The Islamic Ministry began distributing Rf220 per person as alms today.
82,573 people are reported to have paid a total sum of Rf2,324,543.30 as alms this year. This is up Rf260,000 from Ramadan 2010.
The alms came collectively from Male, Hulhumale and Vilimale.
Alms collected in Hulhumale ward are being distributed in the ward, and alms collected in Male and Villimale are available at the ministry.
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(0)GMR has challenged Heavy Load Maldives over land designated for a new terminal at the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport, Haveeru reports.
GADL International Limited, a subsidiary company of GMR, had allegedly been assigned to reclaim the land and build the new terminal.
However, reports state that Heavy Load was awarded the first phase of the reclamation project at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport, which includes 50 percent of the reclamation.
GMR has said that Heavy Load would not be given the project to construct the breakwater.
Heavy Load was recently asked to stop work at the Enboodhoo Lagoon by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The company had been awarded the project by Thilafushi Corporation Limited on September 30, 2010. Heavy Load re-submitted its proposal in August 2011, after the bidding was re-opened.
The ruling Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) interim Chairperson, ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik, holds shares in Heavy Load.
(0)Dislikes(0)Torture is a principle area of concern for the Maldives, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Aslam Shakir has said, appealing for support from the international community.
Shakir delivered his message at the closing ceremony of the National Dialogue on the Implementation of the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT), held last Thursday in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Shakir emphasised that the country needed to improve existing policies for torture elimination, and find new methods to sustain a torture-free Maldives.
Torture was considered a byproduct of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s government, Shakir alleged, stating that the practice “has no place in the Maldives today.”
“In the past it happened, but we got rid of that government. We are now in a democracy, and in a democracy torture should not be happening,” he said.
The minister called on the international community to provide support: “We don’t the either the funds or the experience to implement the systems we need to improve the issue of torture. The international community could help us by providing money, personnel and guidance,” he said.
Shakir claimed that the international community had been hesitant to engage with the Maldives on the question of torture.
“Part of the international community thinks that as a Muslim country, we have a tradition of violence and doing things our own way. But we would like them to let us explain our position,” he said. “We are struggling to build a democracy, and we would like the guidance of the international community.”
Former President of the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives, Ahmed Saleem, told Minivan News in an interview last year that the Maldives continued to have a pervasive “culture of torture”.
Former State Minister for Home Affairs, Mohamed Adil, who previously handled the Department of Penitentiaries and Rehabilitation, told Minivan News today that the government was successfully improving human rights issues.
“I would say, compared to the previous government, that we have reduced the issue of torture in the Maldives by 80 percent,” Adil said.
Adil said that even though the number of torture cases in the Maldives had fallen in recent years, it was important to continue working towards a torture-free society. He noted that the communication system between the public and the police had been improved.
“With the help of the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM), the public is very much aware of what is happening in the prisons,” said Adil.
Concerns over prison and custodial torture were recently raised when President Nasheed appointed a special commission to re-investigate the 2003 shooting at Maafushi Jail. A source who was present at the time of the shooting told Minivan News that torture was a daily activity for prison guards.
Three of the Maafushi officers, who were convicted in the original investigation but released in 2004, have been put back in jail.
(0)Dislikes(0)The government has decided to release a third of its shares in local telcoms giant Dhiraagu to the public.
Dhiraagu a major player in the telecommunications, mobile and broadband internet markets of the Maldives, and is one of the country’s most profitable companies.
The government will make a third of its shares available to the public from October, to both local and foreign parties, reports Sun Online. Share prices have not yet been published.
The Maldivian government previously held 55 percent of Dhiraagu’s shares, while the British company Cable and Wireless held the remaining 45 percent. Upon winning the 2008 presidential election, President Nasheed’s government sold 7 percent of the shares to Cable and Wireless, reducing government shares to 48 percent and giving Cable and Wireless a controlling interest.
Minister of Economic Development and Foreign Trade, Mahmoud Razee, told Sun that studies would determine the prices and ratios of shares to be offered in local and international markets, and that the shares would be “affordable” to the average Maldivian.
Minister Razee also stated that as Dhiraagu was a strong company, people could benefit from buying its shares.
Opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Deputy Leader Ibrahim ‘Mavota’ Shareef told Minivan News that the shares were valuable, but said he was not in favor of selling them.
“As far as [the DRP] is concerned, we do not believe this is a wise decision. Dhiraggu is a very profitable and well-managed company, and it makes a lot of money for the government. This is a time when we are undergoing an economic crisis, and we cannot afford to have these shares dispersed.”
Shareef said he thought most Maldivians would be interested in the shares, but said he doubted whether the majority of people would be able to afford them.
“The people who have the capacity to buy these shares are either foreign companies, or very rich Maldivians,” he said.
The government estimates that the sale of the shares will generate Rf 1.46 billion (US$95 million).
Shareef said the outcome would be obvious as soon as the shares hit the market.
“In the Maldives, we know who has the money. We know a majority of people don’t have the money. There must be some political reason for this decision, it’s not just an economic strategy,” he suggested.
(0)Dislikes(0)The UNDP has called for nominations for the 2012 Equator Prize, a biannual award recognising local innovation in advancing sustainable development solutions for people, nature, and resilient communities.
“Eligibility for this cycle of the prize has been broadened to accommodate a wider range of community-based initiatives and has been expanded to all countries receiving support from UNDP,” the organisation said in a statement.
“Water and energy access, food security, and adaption to climate changes are the development challenges of our time,” said Director of the UNDP’s Environment and Energy Group, Veerle Vanderweerd.
The UNDP noted that past recipients of the prize have included “grassroots” initiatives in small-scale fishing, wildlife protection and sustainable energy and water access.
The 25 winners of the international prize will receive US$5000, and 10 recipients will receive US$20,000.
Nominations can be submitted online at www.equatorinitiative.org
(0)Dislikes(0)Registrations for alms at Ramadan are up by 1,300 this year in Male’, Haveeru reports.
Over 10,600 people are said to have registered as of Thursday, August 25. Alms will be distributed in Male’ on Sunday, August 28. This is one day earlier than the Islamic Ministry had originally planned.
Alms this year, or nisab, costed Rf53 per person for Basmati Rice, and Rf32 per person for Thailand Rice. Registered alms recipients can pick up their sum from the Islamic Centre in Male and the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) in Hulhumale between 1 and 3pm on Sunday.
(0)Dislikes(0)The President’s Office has announced that fishermen’s income has been increasing steadily over the past few months, while the price of fish has remained constant.
President Mohamed Nasheed said the government aims to support income growth for fishermen, and provided there are no changes to the industry’s current operations, profit levels will be maintained.
Speaking in his weekly radio address, the President further stated that retailers have reporters higher profits this Ramadan than in recent years. He noted that market prices have been controlled, and said the Maldivian economy was moving in the right direction.
Crime ratings have dropped in the past few months, and violent crime rates are notably low, the President claimed.
(0)Dislikes(0)The Bank of Ceylon (BOC) has said it will open a branch in Addu City in time for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit, which is scheduled for that site in November.
The bank’s chairman said construction will start as soon as the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) has approved the proposal, reports Haveeru.
BOC has also provided a US$10 million revolving credit line to the Maldives with a six percent interest rate.
Sri Lankan media is reporting that the credit line will be used to purchase fruit and vegetables from Sri Lanka.
(0)Dislikes(0)Officers from the Air Wing of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) participated in the 2011 Pacific Air Rally this week in Colombo. The event is held every two years, but this is the first time it has been held in Sri Lanka, Haveeru reports.
The rally, hosted by the Pacific Air Command of the US Air Force and the Sri Lanka Air Force, took place at the Ratmalana and Ampara Air Force bases between August 22 and 26.
MNDF forces participated in the Command Post Exercise, which focused on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief coordination between participating countries.
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