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MDP withdraws no-confidence motion against Home Minister Jameel

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Monday withdrawn a no confidence motion submitted to parliament against Minister of Home Affairs Mohamed Jameel Ahmed.

According to parliament, MDP parliamentary group leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had submitted a letter stating that the group had “decided not to carry forward at this time the no confidence motion against Home Minister Dr Jameel which was submitted under Article 177(a) of the Parliament regulations.”

Solih declined to share the reasons behind the withdrawal when speaking to local media, saying instead that “perhaps the reasons may be revealed later”.

Following the submission of the motion in early October, MDP MP Imthiyaz Fahmy had said that the action had been taken over concerns regarding what he alleged was an “unprecedented increase in murders and assault” since the transfer of power. He further criticized Jameel’s failure to probe human rights abuses conducted by police on February 8.

MDP has also submitted a no confidence motion against President Mohamed Waheed Hassan, which has not yet been placed on schedule in the parliament.

Furthermore, the Public Affairs Committee has approved an amendment to the parliament regulations allowing secret ballots when conducting no confidence votes. The matter is now pending review and voting on the parliament floor, which is currently scheduled for November 19.

Home Minister Jameel was unable to speak to Minivan News this afternoon, and was later not responding to calls.

MDP Parliamentary Group leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was not responding to calls and deputy leader Ali Waheed’s phone was switched off at the time of press.

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Coalition government “abusing religion”, “spreading xenophobia”: former President Nasheed

Former President Nasheed has expressed concerns over what he alleged was the current government coalition’s deliberate spreading of xenophobia, abuse of religion for political gains and negligence in bringing MP Afrasheem’s murderer to justice.

Speaking to a gathering of an estimated 2000 attendees at Sunday’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) gathering on the occasion of Republic Day, Nasheed strongly criticised the political opposition to the contract with GMR to develop the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA).

“With the direction Maldivian politics are going in now, we may have to face consequences where the country’s citizens become prey to powerful foreign countries,” Nasheed warned.

“For the purposes of justifying this coup, people who are passing themselves off as religious scholars are spreading hatred for foreigners among our citizens. Under the guise of religion and nationalism, they have instilled xenophobic sentiments in the hearts of a few Maldivians.”

“A few politicians, for their personal gain, have brought the Maldives to the edge of a very dangerous precipice. The political actions of people who are nearing the age of hundred to try and revive their personal pasts, to repeat what has happened in a different century, will prove to cause a loss to us citizens in the end,” Nasheed said.

He added that it was impossible to “chase the Indian High Commissioner” out of Male’ in this day and age as might have been done in the distant past, and that GMR could not be sent away either.

Nasheed once again asserted that the contract with GMR was one beneficial to the people of the Maldives, “although some businessmen may not be benefiting from it.”

At a recent meeting, Nasheed had shared figures detailing the financial benefits the GMR contract had for the Maldives, while denouncing the Dhivehi Qaumee Party’s economic criticism of the same contract.

“Creating rifts was a common strategy during the long 30 year old regime [Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom’s administration]. Some Maldivian politicians see creating a rift to then take political advantage from it to be a strategic and inventive skill. Baaghee (“Traitor”) Waheed may possibly have read in some book that creating rifts would be beneficial, but Maldivians will get no benefits through setting up India and China against each other and creating problems between them,” Nasheed stated.

Nasheed stated that the country’s foreign policy needed to be clearly laid out, with the aims and objectives clearly defined.

“Stop hiding Afrasheem’s murderer” : Nasheed to CP Riyaz

Nasheed expressed disappointment that the police had to date failed to uncover details in the case of PPM MP Afrasheem Ali who was found brutally murdered in early October.

“There seems to be none among us who is even concerned about it anymore,” said Nasheed. “On the first couple of days, we were very vocal about giving money to Dr Afrasheem’s widow from state funds, but we have not taken any steps to bring the murderer to justice.”

“This government has been negligent in the case of Dr Afrasheem’s death,” said Nasheed. “We assure you that an MDP government will bring his murderer to justice.”

The former president further alleged that the police had failed to find any relevant information about the case, saying “Baaghee [‘traitor’] police claim they have uncovered a lot in their investigations; that it was indeed Afrasheem who had been killed, his identity card number, that he was a member of parliament, his wife’s name, who his friends and relatives are… these traitor police claim to know all the details, except what concerns the actual case of the murder.”

Stating it was a direct message to the Commissioner of Police Abdulla Riyaz, Nasheed said: “Stop hiding Afrasheem’s murderer. You know who Afrasheem’s murderer is. Please send the related details to the judicial institutions and courts of the Maldives. Ensure Afrasheem’s murderer is brought to justice immediately.”

“A republican government is one that belongs to the people”

“The current people in government came to power through a coup. What we see today is a violent, illegitimate, coup government kept in power through the force of pepper spray and batons of a few police officers and MNDF soldiers,” Nasheed said.

He further stated that it was a national obligation of all Maldivian citizens to bring down the coup government and establish a democratic government voted in by the people.

“It is because of that coup that today the country’s economy is being destroyed for the benefit of a handful of businessmen,” Nasheed said.

“This coup government has broken up the social protection programme that we established in our democratic government. Their intention is to create dependency and keep us citizens forever at the mercy of these traitors or some rich businessmen. We need to bring an end to this coup government for the sake of the country’s development.”

Nasheed ended his speech by calling on the Speaker of the Majlis to assume leadership of the country and to hold presidential elections within two months. As a final word, he led the crowd of supporters to chant “Elections Now!”

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Audit Office’s state budget increased by MVR 14 million

The Audit Office’s state budget has been increased by MVR 14 million, following approval by Parliament’s Public Finance Committee.

This year the Audit Office was approved a budget of MVR 57.8 million by the committee, as opposed to last year’s budget of MVR 44.5 million.

According to a member of the committee, the budget of MVR 57.8 million, as proposed by the Audit Office, was passed after thorough assessment by the Sub-Committee, and due to the importance of the work carried out by the Audit Office.

Auditor General Niyaz Ibrahim said that the budget had to be increased to facilitate the recruitment of 43 additional employees to the office.

From the MVR 57.8 million, MVR 54 million has been assigned as recurrent expenditure and MVR3.8 million as capital expenditure.

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LGA blamed for hindering City Council’s mandate

The Local Government Authority (LGA) has been blamed by Male’ City Council for failing to cooperate with the council in providing services to the people.

In a statement made by the council, it alleged that legally obligated plans are currently pending due to LGA failing to heed requests for technical expertise for the work of the City Council.

The Council also highlighted that LGA had failed to provide information and extend cooperation needed to draft plans for the development of the capital Male.

“Male City Council has failed to provide the services to the people as the resources and funds needed haven’t been received from the relevant authorities.

“In addition, each and every responsibility being looked at in an investigative manner by LGA and relevant State institutions is unnecessary,” a City Council statement said.

The statement alleged that following the regime change on February 7, political influence has found its way into the new LGA board, creating a major obstacle to the council’s mandate.

The LGA have also been accused by City Council of launching investigations into every request made for the assistance of the authority.

The decentralisation system could collapse if the LGA failed to extend cooperation and assistance to the councils, City Council warns.

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Voluntary pension scheme proposal rejected

A proposal to make contributions to the pension scheme voluntary has been rejected by the Parliament’s Social Committee.

The current Pension Act stipulates that it is obligatory to participate in the pension scheme, however a revision of the act has been proposed by Fares-Maathoda MP, Ibrahim Mutthalib.

Mutthalib’s revision states that the pension scheme should be made voluntary and the current pension wage of 7 percent should be reduced to 3.5 percent of salaries.

After assessment and discussion, it was decided by the Committee that the Pension Act does not require the proposed revision.

The Attorney General’s Office, Pension Administration Office, Maldives National Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Maldives Association of Construction Industry, and Maldives Association of Tourism Industry, were all involved in the discussion on how the current pension scheme would be affected, should the revision be approved.

The committee’s decision on the revision has been sent to Parliament.

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Taxi drivers to strike over decision to fine illegally parked vehicles

Taxi drivers across Male are set to go on strike on Monday in protest of the Transport Ministry’s decision to issue stickers on illegally parked vehicles.

Abdulla Ibrahim, who is leading the protest, highlighted the lack of parking spaces in the capital, alleging the government is going ahead with the idea without a proper plan.

According to Mr Ibrahim, taxi centres will not accept the Transport Ministry’s decision to issue stickers under the current circumstances.

Speaking to Haveeru Online, he said: “There is no room to park cars. If we park the car for breakfast, there will be a sticker. There will be a sticker for afternoon and evening, we will have to spend a lot of money.

“We will gather at Raalhugandu Area and from there we will go to the Transport Ministry with posters and banners.”

9292 Taxi Centre has said that four pickup centres and nine taxi centres will participate in the protest.

According to the Transport Authority, stickers issued on illegally parked cars will carry a fine of MVR 250 (US$16) for the first, MVR 500 (US$32) for the second and MVR 750 (US$48) for each following sticker.

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Televised allegations by President spokeperson against Indian High Commissioner spark diplomatic incident

Additional reporting by Mohamed Naahii and Mariyath Mohamed.

The government has distanced itself from comments made at a rally on Friday by President’s Office Spokesperson Abbas Adil Riza, after his attacks against Indian High Commissioner D M Mulay were picked up and widely reported in Indian media.

During a rally organised by parties of the ruling coalition, calling for the seizure and nationalisation of Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) from Indian infrastructure giant GMR, Riza described Mulay as a “traitor and enemy of the Maldives and the Maldivian people”, accusing him of taking bribes and threatening the government.

“Trade between the Maldives and India reaches billions. Indian tycoons have the biggest share in Maldives tourism.  Indian people are deepest in Maldivian business.  We have to protect the businesses of those who import and sell potatoes and onions from India. We also have to protect the businesses of those who import gravel and sand from India. It should not be GMR that [Mulay] should take into account,” Riza declared.

Riza alleged that Mulay had been using his influence as the High Commissioner to threaten the Maldivian government, following the calls against GMR.

“Today, like someone who has chilli smoke on his eyes, like someone who has ants at his feet who is threatening us Maldivians, the Indian ambassador here has forgotten what his job here in Maldives is. We are not in the mood to allow him to commit the crimes he is committing in our country,” he told to crowd.

“I saw two folks who work in the Indian embassy go out of [this gathering] talking to a Bangladeshi. They asked him to take photos of the gathering. When this Bangladeshi was here taking photos, I confronted him and asked who are you to take photos? He then said his name was Aboobakr. I told him to leave immediately, just the way I am saying GMR must also leave immediately,” Riza said.

Riza added that the Maldives and India will always remain “good friends” and that the people of Maldives are so interconnected with Indians, but the “problem is that there are a few Indian traitors who take bribes”.

“A diplomat’s job is to work for his country and people and not to protect the interests of one private company… He is a traitor and enemy of Maldives and Maldivian people. We don’t want these kind of diplomats on our soil,” Riza said.

“Today we are also calling on for something else. On the day when we get GMR out of the Maldives, Mulay must also get out of here!”

Following several nights of poorly-attended rallies at the artificial beach, Minivan News observed more than a thousand present on Friday.

Noticing an expatriate in attendance reading a copy of local Dhivehi newspaper Haveeru, Minivan News asked what he was doing: “Boss asked me to look Maldivian,” the expatriate replied.

Riza’s comments were widely reported in Indian media.

Television channel Times Now described the “vicious targeting of the Indian envoy as leaving “a bitter taste”, and sparking a “huge diplomatic row”.

At time of press the story had also been picked up by the Hindu and the Indian Express.

Indian response

The remarks were quickly met with concern and condemnation by the Indian High Commission, which issued a statement dismissing the Presidential spokesperson’s allegations as being “against the diplomatic protocol”.

“We have told the government of Maldives that settling issues of huge mutual interest cannot be done on public space or on stage. This has to be done through discussion,” the High Commission said in a statement.

The Indian High Commission also made it clear that India would safeguard its interests including the investments of Indian companies.

“Similarly, all agreements signed by the previous governments will also be safeguarded and as such we have expressed our concern in very strong words to the government of Maldives. And we have also conveyed that India would safeguard the country’s interest, including these related to our investment,” it added.

The statement noted that the government’s issues with GMR were now the subject of arbitration in Singapore.

“If arbitration fails they (GMR and the government of Maldives) could find mutually accepted recourse either by going to the court of law or may be finding other mechanism available,” the High Commission stated, noting that President Waheed had personally given assurances to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that all the Indian investments, including GMR, would be protected and safeguarded.

“Our relations have been very strong and lot of goodwill have been invested in it. India is the Maldives’ largest investment partner, India is the largest technical and capacity building partner. India’s trade, aid and development partnership is also the biggest one,” the statement concluded.

Maldivian government retreats

Following complaints from the Indian government, the Maldivian government issued a statement on Saturday dissociating itself from comments made by Riza “and some other government officials, at a gathering held last evening against the involvement of GMR in the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport.”

“The gathering was organised by certain political parties including some members of the public. The views expressed at the gathering by Mr Abbas Adil Riza, though his own views, are regrettable, and do not reflect the views of the Government of Maldives, particularly those made against the Indian High Commissioner to the Maldives Mr D. M. Mulay,” the statement added.

Media Secretary of President’s Office, Masood Imad, told local newspaper Haveeru that Riza could have made the statements in a more “diplomatic way” and added that the Ministry of Foreign affairs has begun looking into Riza’s statements.

Political parties on both sides of the political divide, including the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) and even Riza’s own Jumhoree Party (JP), condemned his remarks.

The DRP in a statement claimed that party was of the view that the government and President Waheed should both apologise to Mulay and that such concerns should be raised in a more “ethical” and “diplomatic” manner.

JP Leader Gasim Ibrahim stated that Riza’s comments “go against the international standards of diplomacy, we are saddened by it and condemn it.”

The MDP also released a statement condemning Riza’s remarks, adding that the “baseless criminal accusations” were “highly concerning”.

“These undiplomatic, irresponsible, vulgar statements made towards a high-ranking diplomat of a neighbouring nation were initiated by the President’s spokesperson at a public gathering that was televised nationwide. MDP further condemns in the strongest terms, the similar public statements made by the president of a political party and by other political leaders at the gathering,” the party said.

However the MDP also has a track record of making accusations against Mulay.

MDP Chairperson ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik and former Former National Security Advisor Ameen Faisal in May alleged that Mulay had played down the tumultuous political turmoil and change of government on February 7 as an “internal matter”, despite being able to “see what was happening from his window. The whole coup was being telecast live. As a diplomat, he should’ve known that the whole country was in chaos.”

“[Mulay] became so powerful that he started behaving like the prime minister and not a high commissioner,” said Manik.

“In early 2011, we felt that Mulay was drifting away from the MDP. He wanted to meet leaders of opposition parties. He wanted to be invited to all official functions that took place in Maldives. He was invited to many government functions, but not all. We found that a lot of companies were coming [to the country] for business through Mulay. We were floating tenders for big projects. He would act like a middleman,” Manik alleged to Open magazine.

“Mulay would visit various [Maldivian] islands with his Indian friends, many of them businessmen. The government did not know who they were. Mulay has good connections with opposition parties, particularly Gayoom’s party,” he further claimed.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs responded at the time: “We do not think it is appropriate to bring our High Commissioner into the discourse. He enjoys our full confidence,” while Mulay himself at dismissed the allegations as “completely baseless, a flight of fancy.”

Cash-strapped Maldives turns to India

Friday’s diplomatic incident follows urgent warnings from Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad in late October that the Maldives would be unable to pay state salaries for the rest of the year without a further US$25 million loan from the Indian government.

The US$25 million was agreed upon in September as part of the $US100 million standby credit facility signed with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in November 2011.

Jihad told local media at the time that he believed the loan was being delayed due to the ongoing controversy over GMR’s development of INIA.

Since coming to power Waheed’s government has committed to reimbursing civil servants for wage reductions made during the austerity measures of the previous government, amounting to Rf443.7 million (US$28.8 million), to be disbursed in monthly instalments over 12 months from July.

The overall deficit for government expenditure has already reached over MVR 2billion (US$129 million). Jihad told the Majlis’ Finance Committee that he expected this figure to rise to MVR 6 billion (US$387million) by year’s end – 28 percent of GDP – alleging that the previous government left unpaid bills equal to over one third of this anticipated deficit.

Former Minister of Economic Development Mahmood Razee told Minivan News that this increased expenditure in the face of a pre-existing deficit represented the government “ignoring reality.”

Foreign investment concern

GMR is not the only Indian company to have expressed concern over political interference derailing their substantial investments in the country, according to a recent report in India’s Business Standard publication.

Officials involved in the Apex Realty housing development project – a joint venture between developers SG18 and Indian super-conglomerate TATA – told the Standard that the government was attempting to take over the site in Male’ given to the company, with the intention of building a new Supreme Court.

“A recent meeting held with the Maldivian Housing Minister is said to have ended abruptly with officials from the firm and the Indian High Commission being asked to leave,” the Standard reported.

GMR has meanwhile been forced to halt construction of the new terminal by the new government. Assorted parties now in the ruling coalition had opposed the handling of its concession agreement to manage and develop INIA while in opposition.

The company has previously sought to downplay its issues with the government in the media, however “public statements and press conferences of some government ministers and coalition party leaders are clearly aimed at arousing public sentiments against GMR and creating undue challenges for us,” the company told the Standard.

“To gain political advantage, some elements of the government itself have started hampering the smooth functioning and development of the airport,” the company added.

The comments follow a US$2.2 million bill handed to the government’s side of the airport contract – the Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) – following a third quarter in which the airport developer deducted the airport development charge (ADC) stipulated in its contract from concession fees due the state – the consequence of a Civil Court ruling in September won by the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) while in opposition.

In the first quarter of 2012 the government received US$525,355 of an expected US$8.7 million, after the deduction of the ADC. That was followed by a US$1.5 million bill for the second quarter, after the ADC payable eclipsed the revenue due the government.

Combined with the third quarter payment due, the government now owes the airport developer US$3.7 million.

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Coral reefs begin to recover in the Maldives

Scientists have witnessed a “promising” recovery in the coral reefs around the Maldives, a recent survey has revealed.

The results show that some reefs now have more live coral cover than before the catastrophic El Niño bleaching event in 1998, which killed 95 percent of the country’s reefs – a key attraction for foreign tourists.

The project was set up by international conservation non-profit organisation Biosphere Expeditions. Scientists from the UK-based Marine Conservation Society (MCS) and the Maldives Marine Research Centre (MRC) surveyed areas known to have suffered from heavy bleaching.

The reef check conducted in September showed that many badly damaged reefs have recovered to populations in excess of 60 percent live coral. On one site, the survey team found there was more coral cover now than there was in 1997.

The latest findings follow a severe case of coral bleaching in 2010, when the MRC reported a resurgence of coral bleaching following a prolonged sea temperature rise.

The project found that the isolated, offshore and cleaner waters of the Maldives appeared to offer better conditions for coral recovery – contrasting findings published from the Great Barrier Reef, which noted that coral cover had  reduced by more than 50 percent in the last 27 years.

Lead scientist for the project, MCS Biodiversity Officer Dr Jean-Luc Solandt, said: “Although our surveys aren’t as comprehensive in scale and number as those from the Great Barrier Reef, we have witnessed a promising recovery in the reefs we’ve visited.

“The number of chronic impacts to the reefs of the Maldives are fewer than those to the Great Barrier Reef, and that has probably resulted in this more positive response to the initial bleaching event die-off in the sites we visited in Ari Atoll.”

The focus of this year’s project was to undertake reef check surveys in areas first surveyed before and during the El Niño bleaching in 1998.

Meaning ‘little boy’ in Spanish, El Niño is a phenomenon which damaged more than 95 per cent of the Maldives’ reefs following three months of unusually high seawater temperatures that year.

Even the slightest rise in water temperature can put stress on the coral, causing it to lose its colour and turn white, before eventually dying.

Coral bleaching was named as one of the three main causes of coral death, along with outbreaks of coral-eating starfish and damage from major storms.

Despite the findings, Dr Solandt warned conservationists and stakeholders in the Maldives that they cannot afford to be complacent.

“There is over-fishing of large predatory fish and further ocean warming events on the horizon, and some of the reefs nearer to Male’ appear not to have recovered as extensively as those further afield,” he added.

Founder and Executive Director of Biosphere Expeditions Dr Matthias Hammer said that whatever the current state of the Maldive’s reefs, the future outlook was important.

“Even though the Maldive’s reefs are generally in waters of excellent purity from man-made pollutants and are seldom hit by coral-damaging storms or attacks by coral eating starfish, the consistently high sea temperatures, averaging 29 degrees Celsius, around the Maldives could lead to bleaching once again if temperatures reach over 30 degrees for any length of time,”  he noted.

Environment Minister Dr Mariyam Shakeela was not responding at time of press.

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Speaker Shahid denies asking Nazim to delay vote on secret no-confidence ballots

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ahmed Nazim told local media on Sunday that although the amendment to allow secret ballots when taking no confidence votes had been passed in the General Affairs Committee, Speaker Abdulla Shahid had asked to delay placing the vote on the agenda.

However, Shahid has denied having asked for the delay, stating that Nazim had not brought up the matter for discussion. He stated that it was normal to table larger issues for voting after giving ample time to MPs to prepare, and that the same procedure would be followed in this issue.

“As a rule, I have always tabled larger issues in parliament in such a way which gives ample time to members. Otherwise, if such a huge issue is put on agenda suddenly, it is the Parliament Speaker who will get blamed,” Shahid was quoted as saying, adding, “Had the deputy speaker discussed the matter with me, the answer would still be that the members must be given enough time.”

Shahid confirmed that the report of the General Affairs Committee would be sent to the MPs once work resumes on Monday, stating that the voting would then be duly put on agenda.

To be deemed official, amendments to parliament’s regulations and procedures have to be approved through a vote at the parliament floor even though they are passed at committee stage.

No confidence vote on Home Minister

Meanwhile, a no confidence vote against the Minister of Home Affairs Mohamed Jameel Ahmed has been scheduled for next Tuesday.

“It was my understanding that we needed to come to a decision on the matter of secret ballots before the no confidence vote [against Jameel] is taken. But the Speaker who is in Islamabad asked for the vote to be delayed. Thus no decision will be made on the secret ballots before the no confidence vote,” Nazim said.

Shahid, however, said that he sees no reason why the matter of allowing secret ballots needed to be settled before the taking of the no confidence vote against Jameel, stating he saw no relation between the two issues.

“The matter of allowing secret ballots was raised in majlis after I had already scheduled the no confidence vote on Jameel. Now, the issue which was first placed on agenda must be carried forward, shouldn’t it?”

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has also proposed a no confidence vote against President Mohamed Waheed Hassan.

Minivan News tried contacting Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim but he was not responding to calls at the time of press.

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