“Major losses” to Maldives under President Yameen's Regime !!!

State of Maldives has been ordered to pay USD 15 million in damages to Malaysian company Nexbis by Singapore International Arbitration Center (SIAC) over dissolution of contract between Nexbis and Maldives Immigration to build a border control system in Maldives.

Nexbis, a Malaysian-based venture that was contracted to manage the border control system (BCS) of the atoll state.

In successive months, two foreign companies have been paid compensation for abrupt cancellation of contracts by President Yameen's government, citing various reasons. First it was GMR, an Indian infrastructure company, that was awarded a project to upgrade and manage Ibrahim Nasir International Airport; and then it was Nexbis, a Malaysian-based venture that was contracted to manage the border control system (BCS) of the atoll state.

Now what puzzles a common man of Maldives are: What reasons were cited by the Maldivian government for the ouster? How many of them were genuine and how many of them were motivated – politically, economically ? What were the actual reasons behind the ouster and what are the consequences?

Overall, three broad reasons were offered by the government of Maldives to oust either of the companies. The first issue was on the transparency of the contract. The official government record states that the contract “was signed under dubious conditions”. However, the fact of the matter is that the contract was awarded through an international bidding process overseen by the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The matter of fact is that the project followed international best practices at each step of the bidding process to ensure the highest degree of competitiveness, transparency and credibility of the process.

The second reason cited was that the contracts were “illegal”. The IFC has contended this by observing that the contracts “complied with Maldivian laws and regulations”. The Maldivian Attorney General in his legal opinion clearly stated that the contracts agreements “do not violate any provision of the Constitution of the Republic of Maldives or any law regulation, rule or decree...”

The third reason was that the projects were “against the national interest” of the Maldives. It is highly unlikely that the abrogation of the contract served any national interest of the Maldives.  Significantly, when the projects got underway, it had become some of the biggest FDI into the Maldives; that too, at the time when Maldives' economic is going downspiral.

The move has also sent negative signals to prospective investors in the Island; in addition to creating jitters and uncertainty amongst the present ones. As reasons offered for the termination of the contract appear unimpressive, one tends to look for actual motivations. In the process, one cannot miss local political and electoral factors.

US$271 million  to GMR, $15 million to Nexbiz,a few more cases pending, $72 million stolen...remaining islands given without bidding...is there anything left?

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Justice Manipulated behind close doors

The court hearing to announce the final verdict on two journalists of Raajje TV Mohamed Visam and Leevan Ali Nazeer, who were arrested for allegedly obstructing police, on Monday afternoon will be held behind closed doors.

The decision to close the doors on the hearing was announced after people had submitted their names to observe the trial. The reason for the abrupt decision is unclear.

The  Criminal Court declared RaajjeTv journalists guilty on police obstruction charges, sentencing to be held on Jan. 24 2017.  The prosecution requests a jail term of four months and 24 days for the journalists. Meantime Maldives Police pushed media and family of  journalists, claiming that it was an "illegal gathering" 

Mohamed Wisam, Leevan Ali Naseer  are the first Maldivian journalists to be prosecuted since the country adopted a democratic constitution in 2008.

Their prosecution stands in stark contrast to the lack of justice for crimes committed against the press, including the disappearance of Maldives Independent journalist Ahmed Rilwan, the arson attack on Raajje TV, the near-fatal beating of the station’s former news head, Asward Ibrahim Waheed, and the mass death threats sent via text messages to journalists.

When world marks the international day to end impunity for crimes against journalists, human rights groups have urged the Maldives to practice what it preaches internationally, describing the country’s support for the UN resolution while cracking down on the press at home, as “dark comedy.

Maldives is ranked 112th out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2015 World Press Freedom Index.

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Viewing Ambassador of Maldives to Japan, Mohamed Hussain ‘Mundhu’, political timeline

 

 Appointed as Ambassador of Maldives to Japan

Former Presidential Affairs Minister Mohamed Hussain ‘Mundhu’ Shareef has been appointed to head the Maldives’ diplomatic mission in Japan.

Arrest

October 2015 Mohamed Hussain Shareef ‘Mundhu,’ former presidential affairs minister, had been arrested in Malaysia along with Hamid Ismail, an influential businessman related to jailed Vice President Ahmed Adeeb on suspicion of links to a plot to assassinate President Abdulla Yameen.

Released

Ex-cabinet minister Mohamed Hussain Shareef was released from police custody under unofficial and undisclosed agreement with President Yameen

Resigned

Shareef resigned from the cabinet in October when he was told by President Yameen to stay home in an apparent purge of former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb’s supporters from the government.

Corruption

Shareef was involved in corruption scam of MVR 3.7million (US$24,000) catering contract awarded by the president’s office for a state banquet to mark the Maldives’ Golden Jubilee of Independence.

In February 2016 close of inquiry

The watchdog Anti-Corruption Commission decided to close an inquiry against a former cabinet minister, citing lack of evidence and additional “reasons that cannot be disclosed to the press.” An official stated, on condition of annonimity, that orders came directly from President Yameen and implimented under pressure.

The case was returned shortly after Aishath Bisham, Shareef’s former colleague at the president’s office, was appointed Prosecutor General.

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President Yameen is determined to drown the Maldives Democracy

On Friday night, MDP Local Council Campagin rally protesting against declining Maldivian democracy, in Addu City was disrupted and forcefully stopped by the government of Yameen regime. Police in riot gear dispersed the crowd and pushed back the podium and the sound system. Several protesters were severely wounded in tussel with the local police. With Maldivians now imprisoned in their own land under barbaric regime of President Yameen, people are forced to think if this was the DEMOCRACY they fought for and won.

In December,2016 The civil court has ordered the elections commission to postpone January’s local council elections. The delay of the Local Council Elections is well planned and carried out jointly by the Government, Elections Commission and courts. With all state institutions deemed toothless and renderless by President Yameen, the whole of state machinery is now puppet of corrupt Yameen Government. Judge Ali Abdulla ruled in favour of President Abdulla Yameen.

Since November 2016 President Abdulla Yameen’s faction of the ruling party has been bribing supporters and coercing state employees to attend PPM(Y) political party rallies. State employees were threatened with dismissal and salary reductions for failure to attend the rally. Most people were reportedly given MVR500 (US$32.4) to attend the PPM(Y) rally.

Employee who works for the state owned utility company STELCO said his superiors had warned him of severe action, including dismissal, for failure to attend the PPM(Y)rallies. Employees of state-owned enterprises were given a sticker with a serial number upon entry to keep a check of their attendance in the rally. 

Maldivians, who spoke  on the condition of anonymity,  they were compelled to attend PPM(Y) political rally irrespective of the official work load that is already accumulating with tables full of files requiring their immediate attention. Another Maldivian, who works at the Maldives Ports Limited, said the company’s Chief Executive Office Mohamed Junaid “personally asked everyone to attend. He threatened us with dismissal and salary reductions if we didn’t join the rally."

The plight of Maldivians is not just restricted to lack of freedom and expression, but the whole pseudo "Free & Fair" democracy dream they are being brainwashed into believing...

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Misuse of Maldives Presidential Power & Privilege by Yameen & First Lady Fathimath Ibrahim!!!

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has stated that investigations have revealed that Abu Dhabi’s association had made the donation of USD 24,000 (MVR 370,080) to Waqf Fund on condition that half of it (MVR 185,040) be given to the Sadaqat Foundation, owned by the first lady and wife of President Yameen, Fathimath Ibrahim. 

The Maldives graft watchdog has now declared that the Waqf Fund, managed by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, has not handed over its promised share of the donation made by a private Ab Dhabi association to the Sadaqat Foundation. According to the ACC, the Islamic Ministry had cancelled its letter to the Ministry of Finance and Treasury requesting to deposit the amount for Sadaqat Foundation. The private association of Abu Dhabi had made the donation to aid Waqf Fund in conducting various religious programs in mosques during the last Islamic holy month of Ramadan. 

The commission probed the matter in the wake of a case filed by a private individual stating that Waqf Fund had transferred the amount as per the agreement. 

Similar controvercies involving the NGO Sadaqat Foundation owned by, the first lady and wife of President Yameen, Fathimath Ibrahim had sparked earlier also when on June 2016 First Lady Fathimath Ibrahim has sparked a firestorm of criticism after it emerged that a charity organization she founded (Sadagat Foundation),was distributing packets of dates gifted by Saudi Arabia to the people of the Maldives in its name.

The packets were being handed out at breakfasts organized by the Sadagat Foundation with labels stating, “With the best wishes of the Sadagat Foundation.” The plastic cover of the packet said that it was a gift from the government of the custodian of the two holy mosques King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud. 

Saudi Arabia donated around 50 tonnes of dates to the Maldives on Ramadan. Finance ministry was ordered by President Yameen to handover some ten tonnes of dates to the presidential palace. Following the order, the 500 boxes of dates were transported to a campaign office run by the first lady Fathimath Ibrahim in Malé on a truck owned by the Maldives Road Development Corporation . The embassy of Saudi Arabia in Malé has earlier spoken out in defense of the first lady of the Maldives, who has been accused of corruption repeatedly involving her NGO Sadagat Foundation, when it emerged that an NGO she founded was distributing dates gifted by the kingdom in its name. 

The Saudis defence of Fathimath could “taint the high regard” the Maldivian people have for the kingdom. This reeks of misuse of power and privilege. Saudi government should be outraged rather than trying to cover up these shameful actions. Corruption, whether it is siphoning of state funds for personal use, money laundering, or seemingly as petty as stealing thefts, should not be condoned. 

 

President Abdulla Yameen and his wife are also under fire over a historic corruption scandal involving the theft of some US$80million from state coffers. Independent MP Ahmed Mahloof was summoned to the police headquarters in early February over claims that there are millions of dollars in the first couple’s private bank accounts. 

 President Yameen and the first lady Fathimath Ibrahim, with all due respect, are working towards siphoning off millions of dollars from Maldives National Funds, showing no concern towards development and prosperity of Maldives as a nation. The first couple has devised new and innovative ways to divert International funds and donations for Maldives towards their own personal accounts. With all the state machinery, including the ACC and Judiciary, flooded with unqualified Yameen loyalist, the couple is having a free hand to rob Maldives of its finances and dignity as a independent and self-sufficient nation.

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