Tag: shaviyani atoll

Shaviyani Milandhoo MP alleges Dr Waheed carried PPM’s agenda to islands

MP for Shaviyani atoll Milandhoo constituency, Ali Riza, has alleged that President Mohamed Waheed Hassan’s recent trip to eight islands of Shaviyani Atoll was a trip not to meet the people but merely carried the “agenda” of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom’s party Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) for the next presidential elections.

“Waheed, knowingly or unknowingly, is carrying out PPM’s mandate for the next presidential elections,” alleged Riza.

Riza stated that around 200 to 300 hundred police had been deployed in the islands during Waheed’s tour.

“For instance, Feevah in Shaviyani Atoll has a population of around 960 people and were 200 police officers deployed there. Some of them came with Waheed while others had been already sent prior to the visit,” Riza said.

Riza said that police had blocked the protesters while the president was on the islands, claiming they had “caged the protesters” during Waheed’s visit.

Riza also claimed that police had entered one of the houses in Feevah without a court warrant where the protesters had been protesting, and tried to “tape” a protester.

He also said that one of the protesters was hand cuffed when the protests began to heat up, however Dr Waheed’s Press Secretary Massood Imad denied the allegation.

MP Riza questioned why the president during his visit to the atoll did not visit the island of Milandhoo, which is the island with the highest population in the atoll and a stronghold support base of former president Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

“Waheed roamed throughout the atoll but why didn’t he visit Milandhoo, the largest populated island?” questioned Riza.

“It is clear that because he did not visited Milandhoo that this was a political trip to see how much support he has. I think this trip is to get better pictures of him. The pictures that went out to the media during his visit to Addu were not very pleasant so this might be an attempt to show off his popularity,” suggested Riza.

Riza also alleged that Waheed was not actually running the government, and was acting “like a puppet” of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom.

“Waheed is just the face of this government. Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom is running the government the way he wishes,” Riza alleged.

Riza also denied Waheed’s claims that former president Nasheed had done little to fulfil his presidential pledges in the atoll.

“Nasheed during his tenure provided the island of Funadhoo with a 250 KW generator to resolve the electricity failures that the island was facing. The renovation of Funadhoo harbour was started during his term. The sewerage system had been completed.”

“Harbour developments in Noomaraa, Narudhoo and Komandoo have been initiated and some of them were handed over to Works Corporation while the others have been contracted,” Riza said

However, Press Secretary Imad brushed off the allegations saying that President Waheed’s visit was solely to observe the development projects going on in the islands.

Imad admitted there were protesters but said the government welcomed their protests.

“There were protesters, and we do welcome peaceful protests. There was no issue about it,” he said.

“I think they were the same people going to all the islands to protests. I saw the similar faces in different islands,” he claimed.

Imad also gave the justification for not visiting the island of Milandhoo, stating that the government had time constraints. “We were on a very busy and tight schedule. We couldn’t visit Milandhoo because of that and not for a political reason.”

However, Imad reiterated that president Waheed would visit Milandhoo “very soo”n.

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President Waheed concludes trip to eight islands of Shavyani Atoll

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan has concluded a trip to visit the islands of Shavyani Atoll today. Waheed visited eight islands of the atoll, including Feevah, Foakaidoo, Funadhoo, Narudhoo, Maroshi, Lhaimagu, Maa’ungoodhoo and the island of Kommandoo.

Minivan News understands that groups of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) protesters met Dr Waheed at all islands apart Foakaidhoo.

During his visits to the islands, the new president checked on the ongoing development projects in the islands and met with the people. President Waheed began his tour from the island Feevah, last Thursday.

During his visit to Feevah, Waheed reaffirmed to the islanders his commitment to take all necessary measures “to protect and safeguard the people”.

Speaking to the people of Foakaidoo, Waheed said that he would work to restore calm and peace in the country. Waheed also said that he assumed office to bring the much needed political stability and progress to the country.

He also announced that his government would establish a new ministry addressing issues related to women, children and human rights, and acknowledged that a number of women were unpaid for their work in cleaning or the general upkeep of their islands. He promised his government would pay all the wages owed to such women.

Waheed in during his visit to the island of Funadhoo inaugurated the Funadhoo Powerhouse Development Project by laying the foundation for the extension of the powerhouse.

On Narudhoo, he urged school principals, supervisors and teachers to refrain from politicising the education system, and appealed to them stay away from getting caught up in politics.

In his address to the people of Maroshi, Waheed called on the people of the Maldives,to have faith and respect for the state institutions, in order for the country to maintain its nationhood.

He also claimed that there was “a small minority” who did not accept the judiciary, the armed forces, the police, or the leaders of the country, and that they were “only trying to create division and disorder among the people.”

Waheed in his meetings with the islanders on Lhaimagu, assured that his administration would treat all citizens equally, as opposed to the policy of the previous government.

He said that his government includes all major political parties and that this government was a national unity government. He also expressed regret that former president Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) chose not to be part of the unity government which had the backing of majority of the people. Instead of joining the government, he said, former President Nasheed was trying to “come back to power through force”

While addressing the people of Kommandoo, Waheed said that he would “remain steadfast in fulfilling the responsibilities under the Constitution and under the mandate given by people’s votes”.

President Waheed concluded his trip after visiting the island of Maaun’goodhoo. Speaking to the people of Maaun’goodhoo, he said that today we are all under the shade of our dignified red, green and white flag, putting forth a front of unity for the future of our country, regardless of the political parties we belong to.

During this visits, supporters of former president Mohamed Nasheed had protested against Waheed and claimed that his government came to power and called for an early elections. However, speaking to Minivan News, Press Secretary of the President’s Office, Masood Imad said that there were “very few” protesters, who were “not an issue” for President Waheed.

President Mohamed Waheen Hassan arrives on Komandoo:

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Kanditheemu islanders suspect sorcery at remote site

An area believed to be a sorcery site has been found in Shaviyani Atoll Kanditheemu, raising the islanders’ level of speculation of sorcery practices.

Kanditheemu Island Council has told local media that an old man found a suspect area on the island jungle’s south side.

Council officials confirmed that the area had been found, but said no official report had been made to the council.

Officials noted that curious islanders found flowers supposedly used to cast spells at the site.

Although the council maintained that fear of sorcery was not a serious issue on the island, it noted that a Facebook group alleging that six people had had spells cast on them had been created to counter the spread of sorcery, local media reports.

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Cooking oil containers washing ashore in northern atolls

Hundreds of cooking oil containers have washed ashore in islands of Haa Dhaal and Shaviyani Atolls in the north of the Maldives, reports Haveeru.

While a fishing boat from Shaviyani Kanditheemu recovered 256 20-litre cooking oil containers and two 200-litre oil barrels, according to Island Councillor Abdul Habeeb, over 100 containers washed ashore on the Naagoshi Resort currently under development in Haa Dhaal Atoll.

Meanwhile Sun Online reports that fishing vessels of Haa Dhaal Nellaidhoo found five 200-litre oil barrels and 40 20-litre cooking oil containers while four oil barrels and 50 oil containers washed ashore on Kulhudhufushi.

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“He just lies there”: desperate plight of the abandoned elderly

Mohamed Solih has suffered from mental illness for as long as people in the island of Kanditheem in Shaviyani Atoll could remember – now at 70-years of age he lives by himself in an abandoned house.

In recent weeks, Solih has lost his eyesight as well as the ability to stand on his feet.

Kanditheemu Island Councilor Nasrulla told Minivan News that Solih did have one son living in Male’” who should bear the responsibility” of taking care of his father in his advanced age.

“It was because of his negligence as well that his father has not been sent to either treatment facilities or taken good care of,” Nasrulla said. “Ever since we remember Solih he has been a disabled man, but he used to walk and there were relatives who looked after him.”

Nasrulla added that Solih’s son, Ahmed Wafir, had been informed about his father’s condition.

‘’Now that he can’t walk by himself he just lies in the same place and can’t even go to his relatives’ house to have meal,’’ the councillor said.

Nasrulla said that when he contacted the son, Wafir blamed the concerned authorities for not providing care for his father.

“He says that he has tried with all the concerned state authorities to send his father to the treatment facility in Guraidhoo, Kaafu Atoll,” said Nasrulla. “And he said that the authorities have not been replying to his letters and have ignored his requests.”

However, Nasrulla argued that the son’s negligence was to blame for Solih’s isolation.

“The family has to work to an adequate level to send Solih to treatment facility,” he insisted. “More recently another person in this island was sent to the treatment facility but it happened only because this person’s family tried to an adequate level.”

Wafir has told Minivan News that he was planning to go back for his father very soon.

“I tried to look after him but it never worked out that way,” Wafir said. “Every time I try to control my father it ends up with either of us getting injured.”

Wafir explained that was unable to stay in the island as he had his own family to look after in Male’: “I was left with no other choice,” he said.

He added that his mother-in-law living in Kanditheemu had been caring for his father while he was away, “but she contacted me and said his condition is far too serious now.”

Online newspaper Kanditheem-online based in the island reported today that Solih’s condition is now critical and islanders have started gathering near the abandoned house where Solih is being kept.

The original article in Kanditheem-online about Solih Mohamed can be found here.

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Supreme Court rules after High Court on council office relocations

The Supreme Court yesterday ruled against orders issued by Magistrate Courts in Maafushi and Nilandhoo that called for atoll councilors to move the premises of their secretariat offices back to their islands.

Haveeru reported that the decision of the Supreme Court followed the earlier verdict of the nation’s High Court backing temporary orders issued by local Magistrates in support of Kaafu Atoll councilors who opted to move their offices in Maafushi to Thulusdhoo without government approval. The High Court had also ruled in favour of council counterparts in Shaviyani Atoll, who wished to move their own office from Maafushi to Thulusdhoo.

In the ruling, judges were said to have ruled unanimously against the Maafushi and Nilandhoo Magistrates Court claiming that rulings that contradict previous judgments made at national courts of the same level were invalid.

According to the paper, judges added that the three levels of courts in the nation were a vital means of guaranteeing law and order and no court was allowed to intervene in the “special jurisdictions” of another legal institution at the same level.

The issue of relocating offices and the powers of local councils formed during local elections last month has proved to be a particularly divisive issue this week for the country’s politicians and courts, with the country’s police service also being drawn into the dispute.

Correction: The article has been amended from its original form that incorrectly stated that the Supreme Court had ruled against the High Court. Minivan News apologises for the error.

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President begins tour of northern islands

President Mohamed Nasheed began a tour of some of the islands of the northern atolls in the Maldives.

The president will visit some islands of Shaviyani Atoll and Noonu Atoll.

As part of his tour, President Nasheed inaugurated Beach House Maldives Resort, now part of the Waldorf Astoria Collection, at Haa Alif Manafaru yesterday afternoon.

Beach House Maldives is the first Waldorf Astoria Collection property to open in Asia.

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