Afternoon Press Brief at the Media Office

01 October 2008

• Shame in one’s relatives endemic in the Maldives
• Gayoom to file suit against Adhaalath Party
• Rumors of MDP-JP Alliance

Media Manager of the Maumoon 2008 Campaign Ibrahim Athif Shakoor spoke at the 1630 press briefing held on weekdays at the Maumoon 2008 Media Office today. He called for a change in the current Maldivian attitude of being ashamed in one’s relatives for fear of the cry of “nepotism”.

He said that he is confident that the citizens of Baa Atoll had no hand in the attacks on Dhivehi Raiyyithunge Party (DRP) Presidential candidate Ahmed Thasmeen Ali in Thulhaadhoo island. He also commented on the rumored Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) – Jumhooree Party (JP) alliance. He confirmed that current Minister for Tourism Abdullah Yaamin’s appointment was a political move. He dismissed claims from independent Presidential candidate Dr. Hassan Saeed’s camp that Addu Atoll is behind him.

Campaign Trail

Shakoor provided the media with an update of the campaign trail. He said that DRP Presidential candidate and incumbent President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom is currently in Dhaalu Atoll after completing his tour of Laamu Atoll.

He also said that DRP Presidential running mate Ahmed Thasmeen Ali is currently touring Baa Atoll.

Baa Atoll

Shakoor expressed his confidence in the fact that the citizens of Baa Atoll appreciate the hard work Thasmeen Ali has done in the past for them as the atoll’s MP. He said that Thasmeen Ali had served more than two terms as MP for Baa Atoll.

Shakoor repeated his condemnation of the attacks on Thasmeen Ali’s person in Thulhaadhoo Island.

He also said that he is certain of the fact that JP Presidential candidate Gasim “Burumaa” Ibrahim is responsible for these attacks as the perpetrators had arrived from Royal Island Resort which is a resort hotel owned by Villa Hotels – a subsidiary of the Villa group of companies of which Ibrahim was until very recently.

JP-MDP

Shakoor also said that he has reason to believe the rumors that the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has formed an alliance with the JP.

He said that both those parties have joined forces as they believe such an alliance would increase their chances of contending in the elections.

Gayoom vs. AP

In response to a question from the media regarding candidate Gayoom’s comments on Voice of Maldives’ (VOM) Riyaasee Inthihaab (Presidential Election) political talk show which was broadcast live from 2200-2300hrs last night Athif Shakoor said that he believes Gayoom will stand by his statement to file suit against the AP for defamation.

In the recent Supreme Court (SC) case of the Adhaalath Party vs. Elections Commission (EC), the AP had said that the EC had committed an unconstitutional act by approving Gayoom’s bid for the presidency. The grounds on which the AP based their case were that Gayoom does not meet the requirements of a President set out in Article 109(a) of the Constitution as they did not believe that Gayoom is a muslim of the Sunni sect.

According to Shakoor, the AP’s case had no grounds as Gayoom’s religiosity has never been contested in a court of law therefore it would be slander to claim that he does not follow Sunni Islam.

Yaamin

A member of the press asked Shakoor whether Abdullah Yaamin’s recent appointment as Minister for Tourism was a political move made in order in response to the Tourism Employee Association of Maldives’ (TEAM) planned protest.

Shakoor replied that politicians are raised to political positions for political reasons and that Yaamin is a capable man.

Family

In response to questions about allegations of nepotism brought against Gayoom for giving his half-brother Yaamin a cabinet portfolio Shakoor said that the current attitude of being ashamed of one’s own blood relations for fear of such allegations has become a serious issue in the Maldives.

He believes that the people should not be deprived of the services of capable and talented individuals solely based on their family ties.

He said that India is not ashamed of the Gandhis and neither is the US ashamed of the Kennedys.

He also made note of the contributions of the Gandhi family and Kennedys such as Edward “Ted” Kennedy who is a senior Democrat and US Senator from the state of Massachusetts.

Addu for DRP

The media asked for the DRP’s views on Dr. Saeed’s camp’s that Addu Atoll is behind him as Addu is the atoll of his birth.

Shukoor replied that the media would attest to the fact that Gayoom received overwhelming support from Addu Atoll and that he was confident that the citizens of Addu would not support a person just for reasons of birth but would take an individual’s capability into consideration as well

IGM Hospital to be run by Singaporean investments - Ilyas Ibrahim

01 October 2008

Ibrahim at today's Press Conference

MALE, Maldives — Minister for Health Ilyas Ibrahim has said that Indira Gandhi Memorial (IGM) Hospital is to be run by Singaporean investments. Media Manager of the Maumoon 2008 Campaign Ibrahim Athif Shakoor also condemned the attempted attacks on Dhivehi Raiyyithunge Party (DRP) Presidential running mate Ahmed Thasmeen Ali in Thulhaadhoo island of Baa Atoll.

Singaporean Investments

Speaking at a press conference held at the Maumoon 2008 Media Office at 1200hrs today, Minister for Health, Ilyas Ibrahim has revealed plans to transfer the administration of IGM hospital to Singaporean investments.

According to IGM Hospital’s website, the hospital was built by the Indian government in the Maafannu ward of the capital city of Male as part of Indian aid to the Maldives. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Indian and Maldivian states for the construction of the hospital was signed in 1988. IGM hospital was officially handed over to the Maldivian government in 1994 after which it has continued to receive Indian aid in terms of human resources and medical equipment.

Ibrahim said that incumbent President of the Maldives and DRP Presidential candidate Maumoon Abdul Gayoom recently requested the Singaporean government’s aid in improving the services available at IGM hospital on a recent state visit to the country. Ibrahim said that Singaporean companies have expressed an interest in investing in the hospital.

Poor administration

Ibrahim said that IGM’s administration is to be transferred to yet to be revealed Singaporean investments very soon. He did not specify a date but he said that the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Trade has been working to facilitate the transfer.

Ibrahim said that the Ministry of Health is aware of criticism from various sources regarding the state-run IGM hospital. He said that the DRP’s political opposition has mainly criticized IGM’s poor administration while acknowledging the existence of modern facilities and equipment at the hospital.

Ibrahim said that he welcomes the opposition’s acknowledgement of the equipment and facilities which the Ministry of Health continues to provide to IGM.

Ibrahim said that IGM hospital was originally established in 1994 to meet the daily needs of a maximum of 400 people. He said that the most recent figures indicate that approximately 900 – 1200 people visit IGM hospital for medical treatment on a daily basis. He indicated that he believes that it is natural for problems to arise from this inconsistency.

He said that expansion work is already underway at IGM hospital.

Health Statistics

Ibrahim said the Maldives has seen great development in the health sector. He quoted from the DRP manifesto that in 1977 that the 23 nurses in the country worked only in Male but now the total number is 1683 with a large percentage working in the atolls.

He also said that the number of doctors in 1977 has increased from 7 to the present figure of 636. He further stated that 256 doctors work in Male while the rest are spread across the atolls.

He said there is a doctor for is a doctor for every 484 people in the Maldives while the proportion of doctors to the population in Singapore is 1 to 600.

Ibrahim also stated that United Nations (UN) statistics will show that under Gayoom’s administration state health services provide vaccination for 98.5% of Maldivian children.

He said that ambulances have been provided for every island with a hospital although he lamented the fact that some islands do not have drivers trained to operate the vehicles.

Government Initiatives

Ibrahim outlined the Presidential initiative to concentrate resources on providing doctors for islands with populations less than 500.

He said that the Government had had to dedicate its resources to providing health services to densely populated islands in the Maldives earlier, leaving 25 islands in the Maldives with no resident doctors.
He also said that the Government is currently carrying out a project to construct buildings to provide health services in every island. He said that this project will be completed next year.

Attacks in Thulhaadhoo

Media Manager of the Maumoon 2008 campaign, Ibrahim Athif Shakoor spoke at the beginning of the press conference condemning the attempted attacks on running mate Thasmeen Ali’s person.

He described these attacks as “vile” and “vulgar” and called on state institutions and political parties to condemn such acts.

Athif Shakoor said that Thasmeen Ali was not physically harmed.

He said that the individuals who committed what in his words were atrocities, were transported to Thulhaadhoo Island from nearby Royal Island Resort by a vessel owned by the resort.

Royal Island Resort is one of the resort hotels owned and run by Villa Hotels which is a subsidiary of the Villa group of companies of which Jumhooree Party Presidential candidate Gasim “Burumaa” Ibrahim was until very recently the chairman.

Education minister affirms DRP’s education promises achievable – Zareer

30 September 2008

Zareer at the Press Briefing tonight

MALE, Maldives – Minister of Education Zahiya Zareer has said in a Press Briefing at Maumoon 2008 Media Office that the educational promises of the ruling Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP)’s Presidential manifesto are easily achievable.

Citing the successful milestone achievements in the country’s education sector, such as 98% literacy rate and primary education opportunity for each and every Maldivian, she further stated she is confident of the achievement of the targets in the manifesto.

Secondary Education

Secondary education for all students is one of the most important educational promises in the manifesto.

Zareer further noted, currently only 17 islands do not have secondary education facilities and it was due the population size of those islands.

She also said, the government is now providing incentives for the students in these islands to transfer to other islands to pursue secondary education. For those students, free accommodation and allowances are some of the incentives she added.

DRP’s Presidential manifesto promises secondary education opportunity for all Maldivian students by 2010.

Challenging

Zareer told the press that government is doing everything possible to ensure education for children with special needs.

She also pointed that the goal, though challenging, is achieving at a satisfactory rate.

At the moment, the government has provided special education in 5 atolls.

The challenge for special education facility according to the education minister was due to insufficient human resources.

She also affirmed that training teachers for special education is already underway and will be increased in a DRP government.

Other Promises

The DRP Presidential manifesto promises the incorporation of Maldivian nationalism and civic education into the national curriculum as well as a bill on education in to raise the standards and quality of education.

In addition, providing opportunities for studying another language besides Dhivehi and English, making every student computer-literate, training 500 teachers annually are some of the other promises in the manifesto.

Bhutan

Answering to a question from a reporter after her brief regarding the comments by Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, the running mate of Independent Presidential candidate Dr. Hassan Saeed, that even Bhutan has all trained teachers while the percentage of that in Maldives are 40, she said our progress in training teachers is satisfactory.

Further she said Bhutan has its own problems of providing education to all due to its mountainous topography. But, she said based on the UNICEF projects in which she was involved in, Maldives education sector has progressed remarkably.

Dr. Saeed does not deserve credit for Maldives press freedom - Nasheed

28 September 2008

Nasheed at tonight's Press Briefing

MALE, Maldives – Minister of Legal Reform, Information and Arts Mohamed Nasheed briefed the media tonight on the “Rule of the People” chapter of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP)’s Presidential manifesto and stated that independent Presidential candidate and former Attorney General (AG) Dr. Hassan Saeed does not deserve credit for the press freedom that exists in the Maldives today.

Speaking at a Press Brief as part of the series of Press Briefings organized and arranged by the Maumoon 2008 Campaign in order to inform the public on the content of the DRP’s Presidential manifesto, Nasheed noted the speed with which the transition to a liberal democracy took place in the Maldives. He further stated that the groundbreaking reforms that brought about the transition were initiated by the incumbent President and DRP Presidential candidate Mr. Maumoon Abdul Gayoom as part of his March 2006 Reform Agenda.

Nasheed also said that this ambitious Reform Agenda is now nearing full realization.

Rule of the People

Briefing the media about the DRP’s promises on strengthening rule of the people, Nasheed said that in a DRP Government all policies will follow democratic principles and that the role of the public in the administration of Government institutions will be increased. He also stressed the importance that the DRP places on providing equal protection of the law to the people.

In addition, he said that in a DRP Government, excessive powers will not be concentrated in any one institution and that policies of “Power Balance” will be established to prevent the abuse of power.

Mr. Nasheed said that the DRP will uphold the democratic ideals of freedom of the media, freedom of information and transparent government. In cases where checks have to be placed on certain freedoms, he vowed that restrictions placed on freedoms of media and information will be minimal as both are essential for the protection of rights in general.

Nasheed informed members of the press that under the DRP Government’s decentralization plan, by June 2009, the administration of Maldivian atolls will be carried out by councils elected at the atoll, city and island levels. He added that a DRP administration will ensure that the people are made fully aware of these changes for their economic and social benefit. In conclusion, he said that a DRP Government will strive to maintain national unity at all phases of development.

Dr. Saeed

The press requested Nasheed’s views on the statement by Dr. Saeed’s running mate and former Presidential Spokesperson Dr. Ahmed Shaheed regarding Dr. Saeed’s role in establishing freedom of the press in the Maldives.

In response Nasheed said that in his capacity as the person who worked closest with the Maldivian press to establish the press freedom that exists in the Maldives today, he can state with certainty that Dr. Saeed had no involvement with the process that led up to this change. He also said that the media is well aware of this fact.

Nasheed then outlined key events that he feels gives strength to his denial of Dr. Shaheed’s claims.

Nasheed said that after he took office as Minister of Legal Reform, Information and Arts he worked 3 days including a weekend to process the considerable backlog of applications submitted to request licenses for operating print media such as news dailies and magazines. Outlining the process he said that the system in force at the time required all license applications to be sent to a special Presidential committee for approval. Mr. Nasheed noted the fact that Dr. Saeed, as a member of the committee, did not allow these applications to be processed.

Nashed noted Dr. Saeed’s dissatisfaction, during his time as the AG, with Nasheed’s decision to allow broadcast media to air recordings of sessions of the Citizen’s and Special Majlis. According to Nasheed, Dr. Saeed was to have said in reference to Nasheed’s decision that “Nasheed will do anything if it will topple the Government”.

In addition, Nasheed also made note of the lawsuits which Dr. Saeed, as AG, had brought against members of the Maldivian press. Mr. Nasheed said that he had personally lobbied the state to drop those charges mentioning the case of the State vs. Aminath Najeeb (Editor of Minivan Daily) as an example of one of those cases.

He further spoke about the 5 draft bills prepared as the result of monthly meetings held between representatives of the Maldivian media and the Ministry of Legal Reform, Information and Arts (MLRIA). The Government had been allowed 1 week to review the bills which, after further consultation with media representatives, had been further amended into 4 legal bills and 1 code of ethics.

In conclusion Nasheed said that the media will attest to all the statements he had made at the press briefing.

President Gayoom facilitated the media freedom that Maldives enjoys today – Mohamed Nasheed

30 September 2008

MALE, Maldives - Speaking at a press conference held at the Dhivehi Raiyyithunge Party’s (DRP) Dhivehi Maalam (Maldivian Hall) at 2300hrs last night, Minister of Legal Reform, Information and Arts, Mohamed Nasheed said that the media freedom that the Maldives enjoys today was facilitated by DRP Presidential candidate and incumbent President of the Maldives Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Political Poseurs

Nasheed said during the press conference that some Presidential candidates have tried to take undue credit for the reforms ushered in by the Government of the ruling DRP.

He stated that independent Presidential candidate and former Attorney General (AG) of the DRP Government, Dr. Hassan Saeed’s claim that he is directly responsible for the media freedom that exists in the Maldives today is proof of such insincere political posing.

Nasheed denied Dr. Saeed’s involvement to any extent in the process.

Presidential Initiative

Nasheed stated that contrary to opposition claims Maldives media freedom came about through President Gayoom’s policies outlined in his Reform Agenda.

Nasheed said on the day he was first appointed Minister of Legal Reform, Information and the Arts, President Gayoom had told him that the most important task at hand was improving the media and making it free.

According to Nasheed, President Gayoom had discussed the challenges faced by the media industry and advised him to exercise diligence and patience in his work.

Nasheed also said that President Gayoom had said to him that the purpose of establishing freedom of the media in the Maldives to make the media an independent source of information and forum for the exchange of opinion.

Accountable Government

Nasheed said that before the realization of President Gayoom’s Reform Agenda, Presidents assumed office without making any promises to the people resulting in a Government that had set no goals before being elected for which the people could hold them accountable.

Nasheed said that previous Government only fulfilled developmental goals based completely on their own initiative.

30 Years

During the press conference, Nasheed also responded to opposition allegations that the current Government had achieved nothing during its 30 years of rule.

Nasheed countered by pointing to the fact that the upcoming elections itself is a testament to the groundbreaking changes ushered in by the current administration. He said that it is only natural for certain individuals to harbor personal grudges against a man who has held office for 3 decades.

Nasheed said that complaints about sewage systems and harbors not being built has not been repeated over 30 years but rather rose as a result of the fast pace of development which took place over that time.

Health

Nasheed said that gave the media a further example of the issues that arise in connection with progress.

He said that in the past, the main health concern at the national level was the eradication of communicable diseases in general.

Nasheed said that now our concerns have evolved to finding doctors specialized in the treatment of specific diseases in particular.

Education Loan

Nasheed denied opposition allegations that the current Government has brought no progress to the educational sector.

He said that the Maldives is the first country to take out an international loan in order to ensure tertiary education opportunities for Maldivian students.

In conclusion Nasheed said a lot of the allegations being brought against the Government are lies and propaganda.

DRP intervention postpones TEAM’s protest – Shareef

30 September 2008

Representatives of TEAM

MALE, Maldives – Member of ruling Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) parliamentary group Mohamed “Mavota” Shareef has said today that the 5th October protest planned by the Tourism Employees Association of the Maldives (TEAM) has been postponed as a direct result of DRP intervention.

Shareef, speaking at a press conference held at the Maumoon 2008 Media Office, also expressed his disapproval of the opposition’s aggravation of the situation by calling for civil disobedience instead of negotiation.

Shareef, who is also the Chair of the Research and Drafting Committee of the Parliament, accused the opposition of propagating misinformation about the Government’s sincerity in delivering the rights of tourism employees.

When President and DRP Presidential candidate Maumoon Abdul Gayoom initially sent the draft Employment Bill to parliament, there was no clause which excluded tourism employees from the rights outlined in the bill. The exclusionary clause was added after the bill was reviewed by a parliamentary committee.

The Employment Act 2008 has received criticism from various sources for not protecting the rights of tourism employees who work in the most lucrative sector of the Maldivian economy.

Jumhooree Party (JP) Deputy Leaders and MPs for Gaafu Dhaalu and Dhaalu atolls respectively, Abdullah “Lolly” Jabir and Ahmed “ADK” Nasheed are both resort owners. JP Presidential candidate and billionaire resort owner Gasim “Burumaa” Ibrahim was, until very recently, the chairman of the Villa group of companies - the largest employer in the tourism industry.

Shareef also noted with disappointment that travel advisory alerts had been issued for the Maldives in some countries to warn holidaymakers of the planned protest. He added that such events will have an adverse effect on Maldives’ tourism industry on which the economy is largely dependent.

DRP Intervention

Shareef told the press that the DRP has intervened to prevent the protest by entering into negotiations with parliamentary National Development Committee and the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI) on behalf of TEAM.

DRP efforts have led to tabling of draft amendments to the Employment Act before 6 October 2008.
Speaking on behalf of the DRP parliamentary group, which consists of 27 MPs in total, Shareef said that the DRP will ensure that amendments to the Employment Act will be passed so that tourism workers are afforded equal protection under the law. In addition, Shareef said that he held suspicions that TEAM might have been influenced by the political machinations of opposition parties however he condemned the oversight which deprived tourism workers of their legal rights and said that the DRP was dedicated to their cause.

The DRP has proposed a host of amendments to the existing laws that govern employer-employee relations for tourism workers in the country. Among them are the imposition of a 10 hour work day with a maximum of 2 extra hours which should be considered and remunerated as overtime. The DRP is also lobbying for a reduction in workloads and wage increases.

In conclusion, Shareef said that competition between political parties should not be allowed to affect te country’s vulnerable economy.

Afternoon Press Brief At the Media Office

- Waheed appeals to Maldivians to scrutinize candidates’ backgrounds before voting

29 September 2008

MALE, Maldives – Deputy Media Manager of the Maumoon 2008 Campaign, Ali Waheed appealed to his fellow Maldivians to scrutinize candidates’ backgrounds before casting their votes in the Presidential election.

Speaking today at the Afternoon Press Brief televised live on DhiTV from the Maumoon 2008 Media Office, Waheed also updated the media about the upcoming activities of the Maumoon 2008 Campaign .

Planned events

Waheed informed the media that the ruling Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Presidential candidate Maumoon Abdul Gayoom will visit the Southern atolls of Meemu and Faafu during the weekend.

In addition, he said that the Minister of Legal Reform, Information and Arts Mohamed Nasheed will hold a press conference at the DRP’s Dhivehi Maalam (Maldivian Hall) tonight at 2300hrs.

3/11 Terrorist Attack

Waheed also reminded the people of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Presidential candidate Mohamed ”Anni” Nasheed’s links to the perpetrators of the 3 November 1988 terrorist attack on Male which claimed the lives of 19 soldiers and civilians making it the bloodiest terrorist attack in the country’s history.

Waheed, fully clad in black to pay respects to the fallen, presented the press with a copy of the report on the 3/11 terrorist attacks which was published in 1991. He told the media that the Maldivian people have not forgotten that day. He also displayed a photograph from the report which depicted one of the masterminds behind the attack, Ismail “Sikka” Manik who is Nasheed’s uncle by marriage. Both Nasheed and Manik’s families are infamous in the Maldives for opposing elected leaders and causing civil disturbance.

The 3/11 attacks were jointly orchestrated by the families of both Manik and Nasheed with the help of mercenaries of the Sri Lankan terrorist organization Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE).

Cover of Report on 11/3