President’s Office dismisses Ibrahim Moosa Luthfee from advisory role

Ibrahim ‘Sandhaanu’ Moosa Luthfee has been dismissed from his advisory role at the President’s Office after he failed to attend for months after taking leave, the government confirmed.

President’s Office Media Secretary Masood Imad told Minivan News the decision had been taken to terminate Luthfee’s advisory role – stated in local media to be a salaried position with a monthly wage of MVR 32,000 (US$2075),  after he was found not to have returned to work for a significant period of time after taking leave.

Masood was unable to clarify if Luthfee had continued to receive wages during the period of leave, but expressed his personal belief that this would be unlikely.

“This is a bureaucratic issue and I think that it is normal to dismiss someone if they don’t come to work for four months or whatever,” he said. “In such a case, If I overstay my leave, I believe I would not be continued to be paid if I did not return to work. We haven’t been on top of this matter, but I’m sure payments would have been stopped through the bureaucratic system we have.”

According to Sun Online, Luthfee, who was previously sentenced to life in prison back in 2002 under the government of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, had resided in Switzerland before returning to the country in August of last year for a “holiday”.

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Commonwealth ministerial mission arrives in Maldives

A Commonwealth ministerial mission has arrived in the Maldives capital, Malé, to gain a better understanding of recent events.

The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) ministerial mission will remain in the Maldives February 17-20, 2012.

“We are here following an extraordinary meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) held by teleconference on 12 February 2012,” the mission said in a statement.

“This is a political mission, designed to enable ministers to gain a better understanding of the situation in Maldives. The Commonwealth’s response must be informed by a proper understanding of the facts.

“Over the next couple of days, we will be meeting a range of stakeholders which will enable us to brief CMAG on all relevant aspects of the situation. This mission is seen in the context of the Commonwealth’s long-standing engagement with Maldives and we hope that we can contribute to peace, stability and prosperity in the country.”

The mission was appointed due to a need to “urgently to ascertain the facts surrounding the transfer of power [in the Maldives], and to promote adherence to Commonwealth values and principles”.

The ministerial mission is being led by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Communications of Trinidad and Tobago, Surujrattan Rambachan. He is accompanied by Dr Dipu Moni, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, and Dennis Richardson AO, Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia.

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