Maldives News
Housing ministry inspecting construction sites, buildings in Malé
The housing ministry says several buildings and construction sites in the capital “are not practicing safety precautions and construction practices as per regulations.” Survey teams will inspect sites for “the proper use of hoardings, safety nets and other necessary precautions as well as the use of proper safety clothing for the construction workers.”
09 Dec 2015, 09:00
Death sentence on a “coerced confession” prompts concern
The high court has sentenced a man to death based on a murder confession he had retracted in court, prompting concern that the verdict heralds a return to the tradition of confession-based sentencing, instead of building cases on solid evidence.
09 Dec 2015, 09:00
Brand Maldives: the paradox
If fans of brand Nike are concerned with the working conditions at factories in Bangladesh, rich tourists who travel to the Maldives must surely ask themselves how ethical is it is for them to support an industry that siphons off the riches earned by exploiting the natural beauty of these of islands with just a minute percentage of it trickling down to the average Maldivian, writes Hassan Saeed.
09 Dec 2015, 09:00
State-owned flats leased to president’s son
Two state-owned flats in Malé have been leased to President Abdulla Yameen’s son below market price with the consent of the anti-corruption watchdog. Each two-bedroom apartments in the Muraidhoo house – formerly part of the presidential palace – was leased for a monthly rent of MVR12,000.
08 Dec 2015, 09:00
Home minister reveals Nasheed’s medical condition in a tweet
Home Minister Umar Naseer revealed today jailed former President Mohamed Nasheed’s medical condition, prompting an outcry on social media over the release of confidential information.
08 Dec 2015, 09:00
First couple’s cash handouts to single parents spark concern
Cash handouts to single mothers from President Abdulla Yameen and First Lady Fathimath Ibrahim has sparked concerns of corruption and a return to the patronage systems of old.
08 Dec 2015, 09:00
Former government officials escape prosecution over GMR dispute
Ex Finance Minister Ahmed Inaz, former Maldives Airports Company Ltd Chairman ‘Bandhu’ Ahmed Saleem, and former members of the MACL board of directors will not be charged over an alteration to a concession agreement with GMR that the anti-corruption watchdog claims cost the state millions in revenue.
08 Dec 2015, 09:00
Police seize 2kg of drugs from state-owned cargo boat
Police officers raided STO’s MV Bonthi boat with a search warrant while it was anchored near the uninhabited island of Vakkaru in Baa atoll yesterday.
08 Dec 2015, 09:00
Cameron’s Maldives comments “not true”
UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s claim that the Maldives has been placed on the Commonwealth’s watch is not true, the foreign ministry has said.
07 Dec 2015, 09:00
Reef frequented by whale sharks “destroyed” by resort’s excavation work
Excavation work carried out by LUX South Ari Atoll to clear a snorkelling channel on the island’s barrier reef has destroyed live corals, altered the current flow, and escalated the rate of erosion, divers say. It was approved by the tourism ministry after the resort’s proposal was twice rejected by the environment ministry.
07 Dec 2015, 09:00
Row over distribution of relief funds for victims of Addu City flooding
The involvement of a ruling party MP in distributing disaster relief funds for victims of flooding in Addu City has sparked controversy with an opposition MP alleging discrimination between pro-government and opposition-supporting constituencies.
07 Dec 2015, 09:00
‘Political prisoners’ awaiting permission to travel abroad for medical care
Families of former President Mohamed Nasheed, former defence minister Mohamed Nazim and former MP Ahmed Nazim are petitioning the state to allow the three to travel abroad for medical care. Nasheed requires a backbone surgery for slipped discs, lawyers said today.
07 Dec 2015, 09:00
Forensic test finds Nasheed’s house-imprisonment document authentic
Lawyers said foreign forensic experts had compared the July 19 document with similar documents provided by the Maldives Correctional Services and found that the same government ink stamp was used on all three documents.
07 Dec 2015, 09:00
Yameen appoints new police chief
President Abdulla Yameen has appointed a new police chief more than a month after sacking the former commissioner of police on an allegation of politicising the police force.
06 Dec 2015, 09:00
Insufficient evidence to prosecute ex-minister over independence day banquet scandal
The anti-corruption watchdog had found that Mohamed Hussain Shareef – who resigned in late October after being asked to stay home – awarded the MVR3.7 million catering contract to a restaurant owned by activists of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives despite their lack of experience.
06 Dec 2015, 09:00
President Yameen’s speech on 50 years of UN membership
“The UN is the biggest family with most members. Political and diplomatic organisations and associations exist within this family. These organisations and associations sometimes act as policeman, criticizing and penalizing small nations over events that occur in small nations,” President Abdulla Yameen said.
06 Dec 2015, 09:00
Ex vice president, top tourism official charged with corruption
Adeeb is accused of abuse of power over the lease of a lagoon in Malé atoll to a foreign company. His associate, Abdulla Ziyath, former head of the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), has been charged with embezzling acquisition fees from islands leased for resort development.
06 Dec 2015, 09:00
Bomb scare in northern island
“It was made of plastic bottles and foil was wrapped around it. One of our employees noticed fire inside the engine room and went in to inspect,” an employee at the Haa Alif Ihavandhoo powerhouse said.
06 Dec 2015, 09:00
CMAG has placed Maldives “under formal consideration,” says Cameron
Cameron, in a statement to the UK parliament on November 30, said he “welcomed the report of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group and the decision to put the Maldives under formal consideration and to visit there in early 2016.”
05 Dec 2015, 09:00
Maldives in South Asia: Let’s talk about Saudis
“There is a little bit of each other in all South Asian countries but, somewhere along the way, Maldives has been somehow set apart and aside from its neighbours. Their cultural story is not among the threads with which the common South Asian identity is commonly woven today,” writes Dr Azra Naseem.
03 Dec 2015, 09:00
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