A digest of news and opinion from the Maldives.
The Employment Tribunal has ruled that the state-owned airport company’s dismissal of an employee for sharing an anti-government Facebook post was fair and legal. Ismail Sivaan, a driver at the Maldives Airports Company Ltd, which manages the main international airport, was sacked in May following an anonymous complaint about third-party content on his personal Facebook account. […]
The administrative arm of the Maldives judiciary has lifted the suspension of eight lawyers who signed a petition calling for judicial reform. The Department of Judicial Administration – which functions under the direct supervision of the Supreme Court – announced Wednesday that the suspension was lifted after the investigation of their cases was completed. The eight lawyers included Moosa Siraj – […]
MP Ibrahim Falah, the deputy parliamentary group leader of the Progressive Party of Maldives, has bought a 1,000 square foot plot of land in Malé for MVR4 million (US$259,403). The civil court certified the transaction on Thursday and transferred ownership of the Alhadheed house in the Maafanu ward of the capital to Falah from its previous […]
A decision to only grant Hajj and Umrah visas to pilgrims travelling with Saudi Airlines has sparked concern among pilgrimage groups in the Maldives. The Saudi embassy informed travel agencies Wednesday that visas would only be issued for Saudi Airline passengers. “According to Umrah and Hajj visa issuing system 50 percent of Umrah and Hajj […]
Parliament passed Thursday an MVR493 million (US$32 million) supplementary budget to approve unforeseen spending and new revenue-raising measures for the last two months of 2017. More than 60 percent of the proposed extra spending was allocated for the Aasandha health insurance scheme due to the failure to streamline expenses as planned. The supplementary budget was […]
Special ops dispersed protesters outside the Environment Ministry Thursday ahead of the destruction of mangroves in Kulhudhuffushi to make way for a new airport. The demonstrators gathered outside the ministry with placards, demanding an urgent meeting as plans to raze the mangroves are thought to start on October 30. The protesters raised their concerns with […]
Delays in MP Faris Maumoon’s bribery trial will make it difficult to summon witnesses for hearings, the criminal court heard Thursday. His legal team is seeking to reject evidence, cancel charges and halt proceedings, with lawyer Maumoon Hameed submitting 23 different pre-trial motions. Seven are about rejecting evidence presented against the opposition lawmaker. His legal […]
President Abdulla Yameen underscored Tuesday night his campaign pitch of delivering island infrastructure and pursuing an ambitious development agenda. Speaking at a ruling party rally on the island of Meedhoo, Yameen said the dividing line in Maldivian politics at present is between “development and obstructing development”. “There are two ideologies in the Maldives now, that […]
The police have tagged seven suspected gang members after the High Court granted monitoring and control orders, but are refusing to say if electronic tagging is being used. “We have now implemented the order against seven people,” police spokesman Ahmed Shifan said, declining to give further details. Police have already said ‘MoniCon’ orders have been […]