A digest of news and opinion from the Maldives.
An emergency meeting was called in Parliament and a committee consisting of only ruling party MPs passed the China-Maldives Free Trade Agreement. The 1000 page agreement was reviewed within 10 minutes, without any debate and in the absence of opposition MPs. Not even a single MP from opposition was informed about such a meeting or […]
President Abdulla Yameen is to make his first state visit to China, days after rushing through a massive trade deal with the world’s second biggest economy. A brief notice issued Monday said the trip, which takes place from December 6 until December 9, was at the invitation of President Xi Jinping. “High-level discussions with top […]
The World Bank has apologised for Maldivians being asked “unintended” political questions in a financial survey about how good their president is. In a statement issued Tuesday the global institution said survey staff had been posing questions “beyond the scope” of a data gathering exercise about how people save, borrow, make payments and manage risks […]
Six ministries have been sent right to information requests after refusing to hand over data to the Maldives Independent, which wanted to fact-check claims made by President Abdulla Yameen. Yameen rattled off figures and challenged “political leaders who say they do not see development” at the November 17 rally marking the four-year anniversary of his […]
The rough regime is spending tax payer’s money on saving its face, to cover its blatant human rights abuses. President Abdulla Yameen has overseen an authoritarian reversal in the Maldives that has relations with the world, and now he needs to again cover up his tracks. A report was published in Daily Mail on 21 […]
President Abdulla Yameen has told the people of Kulhudhuffushi they can either stay in the past or move with the times. He has not visited the island for two years but was there on Sunday for the ruling party’s annual rally. PPM supporters, heads of state-owned firms and senior government officials have been flocking to […]
A newly hired spin doctor for the Maldivian government has been blasted by opposition activists for defending the “biggest rogue” in the country – President Abdulla Yameen – as well as his for previous work with an African dictator. Celebrated human rights lawyer Jason McCue is a director at Rigel Corporation, which last month issued […]
The easiest way to ‘colonize’ a country is by weakening its economy and forcing it to depend upon another country for its income and livelihood, President Abdulla Yameen has said, even as the Maldives attracts massive overseas investment for mega projects and relies heavily on foreigners for tourism. Yameen was speaking at the capital’s convention […]
Delays in carrying out the death penalty due will be resolved by October 8, the home minister has said, despite international condemnation of the country resuming executions. The Maldives in 2014 ended a six-decade moratorium on capital punishment, with President Abdulla Yameen previously declaring the island nation would be ready for executions last month. “By […]