the Civil Court if Nexbis submit a case. They have a constitutional right to do so.”

The MVR 500 million (US$39 million) BCS project moved ahead this year after a series of high-profile court battles and delays that led Nexbis to last year threaten legal action against the Maldivian government should it incur losses for the work already done on the project.

The Malaysia-based mobile security provider has come under scrutiny by political parties who claim that the project is detrimental to the state, while the Anti-Corruption Committee (ACC) has alleged corruption in the bidding process.

Nexbis has denied any allegations of wrong doing within its contract.

Unanimous vote

Amidst these concerns, parliament voted unanimously yesterday (December 25) to instruct the government to terminate the border control project agreement with Nexbis.

All 74 MPs in attendance voted in favour of a Finance Committee recommendation following a probe into the potential financial burden placed on the state as a result of the deal.

Presenting the Finance Committee report to the floor, Chair MP Ahmed Nazim explained that the “main problem” flagged by the ACC was that the tender had not been made in accordance with the documents by the National Planning Council authorising the project.

The documents were changed to favour the chosen party and facilitate the deal, Nazim said, which the ACC considered an act of corruption.

Regarding allegations of corruption within the contract, the Nexbis source told Minivan News that the company is “systematically denying” any allegations of corruption, adding that if there was any foul play within the contract “we were unaware of it”.

Nazim stressed that the Finance Committee inquiry focused on the financial burden on the state and had discovered that the government would have to pay US$166 million to Nexbis over the course of the agreement.

Conversely, he claimed that the Maldivian government would only earn US$8 million as royalties during the agreement period.

Nazim noted that the Finance Ministry informed the committee that it was yet to receive a copy of the agreement two years after it was signed.

The Finance Ministry has also not included any funds in either the 2012 or 2013 budgets to pay for the project.

Nazim also accused the then-attorney general of “negligence” in the deal as he had not provided an official legal opinion to the Immigration Department in writing.

Recommendations by the former attorney general to amend the agreement could not be found in the documentation, he added.

Nazim said the Finance Committee concluded therefore that the best course of action would be to terminate the Nexbis agreement and install a different border control system at the earliest date.

Following the Finance Committee decision, the budget review committee has included a recommendation compelling the government to terminate the Nexbis agreement.

The Finance Committee also recommended terminating the agreement over concerns it contained clauses to waive taxes to the company, Nazim said. He noted that imposing or waiving taxes was a prerogative of parliament under article 97(d) of the constitution.

During the ensuing debate, MPs from both the formerly ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and government-aligned parties spoke in favour of terminating the agreement.

Along with the decision to terminate the Nexbis deal, the government of President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hasaan Manik late last month also opted to void an airport development agreement with India-based infrastructure group GMR.

The GMR contract, a 25-year agreement to develop and manage an entire new terminal at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA), was the single largest foreign investment project in the country’s history.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Finance minister claims “cash flow” issues behind delay in clearing Male’ City Council utility debts

Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad has claimed that a delay in clearing debts owed to various utility providers by Male’ City Council (MCC) is the result of a “cash flow” issue facing his department.

On Saturday (December 22), the MCC revealed that it owed an outstanding electricity bill of MVR 3.9 million (US$ 254,569) to the State Electricity Company Limited (STELCO).

A further MVR 400,000 (US$ 26,109) is also owed by the MCC to telecommunication service provider Dhiraagu, who earlier this week disconnected all telephone and internet services in the council’s offices.

Finance Minister Jihad yesterday (December 24) blamed “cash flow” issues for his ministry’s failure to clear the MMC’s debts.

“We are in the process of relieving the funds, however we have had some cash flow issues and that is why there has been a delay in the clearing the MCC’s debt.

“We are working to clear the debt in the next couple of days,” Jihad told Minivan News.

Asked yesterday whether the government lacked the money to repay the bills, Jihad replied: “The government has to manage the cash flow, they make the payments. There is a cash flow issue.”

MCC Mayor ‘Maizan’ Ali Manik Manik previously claimed that the outstanding payment owed to STELCO by the MCC threatens to leave all council owned properties and utilities – including street lights – without power.

Speaking to Minivan News today (December 25) Manik said that he had personally told members of the Finance Ministry to make a “settlement” with all the utility companies that are currently owed money.

“I told the ministry that if they don’t have the cash flow to pay these debts, then they should speak to Dhiraagu and STELCO and make a settlement,” he said.

“Even if it means saying that they will be paid in a month’s time, even a year’s time, anything is better than the current situation. I have a feeling we are going to be in darkness after December 27.”

Mayor Manik has previously told Minivan News on December 22 that MMC had filed all necessary documents and paper work with the finance ministry in order for the outstanding bills to be paid.

He claimed that having spoken to Jihad about the issue at the time, the finance minister had assured him that both the STELCO and Dhiraagu bills would be paid by his ministry on December 23.

However, STELCO Media Co-ordinator Abdulla Nazir revealed that as of December 23, no money had been deposited by the finance ministry.

Dhiraagu disconnection

On Thursday (December 20), local media reported that Dhiraagu had disconnected all phone and internet services it provided to the MCC due to unpaid bills.

MCC member Ibrahim Shajau claimed that over MVR 400,000 (US$ 26,109) is owed by the council to Dhiraagu, alleging that the Finance Ministry had failed to release the funds.

“We have sent all relevant documents to Finance Ministry. It’s up to [them] to pay the money. Dhiraagu said that Finance Ministry had not paid the money,” he told Sun Online.

Dhiraagu Marketing and PR Ibrahim Imjad Jaleel told local media that the services were disconnected after advising the council on numerous occasions to pay their bills.

“We disconnected the services today after giving them time even today to pay the bills after the offices opened. We had to cut off our services after their failure to pay any amount after several days of discussions. We are trying with our customer even now, to find a way to resume the services,” he said.

STELCO debt

Meanwhile, STELCO Media Coordinator Abdulla Nazir revealed that MCC had a “long history” of outstanding payments, adding that the stated figure of MVR 3.9 million was only part of the overall debt owed to the company.

“STELCO has received no money so far. There are many months of outstanding debt from MCC, more than the MVR 3.9 million we have asked for,” Nazir said. “While we have received no statement or payment from the Finance Ministry, we have received a letter from MCC dated December 19. They said their bills have been sent to the Finance Ministry, and they have asked the ministry to settle the outstanding payments.”

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Tobacco Control Act could see tomato, potato cultivation banned

Tomato and potato cultivation could be banned in the Maldives under requirements outlined under the new Tobacco Control Act, local media has reported today.

Under the act, the cultivation of any species in the tobacco family – which includes potatoes, tomatoes and peppers – would be prohibited in the Maldives.

The tobacco family known as Solanaceae contains roughly 90 genera and around 2,000 species.

Assistant Director of the Agricultural Ministry Mohamed Naseem was quoted in local media as saying that the new law would prohibit the cultivation of potato and tomato in the country. He stated that the issue has been brought to the attention of the health ministry and that it must be revised.

The Agriculture Ministry has met the Centre for Community Health and Disease Control over the matter.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)