Tag: president abdulla yameen

President Yameen to honor individuals who commit the Quran to memory

President Abdulla Yameen will award a ‘President’s Medal’ to individuals who commit the Quran, in its entirety, to memory.

The medal will be awarded two individuals at the Republic Day official reception on November 11 this year.

According to the President’s Office, the medal intends to reward individuals who memorise the Quran in its entirety “for their lofty achievement, and to encourage more individuals to undertake this noble feat.”

Yameen’s administration has introduced a number of new awards and restarted awards given out by former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom  – these include the Rehendhi Award which recognizes women for contribution to national development and the Fehifai Award for individuals and organisations for contribution to environmental protection.

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Settling disputes – The Weekly Review

June 14th – 20th

The government’s legal and political tussles grabbed headlines this week, with past, present, and future disputes all making the news.

This week’s biggest story came courtesy of spurned Indian infrastructure giant GMR, who revealed a Singapore arbitration court had deemed their terminated airport development deal “valid and binding”.

Being requested to pay US$4 million in procedural costs while the court determines the amount owed to GMR, the government interpreted the outcome as a success, predicting that the damages owed would be far less than the US$1.4 billion sought.

After the issue of a warrant to enforce the appearance of Home Minister Umar Naseer at his disobedience to order trial, the minister appeared at the Criminal Court of his own volition upon his return from his official trip to Europe.

Naseer promptly refused to cooperate with the trial until his procedural objection – already rejected by the judge – had been appealed.

The government’s disputes in the political arena also continued this week, with ejected coalition partner, the Jumhooree Party (JP), striking a conciliatory tone after the recent break-up.

The JP maintained that the coalition agreement had not been breached, while the party continued to haemorrhage members to its former ally the Progressive Party of Maldives – the economic development minister and two more MPs being the latest to switch allegiance.

The Progressive Coalition’s fast-growing majority in the Majlis resulted in what the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) interpreted as excessive representation in the Majlis’ standing committees, leading to the cancellation of sittings and threat of street action.

While taking pains to distance his party from such maneouvres, MDP leader Mohamed Nasheed suggested President Abdulla Yameen’s fate would likely be the same as his – predicting his eventual removal in a future coup.

Brigadier General Ahmed Nilam this week submitted a case to the Human Rights Commision, suggesting his suspension and subsequent dismissal were linked to the events of Nasheed’s chaotic departure from office in February 2012.

The second UNDP Human Development Index report raised questions as to how equitably economic growth was being distributed, with research revealing glaring disparities opening up between progress in the capital and the atolls.

Phase two of expansion of Malé’s suburbs continued regardless, with a US$50 million dredging contract awarded to a Belgian company for phase two of the Hulhumalé expansion project.

Despite expressing continued reservations about the Maldives’ public account imbalances, the World Bank this week anticipated continued development of the economy with 4.5 percent GDP growth predicted.

Meanwhile, Hope for Women this week predicted unwelcome growth in the workload of female civil servants during Ramadan after the alteration of working hours for the month of fasting.

The World Cup in Brazil – for which the government has already allowed extended trading hours – was suggested as a possible reason for the adjusted working times, though the President’s Office maintained that the change was intended to facilitate late night prayers.

This week also saw the Islamic Ministry hold a closed conference with scholars to discuss reports of Maldivian jihadis journeying to Syria, while Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon called on the Umma to assess the persistent association with terrorism and intolerance.

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Dredging International NV awarded US$50 million Hulhumalé reclamation project

A US$50 million contract for dredging and reclamation work in Hulhumalé has been awarded to Belgian company Dredging International NV, the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) has announced.

HDC revealed in a press release today that the letter of award to carry out the project was issued to the company yesterday (June 18) following discussions with the government.

“The project work will commence within a period of two months and the reclamation works is estimated to be completed within a period of seven months,” read the press release.

“It is estimated that the Hulhumalé Phase II reclamation and coastal protection work will be completed by the end of December 2015.”

Phase two of the Hulhumalé development project involves reclamation of 240 hectares of land “with a target population of 100,000 people,” HDC explained.

According to the corporation, development plans for the fully reclaimed artificial island includes residential developments, a business district and “commercial spine,” a light industrial park, a yacht maria and cruise terminal, a knowledge and technology park, a heritage island a tourism district.

“Both Hulhumalé Phase I & Phase II developments are planned in line with the government’s overall vision to bring sustainable youth related developments,” the press release noted.

HDC Managing Director Suhail Ahmed told local media this week that the government was seeking a loan from the Bank of Ceylon (BOC) to finance the second phase of the Hulhumalé development project.

Suhail said HDC was “going through the terms of the loan deal” and “assessing all conditions,” adding that the project would likely be state-financed.

“Youth village”

Phase two of the Hulhumalé development project was among five mega-projects pitched to international companies at an investor forum held last April in Singapore.

While the dredging project was “conditionally awarded” to Dredging International NV in July 2013, the company withdrew due to financial constraints.

According to the company’s website, Dredging International NV was established in 1974 and specialises in “the construction and development of harbours, artificial islands, estuarial dams, canals and inland waterways, dyke construction and reinforcement, beach replenishment and coastal protection, supply of dredged aggregates and salvage activities.”

Developing a ‘youth village’ in Hulhumalé with a population of 50,000 was a key campaign pledge of President Abdulla Yameen.

Speaking at an inauguration ceremony for a land reclamation project in Thulusdhoo last month, President Yameen said the government’s objective was to relocate people from small islands in the atolls to Hulhumalé.

Economic opportunities in small islands were limited due to their size and isolation, he added.

The government hoped youth from smaller islands would migrate to Hulhumalé as well as other islands selected for land reclamation, Yameen said.

In April, Yameen said the HDC’s development plans were being revised to achieve the new administration’s goals.

The vision for the youth city includes a “technopolis park” as well as entertainment and sports facilities, he said, in addition to facilities for the tourism and fisheries industries.

“The youth village will not involve only housing [projects]. It will also include other projects related to the youth village such as the creation of light industries to provide job opportunities, as well as arrangements for food and beverages required by modern youth and restaurant facilities for [fast food],” he said.

Yameen also revealed last month that the government planned to tender the the Malé–Hulhulé bridge project in early June.

“God willing, before the end of the first two weeks of June, we will tender the bridge project. With that, additional studies needed for the project – that is the direction and extent of ocean currents – will be undertaken by the party awarded the tender,” he explained.

In February, Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed pledged that the Malé–Hulhulé bridge project – which he described as “iconic for the whole region” – would be completed in two years.

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Yameen receives credentials of Thai and South Korean ambassadors

President Yameen has today received the credentials of both the Thai and South Korean ambassadors.

New Thai Ambassador ‎H.E. Nopporn Adchariyavanich discussed the furtherance of fisheries, agriculture, and trade ties between the two nations.

During his meeting with President Yameen, new South Korean Ambassador H. ‎E. Chang Won-sam was told of the importance of South Korean investment in the Maldives.

The South Korean ambassador discussed enhancing, tourism, trade, and training ties with the Maldives, sending the good wishes of President Park Geun-hye.

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Jumhooree Party cabinet member and two more MPs join President Yameen’s PPM

The minister of economic development and two MPs have left the Jumhooree Party (JP) to join  the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

Cabinet member Mohamed Saeed was joined by Milandhoo MP Hassan Mufeed Abdul Qadir and Nolhivaram MP Hussain Areef.

The three members confirmed the switch at a function held at Muleeaage in the presence of President Abdulla Yameen, PPM leader and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, and the party’s deputy leader Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb.

“I don’t think anyone would want to be stuck in a political dispute for five years of their lives, no citizen would want that, and i can see that President Yameen’s government developing the Maldives,” Saeed said.

After signing for the party, Saeed said he had joined the PPM to make use of the opportunity to develop the nation in the coming five years through Yameen’s government, assuring that he was not pressured by the government to sign.

He added that he has also not received any pressure from the JP to stay with them.

The election coalition between the PPM and JP crumbled late last month after both parties decided to field candidates for the position of the Majlis speaker.

President Yameen subsequently moved against political appointees representing the JP in the government, while the parties continue to dispute the alleged breach of the initial coalition agreement.

Earlier this month, Environment Minister Thoriq Ibrahim also transferred from the JP to the PPM. The only remaining JP minister in the cabinet is Home Minister Umar Naseer, currently the subject of disobedience to order charges in the Criminal Court.

MP Mufeed last night said he joined PPM upon requests from many of his constituents.

“The message [constituents] are giving to me right now, through phone calls and other means is; ‘we want your service in your term to be carried out in collaboration with the ruling party’. So, since i was elected by their votes, in response to their requests I also wanted to join the ruling party’,” Mufeed explained his decision to switch parties.

Nolhivaram MP Areef said that he had switched parties because he was confident that joining the ruling party would speed up development and assistance for his constituency.

Speaking at yesterday’s ceremony, however, President Abdulla Yameen affirmed that his government would continue to provide services for everyone regardless of their MP’s affiliation, though he noted that development would slow without a Majlis majority.

“In obtaining loans to acquire funds for the state, regardless of how low the [interest] rates are, we have to go to the Majlis [for approval],” said the president.

“So when we have a clear majority in the People’s Majlis, when we have such conveniences to serve the people,we can pass [the loans] from the Majlis Finance Committee, and also it would be easier to pass motions on the Majlis floor as well.”

With this latest transfer of MPs,  the PPM has 40 representatives in the 85 member People’s Majlis. Earlier four of the five independently elected MPs, as well as opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Mohamed Musthafa, also switched to the president’s party.

With these developments, the current parliament composition consists of 25 MDP seats, 40 PPM seats, 5 seats for the Maldives Development Alliance, one for the Adhaalath Party, and 13 seats held by the JP.

Madaveli MP Muaz Mohamed Rasheed remains the only independent member of the Majlis.

This gives the ruling Progressive Coalition a clear majority of forty five with coalition member MDA’s five seats. Adhaalath Party which was excluded from the coalition’s seat allocation plan for the parliamentary elections also considers itself to be part of the coalition, but PPM has confirmed that no coalition agreement has ever existed between the two parties.

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Mohamed Ashmalee appointed state minister of finance

Presdent Abdulla Yameen has appointed Mohamed Ashmalee as a state minister for finance and treasury.

The appointment brings the number of ministers to include 16 cabinet members, 5 other appointees at ministerial rank, 32 state ministers and 60 deputy ministers.

Yoosuf Abdul Ghafoor was appointed as the ‎‎state minister for home affairs last week. ‎

The president has also submitted the name of Aishath Zahira to the People’s Majlis for a second term as the ‎deputy governor of the Maldives Monetary Authority, while applications are currently being received for the new post of information commissioner as well as a new member of the Police Integrity Commission.

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Government announces new political appointees

President Abdulla Yameen has this week announced a number of new political appointees.

Abdul Rasheed Nafiz has been reappointed as chairman of the Transport Authority – having been appointed to the post previously during President Mohamed Waheed’s administration before being removedby the current government in January.

Former parliamentarian for the Hanimaadhoo constituency Mohamed Mujuthaz has been appointed to the post of state minister at the President’s Office. Mujuthaz is a member of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

Former footballer Shah Ismail has been appointed deputy minister of youth and sports. Shah served as the ministry’s sports advisor during the Waheed administration.

Meanwhile, the PPM’s Secretary General Mohamed Zuhair has been appointed deputy minister of finance and treasury.

Last week Yameen proposed three names as heads of diplomatic missions, nominating Abdulla Hameed as Non-Resident Ambassador to the United ‎Arab Emirates and the State of Kuwait, Dr Mohamed Asim as Non-Resident High Commissioner to ‎Bangladesh, and Ahmed Shiaan as Ambassador to Belgium and the European ‎Union, and as Non-Resident High Commissioner to the United ‎Kingdom.

Both the Bangladesh and the UK missions have had their resident high commissioners removed as the Foreign Ministry seeks to reduce costs.

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Political adjustments – The Weekly Review

May 31st – June 6th

Following the break-up of the Progressive Coalition, this week saw a resulting adjustment of party affiliations after an initial purge of Jumhooree Party (JP) appointees.

After the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) followed through on threats to remove JP members – the most notable being Transport Minister Ameen Ibrahim – Environment Minister Thoriq Ibrahim announced his decision to switch to the PPM.

After having picked up three of the five MPs elected as independents since the March elections, the PPM rounded off their new signings this week with Nilandhoo MP Abdulla Khaleel.

This addition brings the party’s parliamentary group up to 38 MPs, giving it a simple majority alongside its remaining ally, the Maldivian Development Alliance.

A final report from the EU’s Majlis election observers this week called for adapted legislation to clear up the issues of jurisdictional overlap and campaign financing which blighted recent polls.

While the Majlis made preparations for the assembly of its standing committees this week, former President Mohamed Nasheed told diplomats in Colombo that a constitutional adjustment to a parliamentary model of governance would resolve the perennial issue of failed coalitions.

Nasheed also made known his intention to stand for the Maldivian Democratic Party leadership in August, prompting senior member ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik to reiterate calls for new leaders to emerge.

The Syrian civil war continued to force itself onto the agenda, literally in the case of an anti-war hacker who infiltrated over 100 hundred government websites in what experts saw as a result of poor security measures.

Less direct threats to the country were depicted by Home Minister Umar Naseer during Martyrs’ Day, suggesting that the country ought to be prepared for “invisible” threats to its nationalism and its faith.

The government’s rhetoric and response to recent news of home-grown jihadis prompted accusations that it was tacitly supporting such activity, as did the invitation of controversial  Sheikh Ibrahim Shameem Adam to the police force’s Martyrs’ Day event.

The jihadi Bilad Al Sham Media group continued to reveal details of Maldivians fighting in Syria – mocking the police’s attempts to investigate, while an MoU signed with the UN will see Maldivian troops deployed in peacekeeping missions over the next two years.

Elsewhere, the police launched a special operation to crack down on a spate of robberies while the Supreme Court upheld a prior decision to reinstate an officer dismissed in relation to a rape case.

After investigations into the police’s handling of the Anbaraa, Amnesty International called for an investigation into allegations of brutality, and Hope for Women expressed outrage at the publication of an article in local media which suggested underage girls were voluntarily engaging in prostitution.

The government this week rejected claims of negligence at Fuvahmulah Hospital after a series of disturbing mishaps within a few days.

Responsibility for the failure of Laamu Gan’s sewerage system was also deflected by government departments after the local council accused it of offering on assistance in what it labelled a “health disaster”.

In Malé, the city council revealed it was relying on private donations to pay for pre-Ramadan mosque repairs after the government had failed to provide the required funds.

In other news, the President’s Office assured that asylum seekers breaching Maldivian law abroad would be assured of prosecution upon their return to the country.

President Abdulla Yameen’s promise to create a more business-friendly environment for foreign investors moved a step closer with the introduction of the special economic zones bill.

Yameen pledged respect for the local ecosystem during any prospective development projects during a speech to mark World Environment Day.

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Environment Minister Thoriq signs for PPM

Minister of Environment and Energy Thoriq Ibrahim signed for the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) today.

Thoriq had been filling a slot assigned for the Jumhooree Party (JP) under the coalition agreement formed with the PPM during last year’s presidential election.

Following the dissolution of the coalition agreement between the JP and PPM last week, nine political appointees belonging to the JP – including Transport Minister Ameen Ibrahim – were dismissed by President Abdulla Yameen, prompting speculation in the media that the three ministers remaining in JP slots would join the ruling party to retain their posts.

Speaking to press after signing his membership form at a ceremony in Muleeage this afternoon, Thoriq said he decided to sign for the PPM to complete the work begun by his ministry after the current administration took office in November last year.

The environment minister assured the public that he would “sincerely” remain behind President Yameen for the next five years and endeavour to develop the country.

Thoriq also denied coming under “any kind of pressure” to sign for the ruling party in the wake of the coalition’s breakup.

In his remarks at the ceremony, President Abdulla Yameen meanwhile praised Thoriq as an “active” and “resourceful person,” welcoming the minister to the party on behalf of PPM Leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the party’s council, parliamentary group and members.

“Welcome to the team. God willing, we are beginning a long-haul journey so welcome aboard,” he said.

Aside from Thoriq, Home Minister Umar Naseer and Economic Development Minister Mohamed Saeed were also appointed to the cabinet as JP political appointees. The pair have however yet to sign for the PPM.

The PPM severed its coalition agreement with the JP following a dispute over the speaker’s post, which was contested by JP Leader Gasim Ibrahim after President Yameen urged the business tycoon to withdraw his candidacy and support a PPM candidate.

President Yameen however told reporters on Sunday (June 1) that the PPM was still willing to work with the former coalition partner and professed “respect” for Gasim.

Yameen noted that three cabinet ministers as well as board members of state-owned enterprises occupying JP slots remained in the government.

He also denied pressuring the JP members to sign for the ruling party to retain their government jobs, adding that it was “up to them to decide” how best to serve the nation.

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