Tag: MDA

MP Siyam’s alcohol case sent back to police

A case involving the discovery of alcohol in the luggage of prominent businessman and MP Ahmed ‘Sun Travel’ Siyam has been sent back to police from the Prosecutor General’s Office.

The case was said to have included incomplete information regarding the discovery of the bottle during luggage screening at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport in March, reported Haveeru

Siyam is also head of the Maldivian Development Alliance (MDA), the country’s newest political party. The MDA has formed a coalition with the Progressive Party of Maldives for this Saturday’s presidential poll.

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MP proposes amending constitution to limit parliament to 77 MPs

MP Ahmed Amir has proposed an amendment to the Maldives Constitution that would prevent any further increase in the number of the country’s MPs, as authorities prepare to create additional constituencies to be contested during 2014’s parliamentary elections.

Haveeru has reported that the proposal was submitted by MP Amir, a senior figure within the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA), after the EC announced in June that eight additional MPs would be elected next year on top of the existing 77 members.

This increase, mandated by the constitution based on population statistics received by the EC, would take the total number of lawmakers to 85 once polling scheduled for next year is compete.

Based on the basic salary and allowances MVR62,500 (US$4000) paid to the country’s MPs, local media predicted that eight additional parliamentary representatives would cost the Maldives MVR500,000 (US32,400) per month.

Representatives for the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) today dismissed MP Amir’s proposals as being of limited concern to politicians and the wider public with a presidential election just under a month away.

Meanwhile, Dr Ahmed Didi, Deputy Leader of the Jumhoree Party (JP) said he personally believed the increase in MPs next year should go ahead as mandated within the country’s constitution.

However, he said that no formal decision had been taken by the JP on the issue, with the party’s council eventual deciding whether to support a proposed increase in MP numbers.

Government Aligned Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Ahmed Mahloof and Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Parliamentary Group Leader Dr Abdulla Mausoom were not responding to calls at time of press.

“Public disillusionment”

The decision create eight additional salaried parliamentarians was taken as civil society and senior political figures have raised concerns over the last year about accountability within parliament and a sense of “public disillusionment” with the country’s democratic system.

Findings compiled by NGO Transparency Maldives published shortly before last year’s controversial transfer of power found that a vast majority of a survey group of 1001 believed parliament to be the country’s “most corrupt” institution.

MDP spokesperson and MP Hamid Adbul Ghafoor told Minivan News today that proposal to limit the number of Maldivian MPs to 77 was not seen as a pressing concern for the party at present, with the general view taken that the party should try to make the constitution adopted in 2008 “work”.

“I would say this [issue] hasn’t sparked interest at a party level. As far as we are concerned the constitution says that boundaries should be withdrawn,” he said. “With the election coming we are not interested at the moment.”

When questioned over how a public reportedly disillusioned with parliament’s conduct might view an increase in the number of salaried MPs, Ghafoor dismissed suggestions there were any widespread concerns about the work of parliamentarians.

He expressed belief that parliament was “very popular” among the public compared to how the Maldives’ legislature had been viewed before the country’s first multi-party democratic election in 2008, where it operated as a body to rubber stamp the edicts of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Ghafoor was also critical of Transparency Maldives, accusing them of failing to hold parliament to account and showing transparency themselves.

“Transparency Maldives is a big joke.  You may quote me on that,” he said, accusing the NGO, which oversees projects such as Majlis (Parliament) Watch, of failing to engage with the country’s parliamentarians.

Transparency Maldives Project Director Aiman Rasheed was not responding to calls at time of press.

Ghafoor claimed that the MDP represented a ‘new order’ for democratic politics, alleging all other parties in the country that came to power in February’s controversial transfer of power representing an ‘old order’ favouring autocratic rule.

“The old order doesn’t like that it lost control [of parliament]. The only way it can gain control now is through a popular vote,” he said.

Ghafoor claimed additionally that the MDP had itself in the past tried to resist efforts by the People’s Majlis to approve increased salaries and bonuses for MPs, arguing the party had “never initiated” increasing such incentives for elected officials in the Maldives.

He added that certain MPs including himself had rejected receiving a MVR 20,000 (US$1,298) per month allowance to cover a parliamentarians phone, travel, and living expenses.

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Maldives Development Alliance to hold coalition talks

The Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) headed by local MP and business tycoon Ahmed ‘Sun Travel’ Shiyam is reportedly looking to form a coalition with which to contest the presidential election scheduled for next month.

MDA national council members present at a meeting held on Thursday (August 1) unanimously approved the decision to form a coalition, with an unnamed party official telling Shiyam’s Sun Online news service that the power-sharing talks were thought to involve the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

According to local media, a five-member committee has already been formed to discuss forming a coalition with the PPM, which is presently standing by itself with Parliamentary Group Leader MP Adulla Yameen as presidential candidate.

PPM vice presidential candidate Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed and Spokesperson MP Ahmed Nihan were not responding to requests to clarify the report at time of press.

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Parliament announces five MPs’ change of parties

Speaker of Parliament Abdulla Shahid announced at today’s sitting of the People’s Majlis that five MPs have officially informed the secretariat of their recent change of political parties.

The movement of MPs included Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim from the People’s Alliance (PA) to the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), MPs Ahmed Shareef Adam and Ahmed Moosa from PPM to President Dr Mohamed Waheed’s Gaumee Ihthihaad Party (GIP), and MP Ali Azim from the government-aligned Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) to the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

DRP MP Ali Saleem meanwhile left the party to become an Independent MP.

Following the changes, the majority party MDP currently has 33 seats, minority party PPM has 20 seats, the DRP has 11 seats, the Jumhooree Party (JP) has three seats, and the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) has one seat.

There are currently nine independent MPs of the 77 elected to parliament in May 2009. The two MPs who recently joined President Waheed’s GIP along with MP Ibrahim Muttalib of the Adhaalath Party as well as two MPs of the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) are considered independents under the parliamentary rules as no candidate has been elected to parliament on either an Adhaalath, MDA or GIP ticket.

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Hilton in talks following contract termination as staff allege political harassment from new management

Hilton has said discussions are continuing with operator Sun Tour and Travels over the local company’s decision to abruptly terminate its contract to manage the Maldives Iru Fushi Resort last week.

The claims were made as staff at the property alleged some workers are now facing harassment over their political alignments following the termination of the resort giant’s management contract.

Sun Tour and Travels announced on May 1 that it was terminating Hilton’s agreement to manage the Noonu Atoll-based resort, with sources on the island accusing the local tour operator of giving the multinational company barely 24 hours notice to cease their operations before they were asked to leave.  The resort is now being run as the Maldives Iru Fushi Resort and Spa.

The Hilton group, which continues to manage the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island property in the country, today confirmed to Minivan News that it was still in discussions with the resort’s owner, Sun Travel and Tours regarding the matter. Hilton said it could not therefore confirm what action it would take to resolve the matter.

Sun Travel and Tours is owned and operated by MP Ahmed Shiyam, a local businessman and media magnate, who last year founded his own political party, the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA).

Current resort General Manager Abdulla Thamheed today said he was “not the right person” at Sun to speak on the decision to terminate the Hilton contract, requesting Minivan News instead contact a media official at the company’s head offices in Male’.  The nominated spokesperson was not responding to calls or e-mails at time of press.

However, a member of staff at the resort, speaking on condition of anonymity, said workers were continuing to perform their duties at the site, despite claiming that 40 employees had resigned since the termination of the Hilton contract last week.

“Staff are working as hard right now as they were before,” the source claimed. “We need the money for our families.”

Job security fears

The employee alleged nonetheless that a work environment had “recently” developed resulting in staff being “fearful” of talking politics on the resort during their free time.

Since the termination of Hilton’s agreement,  the resort source accused certain management and staff at the resort backing MP Shiyam’s MDA party and making verbal threats against workers who held different political beliefs.

“When Hilton was here, there was freedom to talk about politics, whatever party you supported,” the source said. “No one was holding campaigns here for parties or anything, but now just talking about politics is a problem. This has happened recently.”

The staff member accused some staff of acting as “MDA spies” for MP Shiyam’s political party, leading to fears about job prospects at the site for those with differing political views.

“People are really afraid to talk here now. We know that some people here represent the MDA [party] and we have heard them warn others ‘we have the power now’ – these are words they are using,” the source claimed. “We do not have job security right now.”

Outside of talking politics at the resort, the same source alleged that staff had lately found their access to televised news media being restricted in the staff area to private pro-government aligned broadcaster DhiTV.

The employee said requests by some workers for access to other private broadcasters such as VTV and Raajee TV – media owned by political and business rivals of Shiyam or perceived as being aligned with the opposition politicians – were currently awaiting management approval.

Complaints

The Tourism Employees Association of Maldives (TEAM) today claimed it had continued to receive complaints from workers at the resort before and after the termination of the Hilton management agreement concerning attempts to politicise staff.

TEAM Secretary General Mauroof Zakir said he had received information that management had been hiring  local MDA members to replace staff members who resigned over the last week.

However, Zakir added that he had also been informed by various members of staff that Sun Travels had brought in a number of experienced managers from its wider operations to the resort to ensure it was running more smoothly after alleged difficulties following the changeover.

“Things seem to be much more under control at the site now, staff told me,” he said.

Zakir had expressed concern about a lack of response from tourism officials and industry bodies about the nature of the change of management and allegations of political influence at the resort.

Minivan News was awaiting a response from Tourism Minister Ahmed Adheeb and Deputy Tourism Minister Mohamed Maleeh Jamal at time of press.

Aftermath

Sources at the resort have alleged there have been a number of cancellations from Hilton loyalty members over the decision to terminate the company’s contract, as well as complaints from some guests concerning security at the site after police were summoned to the property earlier in the week.

However, the same source stressed that the Sun Travels and Tours had provide compensation packages for guests at the property following the change in management.

Police Spokesperson Chief Inspector Hassan Haneef confirmed this week that police had attended the resort on May 4 in response to allegations that three female Maldivians staying at the property had been harassed.

Haneef said police arrived at the site to investigate after receiving a complaint from resort management over alleged harassment of some guests by an unidentified suspect.

He claimed that police had insufficient information to identify a suspect at the time of press.

Earlier this week, sources at several large local travel operators based in Male’ confirmed to Minivan News that some bookings for the property had been cancelled as a result of Hilton no longer operating the site.

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MDA takes Kendhikulhudhoo council seat during debut by-election contest

The Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) has claimed a seat on the island council of Kendhikolhudhoo in Noonu Atoll following a two-way by-election contest against the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) yesterday.

According to Elections Commission figures, MDA candidate Ahmed Rizleen won the vacant seat on the island council with a 65 percent share of the vote (450 votes) against his MDP rival Umar Moosa.

Moosa lost out with 242 votes (35 percent).

MDA Leader tourism tycoon MP Ahmed ‘Sun Travel’ Shiyam told local media the party had managed to defeat the country’s largest political party – based on membership and number of MPs – during the first ever election in which it had fielded a candidate. Shiyam, who previously served as an independent MP, formed his party last year.

He was not responding to calls from Minivan News at time of press.

MDA candidate Rizleen received 200 votes from the ballot box placed at Kendhi Kolhu Ward, 224 votes from Kulhudhoo ward and 27 votes from the ballot box placed in Male’, Shiyam’s Sun Online news service reported following  he conclusion of the election.

According to the same report, MDP candidate Moosa got 90 votes from Kulhudhoo ward, 124 votes from Kendhikolhu ward and 28 votes from Male’.

Just last month MPs of the government-aligned Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) – the country’s second largest party in terms of parliament representation – spoke of a need to reassess power sharing agreements over concerns at the size of crowds at recent MDP gatherings.

However, other parties in the coalition government of President Dr Mohamed Waheed today questioned the strength of the opposition party on the basis of the MDA’s single council win.

The government-aligned Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) led by MP Ahmed Thasmeen Ali today congratulated the MDA for its victory in a statement.

In its statement, DRP congratulated MDA candidate Ahmed Rizleen and the MDA leadership for the victory on behalf of DRP leader Thasmeen and members of the DRP.

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MVR 11.7 million awarded to nine political parties from state budget

MVR 11.7 million (US$762,215) has been awarded to nine political parties from the state budget according to local media.

Secretary General of Elections Commission (EC) told local media that the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) had been awarded MVR 3.6 million (US$ 234,527) alone – the most money given to a political party this year.

Out of the 16 political parties registered at the EC, the nine that were awarded money include: MDP Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), Adhaalath Party (AP), Maldives National Congress (MNC), Jumhooree Party (JP), Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP), Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and Maldives Development Association (MDA).

PPM received a total of MVR 1.98 million (US$128,990), DRP were awarded MVR 1.9 (US$123,778) million and JP received MVR 1.2 million (US$78,175).

Islamic Democratic Party, Maldives Social Democratic Party, Social Liberal Party, People’s Party, People’s Alliance, Maldivian Labour Party and Maldives Reform Movement, received no funding from the EC.

President of the EC, Fuad Thaufeeq, told local media that some parties were not awarded the money this year due to the commission being unable to contact them through the details the party had provided.

Parties were also not awarded money due to lacking the minimum number of members required by political party regulation.

The EC will disburse money to the political parties if the courts issue an order to do so, local media reported.

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MDA slams former governments over sanitation

The Maldivian Development Alliance (MDA) yesterday (February 9) slammed successive governments over what it claimed was a failure to address sanitation issues across the country, while also calling for greater respect of police and military officers by the public.

MDA Interim Leader MP Ahmed ‘Sun Travel’ Shiyam was reported by his Sun Online media organisation as claiming that a need for increased health spending in recent years was a direct result of a failure to address sanitation issues across the country.

The comments were made during a rally to try and boost party members on Noonu Atoll Kedhikolhudhoo.

Government corruption under successive regimes was highlighted by Shiyam as a key reason for a failure to address healthcare concerns in the country’s outer atolls, as well as the provision of clean water supplies for residents.

He contended that money raised through taxation reforms over the last two years was not therefore being adequately invested to nationally address water pollution and other preventative healthcare measures.

Sun Online also reported MDA Interim Deputy Leader Aishath Rafiyya as claiming during the party’s campaigning on Kedhikolhudhoo that the public should show their appreciation and loyalty to the country’s police and military officers.

With senior defence figures rejecting allegations of police brutality at the time of the controversial transfer of power last year, Aishath stressed that security forces had been well trained and operated in the country with “honesty and loyalty”.  She added that their work required the appreciation of the public.

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MDA interim leader promises pre-school construction during party membership drive

Maldivian Development Alliance (MDA) interim Leader and tourism magnate MP Ahmed ‘Sun Travel’ Shiyam has pledged during a campaign to boost his party’s membership that he will build pre-schools on the islands of Landhoo and Fodhdhoo in Noonu Atoll.

Shiyam’s Sun Online news service reported today that he had promised that the foundations for at least one of the pre-school buildings was expected to be laid during the year.

Addressing the pledge today, a senior MDA member told Minivan News that all funding for the proposed school buildings would be provided by Shiyam himself in a “personal capacity”, adding that the decision was not politically motivated, but rather a service to the public.

Shiyam’s campaigning for the recently formed MDA follows the passing of a new bill in parliament requiring political parties in the country to have a minimum of 10,000 registered members.

Should the bill be signed into law, parties without the sufficient number of members would be given three months to meet the target or face being dissolved.

During campaigning yesterday, Shiyam said that despite Fodhdhoo being small in terms of population, all islands – regardless of their size – were entitled to fundamental rights.

“You are like any other people. You as well deserve the fundamental rights that the rest of the people enjoy. I will do whatever I can to ensure that fact stays that way,” he was reported as saying.

During a rally held later the same day on Landhoo Island, Shiyam said that the development of the nation required educated young people to come forth, adding that the country had fallen into a grave state due to a lack of honest political leaders.

“Those who come to power need to have a very strong understanding of the public sentiments and should have the quality to respect the views of the people. Leaders who lie and deceive should never come in front of the people,” he claimed.

“Immense Support”

Speaking to Minivan News today, MDA Deputy Leader Ali Mauroof claimed that the party was “receiving immense support” from Noonu Atoll and expressed confidence in reaching the 10,000 member limit as stipulated in the newly passed political parties bill.

“Noonu Atoll is the native Atoll of both me and our leader [Shiyam], so we are receiving immense support from the islands. You would know about this support if you see our Sun Online [news service]. We believe we could get 90 percent of the entire population of the Atoll,” he said.

Asked about the immediate aims of the MDA, Mauroof said that the party’s first target was to attain 10,000 members.  He claimed the MDA’s longer-term strategy was to become the “largest political party” in the country.

Mauroof also criticised the recently passed political parties’ bill, dismissing it as an attempt to “destroy” smaller political parties.

“The reality is that in a democracy, you would not see bills made to destroy smaller political parties. There are democracies which allow hundreds of political parties. That is what democracy is,” he said.

Mauroof also claimed that Shiyam’s pledge to build two pre-schools in Noonu Atoll had been made in a “personal capacity” rather than directly through the MDA.

“Our leader was the one who advocated for providing pre-schooling facilities in the islands. It was his proposed bill on pre-schools that were passed into legislation by the parliament and currently being enforced. This is not something new too. Our leader has built pre-schools in Dhaalu Atoll as well,” he explained.

He added that Shiyam was building pre-schools not as a “political motive” but as a social responsibility to “contribute to society”.

“We did not condition anyone to join the party. We did not give any reward or pay anybody to join the party. People are joining us willingly and voluntarily. Even the pre-schools are not built under the name of MDA,” he added.

“Not a cult-party”: MDA

Deputy Leader Mauroof also claimed that the MDA would display the “best internal democracy within the party” by adhering to democratic and transparent principles and best practices, adding that there would be no grounds to call them a “cult party”.

“We have our own party charter. Everything will be done in accordance with the party charter. This party will host the best internal democracy within the party. We would not have spiritual leaders,” he said.

Mauroof added that all decisions by the MDA were expected to be made by the party’s council, which he claimed would ultimately decide on its future political alignment.

“We are not enemies of any political party. We can work with any party for interests of the country. However, the decision to field or support a candidate in the upcoming presidential elections and making coalitions would be decided by the party’s council at the most appropriate time,” he added.

Mauroof added that their policies would reflect the needs of the people and their betterment.

“We will be a party that will work on strengthening democracy, bringing development and prosperity to the country,” he added.

Formation

MDA was officially given the permission to establish itself as a political party on June last year by the elections commission. The party officially held its inaugural convention on December 10, 2012.  It was at this convention where the party elected Shiyam as its interim leader along with appointing other key leadership positions.

The tourism magnate was elected interim leader with 335 votes out of 362 ballots cast.

According to Shiyam’s Sun Online news website, 362 members attended the meeting at Traders Hotel, which was authorised to proceed by the Elections Commission after it had verified the attendance registry.

Under the regulations governing political parties’ which is still in force, at least 300 members are required to attend an inaugural convention of a newly-formed political party, while 3,000 signatures are needed to form the party.

The MDA becomes the 16th political party to be registered in the Maldives since 2005.

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