Tag: protest

MACL staff protest discrimination in annual bonus

An estimated 150 employees of the state-owned Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) demonstrated over discrimination in bonus payouts today.

The protests started on Tuesday morning after leaked documents indicated senior management and an estimated 200 staff members working at the duty free shops were to receive a percentage of profits while other employees were only to receive an amount equivalent to their basic salaries.

Speaking to Minivan News, a staff members who took part in the protests said senior staff and duty free staff were to receive up to MVR80,000 (US$5188) while most staff members were to receive between MVR6000 (US$389) and MVR15000 (US$972).

“Around 1900 employees are to receive an amount equivalent to their basic salaries, which comparatively is a very low amount. Their [management] justification is that duty free employees reached a profit target. But there are others who work as hard, and earn the company as much money in other departments,” she said.

A handful of senior level employees in some departments would receive between MVR25,000 and MVR50,000 (US$1621 – US$3242), she said.

“This is a huge difference, a huge discrimination which is against the company’s general human resource policy. Most of us are giving our hundred percent to the company, and our work brings in as much money as the duty free staff,” the protesting staff member said.

The demonstrations were peaceful and not intended to obstruct airport operations in the airport, she continued.

“We stood up for our rights, we are not against the management nor did we have any intention to obstruct the operations here. We were demanding an explanation.”

Managing Director of MACL, Ibrahim ‘Bandhu’ Saleem, met the protesters yesterday and told them the company board will hold discussions and reach a decision on the matter as soon as possible.

In response, protesters today demanded a deadline for the decision. Subsequently, the company issued a circular stating that bonus payouts will be revised and a decision will be made before August 31. The circular was changed a second time to specifically mention that the issue will be resolved in an equitable manner on the protesters’ demands.

An MACL spokesman told Minivan News today that the leaked document was not an official one and no decisions have been made yet over the distribution of bonuses.

“The management have discussed the issue with the protesting staff members now and it is settled. Everyone has gone back to work. It all started with a leaked document, which is not final in anyway. The bonus amounts would be announced before August 31,” he said.

The decision to grant annual bonus to employees was made after a staff members protested its discontinuation in March. At the time the employees also raised the issue of the poor quality of food provided at the staff cafeteria.

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MDP alleges “covert police action” against protesters

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has alleged intimidation, harassment, and “covert police action” against participants of a gathering in the capital Malé last Thursday (June 26).

The party explained in a press release yesterday that Thursday night’s rally was held “as the first of a planned series of gatherings dubbed ‘Barricade Meetings’, to protest the current regime’s mismanagement of state resources, rising costs of essential goods, deterioration of health services resulting in preventable loss of lives, and sustained influences on the judiciary to incriminate political rivals.”

The rally went ahead in spite of a warning by the Home Ministry against the planned gathering, which was the first time the main opposition party took to the streets since last year’s presidential election.

The MDP afterwards alleged that several police officers “infiltrated the rally and attempted to incite grassroots members” of the party.

“Leaders of the party urged participants to avoid confrontations and were exercising maximum restraint while reminding attendees that we were exercising our constitutional rights of assembly, of disseminating and acquiring awareness, and of freedom of expression,” the statement continued.

“Intimidation and harassment of participants of rallies and political gatherings have been the practice of [former President Maumoon Abdul] Gayoom regime in the past. It is a matter of serious concern for the MDP that police are being directed to infiltrate and incite participants of political rallies by the administration of President Yameen Abdul Gayoom.

“Their orders include identification of the party’s youth leaders and top activists and the MDP believes that several young participants of the rally will be arrested on some trumped up unrelated charges in the next few days.”

President’s Office Spokesperson Ibrahim Muaz Ali was unavailable for comment at the time of press.

Peaceful assembly

The MDP statement meanwhile added that threats and “targeted incrimination” against youth participating in political activities was a common practice under the Gayoom regime.

“The MDP appeals to well-wishers to prevail over the current administration to cease and desist from attempts to intimidate and incriminate participants of political gatherings,” the press release concluded.

The Maldives Police Service (MPS) meanwhile are reported to have sent a letter to former President Mohamed Nasheed – acting president of the MDP – asking the party not to hold demonstrations at the Chandanee Magu-Fareedhee Magu junction.

Although Nasheed had declared that the party would continue its gatherings “every night,” the MDP did not organise a gathering last night.

Police stated in the letter – obtained by local media – that a number of complaints were made by members of the public regarding the MDP’s gathering on Thursday night.

While pedestrians, Ramadan shoppers, and drivers were inconvenienced, the letter stated that residents of the area also complained of infringement of their rights.

Some complainants alleged that participants of the gathering used foul language and violated societal norms, police said.

Moreover, the letter added, businesses and shops in the commercial district would also be adversely affected if the gatherings continued in the area.

The letter further referred to provisions in the Freedom of Assembly Act passed in December 2012, which authorises police to prevent gatherings.

Police also urged the opposition party to provide a 36-hour notice prior to holding public gatherings.

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Kulhudhuffushi protests over “comatose” regional health service

Over 300 islanders staged a protest on Saturday on northern Haa Dhaal Kulhudhuffushi Island over deteriorating regional health services.

Protesters called for Health Minister Dr Mariyam Shakeela’s resignation outside the Kulhudhuffushi Regional Hospital, claiming services have deteriorated to “conditions never seen before in recent history.”

Kulhudhuffushi Island Council President Ali Mohamed said the hospital served over 60,000 people in the region, but lacked doctors and equipment.

Following the protest, doctors at the hospital refused to work today claiming they lacked an environment conducive for work. However, they resumed work at 10:30 am after the Kulhudhuffushi Island Council and Haa Dhaal Atoll Council intervened.

Meanwhile, the Haa Dhaal Atoll Council issued a statement on Thursday condemning “comatose” health care service at the hospital and warned it will hold serial protests until grievances are addressed.

In recent weeks, a woman had to be flown to Malé when doctors could not sew up an episiotomy following labor, an infant suffered damages to the head during a caesarean, and a child was stillborn despite routine checkups, the council claimed.

The Kulhudhuffushi regional hospital has not had a physician for seven months, and has only one gynecologist. Three gynecologists are needed to serve the northern atoll’s population, the council said.

The council also highlighted a severe lack of facilities on the island. The hospital has a dentist, but the dental chair has been broken for two years and three years have passed since the x-ray machine broke down, the council said.

Further, lack of antibiotic discs for culture and thyroid tests and lack of laboratory chemicals have hampered the hospital’s ability to conduct medical tests, the council said.

Healthcare infrastructure is dilapidated, surtains are old and hospital bedding is torn, the council said.

The state had only allocated MVR 1200 (US$ 77.8) for cleaning supplies for the year. When the funds are divided among the 13 islands, each health center receives MVR 7.69 per month (US$ 0.5) or enough to buy two bars of soap every month, the council said.

“The council calls on the Ministry of Health and all relevant authorities to recruit two more gynecologists, a physician, a cardiologist, ultra sound scanning machine, an x-ray machine, 4 ECD machines, two fetal Doppler and adequate supplies for and facilities in the twelve health centers in Haa Dhaal Atoll,” the statement read.

The council also claimed Shakeela had not failed to respond to repeated requests for a meeting.

In response, Shakeela told regional newspaper Kulhudhuffushi Online work is underway to improve regional health facilities and said the ministry is recruiting doctors to staff regional hospitals.

The Health Ministry is also in the process of purchasing a new x-ray machine and laboratory equipment for the Kulhudhuffushi hospital, she said. But the process will take time, as equipment is imported from abroad, she added.

The government in May announced it is seeking 225 additional doctors, and said it will place 91 medial officers in health centers across the country.

The Health Ministry has been under fire in recent weeks following a series of health scares.

On June 3, councilors of southern Fuvahmulah Island held a press conference blasting Shakeela for “worsening conditions” at the hospital.

Councilors alleged negligence in a series of medical incidents including a case of stillbirth and the death of a soldier on the island.

In February, the Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Malé transfused HIV positive blood to a patient due to an alleged technical error.

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Taxi drivers protest against implementation of new regulations

Taxi drivers in Malé are today protesting against what they regard as “strict” and unfair new regulations which were to be implemented today.

Key concerns raised by participants included the issue of ‘taxi-top’ vacancy signs, and not having similar legislation for all land transport, including lorries and pickups.

Many held placards with statements such as ‘Insurance is useless’, ‘Establish equal policies for all land transport’, ‘Stop making medical reports of drivers, stop requesting police records of drivers’, and ‘Stop enslaving drivers’.

State Minister for Transport Ahmed Zubair has argued that drivers and taxi centers were consulted throughout the process and that their concerns were addressed.

Protesters demanded a change the regulation and called for the Transport Minister Ameen Ibrahim’s resignation.

The protest began this morning as a strike, and later turned in to a protest march with taxi drivers taking to voice their concerns.

Some taxi drivers who maintain the regulations are reasonable, refused to take part in the protest – continuing their service through out the day – were threatened by the protesters.

The Maldives Police Service confirmed reports of threats to taxi centers, and said that two people were arrested from the protest – one for trying to attack a police officer and obstructing police, the other person for stopping a taxi on the street.

Concerns

A general statement written by protesters said the purpose of the protest was to oppose “the creation of strict regulations to make things difficult particularly for taxi drivers, and forcing to follow such regulations.”

Some drivers argued that the ministry should ensure the vacancy boards that fit their standards are available in the Maldives, noting that attaching such a board requires drilling a hole on top of the cars.

State Minister Zubair today said that the implementation of the whole regulation will not be delayed any further, saying that the ministry was not specifically targeting the taxi drivers, but was planning to introduce similar regulations for bus services and another for resolving the issue of parking.

Responding to the complaints about the vacancy signs, the minister said that magnetic boards were available and that, in order to give more time for taxis, the ministry has given another month (till May 15) to fix the boards.

He said the regulation would also allow for the penalisation of those taxis who do not provide the service.

Police today announced that action will be taken against those violating the new regulations – with the exception of the vacancy board placement – starting today.

Meanwhile Maldivian Red Crescent has announced that their medical emergency vehicles will be available for emergency transport during the taxi drivers’ strike. MRC transport contact number is 7917009.

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Teachers across Maldives take part in ‘black protest’

Teachers across the Maldives have today (April 6) taken part in a ‘black protest’ – wearing black clothes to school – to raise awareness of pay discrepancies and what they see as the state’s failure to improve the education sector.

“This is the first step, we want to draw attention to these issues. For the sake of our students we will go to work until we exhaust all other ways,” said Teachers Association Maldives (TAM) president Athif Abdul Hakeem.

One teacher told Minivan News that the move has come after repeated attempts to work through official channels.

“The reason we are doing this to express our grievances. Our discontentment with salary and allowances, lack of resources and and other issues we face in teaching,” stated Mausoom Saleem of Thaajuddheen School, Malé.

Athif had previously explained to Minivan News that teachers were working overtime without being paid for it.

“Independent institutions haven’t noticed this. If they don’t do this work it could be reflected in their appraisal, and they even fear termination. So they work. But without getting paid for the work,” he said.

Teachers’ overtime allowances have been reduced to just five percent of the basic salary, which on average amounts to less than MVR300 per month. But teachers have complained that school will not run without teachers doing overtime work.

In a letter sent out to schools prior to the protest, the Ministry of Education had said that pamphlets distributed by the TAM consist of false allegations that might create conflict and unrest, it has been reported.

The ministry also stated that since school premises are “dignified”, teachers must not do anything that may have a negative effect on students, reported local media Haveeru.

“Therefore, no one must participate in an an activity encouraged in the documents distributed under the name of Teachers’ Association on April 6. Please inform the teachers working in your institutions accordingly,” the letter was said to have read.

One ministry official with whom Minivan News spoke today denied there was any protest happening, and was unwilling to provide further comment.

Show of solidarity

Saleem – who has worked as a teacher for 10 years, with 8 of those at Thaajuddheen – explained that an estimated 60% of the teachers were taking part in the black protest.

“I don’t think wearing a specific colour to school will have any impact on the students. I believe they will understand that we are doing this for them. This is not just about teachers, this is about the education system.”

Parents, too, he noted were taking part in the protest by dropping off the children today wearing black.

“I think this was a display of solidarity. We are also seeing a lot of pictures [of people wearing black] on social media, with supportive comments.”

Teachers from Thaajuddheen School take part in the 'Black Protest'

Another teacher taking part in the protest– who wishes to stay anonymous – spoke with Minivan News today. The source stated that as well as marking, there are other demanding after school and weekend functions that teachers are expected to work without getting any overtime pay.

“I have never been paid any overtime,” stated the source, who has taught in the Maldives for three and a half years. They gave the example of working the Founder’s Day celebration which took place across many schools and organisations- “we had to work the function and we didn’t have a choice. This was 8 hours work during the day on our day off, with no payment and no choice.”

“I personally don’t have adequate time to plan, I have too many lessons after they recently changed my timetable.” In a previous school, the source stated they had taught for 18 periods per week – that has recently gone up to 31.

Free periods are often time that teachers will use for planning, marking, ensuring children get to their next lessons safely, or after school activites.

“I have 11 free periods, but we also do after-school clubs, I run an extra support class where I teach children for an extra hour after the lesson.”

“I may not be teaching, but these things are not taken into consideration,” the source stated.

TAM President Athif said  in February of this year that meetings with the Education Ministry had resulted only in the promise of more meetings.

“So in late January (2014) we requested to arrange a meeting but there was no response. So sent another letter this month. now we are waiting to discuss our issues. our next step will depend on how that goes,” Athif said.

According to TAM the organisation has 1,500 permanent member and an estimated 4,000 Maldivian teachers across the country who will participate. Recent Civil Service Commission data shows there to be 5,676 teachers in the Maldives – 4,855 of them are locals.

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Ongoing strike at Vilu Reef resort sees 18 staff fired

Vilu Reef resort has allegedly terminated 18 members of staff, with some given just one hour to leave, after employees had presented management with a list of grievances.

Speaking with Minivan News, Ahmed Rasheed – a Vilu Reef employee for two years before his dismissal yesterday – described his termination:

“They sent me with 5 police guards into my room. They locked the door and asked me to pack within one hour.”

Vilu Reef is part of the Sun Travel & Tours group – a company owned by the prominent businessman and Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) leader Ahmed ‘Sun’ Shiyam.

After compiling a list of grievances against the resort, Rasheed explained that he had prepared a petition on which he managed to get 153 signatures from fellow staff.

He recalled that the demands were then presented to the hotel management on March 17, who came back to the employees, suggesting “if you don’t want to stay here you can leave.”

After conferring with the staff team, employees then decided to strike, stated Rasheed, with around 50 resort employees congregating at around 11pm with their demands on Sunday (March 23).

The management called police, but assured staff that no would be terminated, said Rasheed. They agreed to carry out amendments to meet the requests as of the April 30, he added, “so the next day we went back to work.”

“I was fired after two days,” continued Rasheed. “They just give me a call and said ‘hey can you come to the office’, then they gave me a letter. They asked me to sign.”

According to Rasheed’s termination contract, the reason Vilu Reef fired him was because his post was no longer available.

The termination letter stated that the employees were being fired due to their posts “being made redundant” and were asked to leave with “immediate effective (sic) of March 25”.

The letter acknowledges that there should be one month’s notice for the termination of staff, and therefore the management “have decided to as an extra measure compensation payment in lieu of three months notice period.”

The next steps, according to Rasheed, are being supported by the Tourism Association of Maldives (TEAM).

“We are not a member of TEAM but we are really thanking them for their help. They are helping us to do something good. At least we have some people who are trying to get our rights back.”

Workers’ right to strike

TEAM Secretary General  Mauroof Zakir told Minivan News that TEAM would assist the staff in taking the case to the Employment Tribunal, though felt there would be “no hope” for a fair case.

“Shiyam is very strong here,” he noted, “one of the partners of the government.”

“Since 2012 the decisions are against international standards and international best practice,” he added. “It’s all corrupt judiciary, and high court decisions against employment cases are one of the key factors.”

According to the Freedom of Peaceful Assembly Act 2013, tourist resorts, ports, and airports fall into a category of places in which protests are prohibited.

The US State Department expressed concern about the change in this law in their recently released 2013 Human Rights Report.

Local NGOs Transparency Maldives and the Maldivian Democracy Network have also expressed their concern that the law has impacted upon freedom of peaceful assembly.

No-one from the management team at Vilu Reef was available for comment when contacted by Minivan News.

Earlier this year the prestigious One & Only Reethi Rah resort saw an estimated 90% of its employees partake in an organised strike against perceived ill treatment and discrimination.

The strike was called following the management’s failure to meet employees to discuss concerns regarding discrimination against local workers, and a team of police were dispatched to the resort.

In a similar case in September 2013, staff at Irufushi Beach and Spa resort reported a “firing spree” affecting staff members professing to support the Maldivian Democratic Party.

The resort, which in May 2013 abruptly terminated its agreement with hotel giant Hilton – leading to the overnight resignation of 30 employees – is also part of the Sun Travel group.

A source working at the hotel at the time of publishing stated, “Shiyam took over this resort in what the staff refers to as another coup d’etat at the resort level. Since then we have been gradually stripped of rights we are legally entitled to as citizens of the Maldives.”

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Airport staff strike over bad food and bad bonuses

Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) employees working at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) went on strike today over the low quality of food served at the staff cafeteria as well as cuts to the annual company bonus.

The protest began early this morning and continued until around noon. At around 10:30am, the managing director of the company arranged a meeting with a five member group representing staff, as well as with the CEO Ibrahim ‘Bandhu’ Saleem.

While the protesters estimated that approximately 250 – 300 employs were ready to go on full strike, the situation was resolved following the meeting after employees were assured that solutions would soon be found for all their concerns.

Speaking to Minivan News, one of the five staff negotiators said that the main two demands of the protesters were the improvement of the conditions of the staff restaurant ‘Beach Rest Cafe’, and the resumption of the annual company bonus for employees – which has been “discontinued for the past two years”.

When disbursed by India’s GMR – the previous company that managed the airport – some would receive a bonus of MVR1500 while others would receive as much as MVR30,000, said the staff negotiator.

“It started with the Beach Rest issue. Even today they served rotten curry. This has been going on for a while now. We cant eat the food they prepare,” he explained.

MACL Corporate Communications Manager Hassan Areef said that the situation was resolved shortly after negotiating with protesters.

“Beach Rest is not run by the company, but we will talk to them and address the issue immediately,” he said.

When asked about the company bonus, he said that information would be revealed on that as progress is made, but assured that the company would this issue also.

“When the situation was resolved the staff were happy, they went back to work immediately,” Areef said.

Ibrahim Rasheed, a protester who took part in the dialogue, said that staff were promised the cafeteria issue would be addressed immediately and that another cafeteria would be established within two or three months.

Another protester said that the CEO had assured them the annual bonus would also be arranged shortly.

“He said it will be arranged very soon – as soon as the ongoing audit is completed. We were told that the bonus will be even better than before,” he said.

According to MACL staff concerned about the bonus, the issue has been taken to senior management several times within the past two years without any response.

In 2010, the GMR Male International Airport Pvt Ltd (GMIAL) – a consortium of the Indian GMR Group (77%) and the Malaysia Airports Holding Berhad (23%) — was awarded a concession contract to manage the airport for a period of 25 years.

However, President Dr Mohamed Waheed’s government prematurely terminated the agreement and the airport was handed over to the 100% government owned MACL in December 2012.

GMR later filed a compensation claim of US$1.4 billion for “wrongful termination”.

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Court extends detention of seven arrested in anti-government protest

The police yesterday summoned 22 people arrested in the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) protest on Sunday night to the Criminal Court. Fifteen persons were released under conditions and seven were given up to 10 days in pre-trial detention.

The protests erupted in response to the decision by Dr Mohamed Waheed to remain in the position of president after his constitutional term ended at midnight.

In a statement, police said that the 23 persons were arrested on charges of objecting to police orders, obstructing police duty, breaking police lines, and throwing objects such as stones and water bottles at police officers trying to control the protest.

Police said that 19 men and four women were arrested in the protest, with one woman being released without having been summoned to the court.

In the statement, police accused protesters of vandalising a traffic light on Sosun Magu and destroying a security camera in the Roashanee building.

Police said that the protesters threw stones and water bottles at police officers in the area close to where journalists were covering the protest.

It was also reported that protesters set ablaze a barricade on Sosun Magu and stopped two public buses, jumping into the bus, assaulting the driver and attempted to overturn the vehicle.

Police said a journalist was injured in the protest after being hit by an object thrown by the protesters. He was subsequently treated at ADK hospital and was released the same night.

On October 21, Waheed has said he did not want to stay on as president when his term expired.

“It is not in the best interest of this country if there is no elected president when the current presidential term ends on November 10. I do not want to stay in this position even a day beyond November 11,” Waheed told the press that time.

The Supreme Court verdict, which annulled the first round of election held on September 7, also said Waheed’s government should continue past November 11 if there is no president elect.

The Jumhooree Party (JP) and Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) have pledged their support to Waheed staying on, but former president and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) presidential candidate Mohamed Nasheed has called for Waheed to resign, allowing a transitional government under the Speaker of Parliament to oversee elections.

Minivan News understands that defence chiefs arrived at the President’s Office prior to Waheed’s address to the nation, initially scheduled for 10:30pm on Sunday. The address was delayed an hour, before Waheed appeared and said he would resign on November 16, the date scheduled for the delayed run-off vote.

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Five arrested for obstruction, as police clear sit down protests

Police have arrested five men for allegedly obstructing police while they were trying to open to the roads closed by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) supporters in protest over the cancellation of presidential elections by police on Saturday.

In a statement police said they had opened all the roads that were closed by the MDP.

Police said that they had previously warned people who closed the roads to refrain from acting in a way that would disrupt transportation and people who walked on the roads.

Police noted that in some of the areas people were cooperative and removed the things they had used to block the roads after being warned.

However, police said people gathered on Majeedhee Magu in between Alikileygefaanu Magu and Chandhanee Magu did not listen to police warnings to open the roads, and that they had to forcibly open the road.

Two of the five were arrested on charges of obstructing police duty and objecting to police order, while another was arrested for hitting a police officer with a stone. Another was arrested for threatening police.

According to police, the officer who was hit by a stone was admitted to the hospital after receiving injuries to his leg. He has since been discharged.

MDP protesters started gathering on Majeedhee Magu near the Male’ City Hall building after the second attempt by the Elections Commission (EC) to hold presidential elections was obstructed by police on Saturday.

The first round of the presidential election, held on 7 September, was invalidated by the Supreme Court based on a report made by the police. The was filed submitted by the JP, with the court subsequently ordering that the first round be re-held before October 20.

With the ruling, the court also issued a guideline consisting of 19 points which the EC was obliged to comply with. The guidelines require the EC to obtain the signatures from all the candidates to ensure that they do not have any issues with the voter registration list.

While the EC was making the final preparations to hold the elections for the second time on October 19, the government aligned political parties refused to sign the voter lists as required by new Supreme Court guidelines.

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