News

Committee to probe allegation three govt ministers violated law

Published

3 months ago

06/02/2024

The Parliament on Tuesday forwarded a motion submitted by a lawmaker from the main opposition MDP, accusing three cabinet ministers of violating the constitution, to the Government Oversight Committee for review.

The motion, submitted by Thulhaadhoo MP Hisaan Hussain, accuses the three ministers of violating the Employment Act; Home Minister Ali Ihusan, Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed, and Higher Education Minister Dr. Mariyam Mariya.

The motion was sent to the Government Oversight Committee for review with a vote of 29-3 on Tuesday night.

Presenting the motion, Hisaan said that while issuing quotas and approval for recruitment of expatriates, and planning and implementing matters related to it falls within the mandate of the Home Ministry, formulating the regulations needed to enforce the Employment Act falls within the mandate of the Higher Education Ministry.

Hisaan argued in her motion that a responsibility charged under the law cannot be split between two different ministries, and that a power vested in a ministry charged with regulating employment related matters cannot be transferred to a different ministry or minister.

She said that the Home Ministry does not have the authority to formulate the regulations.

Hisaan also said that while the Employment Act caps the recruitment of labor from any single country at 100,000 laborers, administration lifted the ban on recruitment of unskilled labor from Bangladesh in December, despite the fact that there were already 139,220 Bangladeshi workers in Maldives.

She alleged that the Economic Ministry deliberately removed the statistics on expatriates from its website, after the issue surfaced.

Mariya was accused of violating the law by handing over a responsibility within her ministry’s mandate to another ministry.

Ihusan was accused of violating the law by granting permission for approval of unskilled labor from Bangladesh, and Saeed was accused of violating the law over the removal of statistics from his ministry’s website.

During the debate on the motion, lawmakers from the opposition MDP and Democrats demanded that the motion be sent to a committee for an inquiry.

Ihusan has previously stated that the government decided to lift the ban because the number of Bangladeshi workers had fallen to 90,000, while Saeed promised to investigate the removal of statistics.

Source(s): sun.mv

News

Maldivian FM meets Qatari PM; both commit to stronger ties

Published

8 hours ago

12/05/2024

Maldives and Qatar reaffirm the commitment to strengthening the partnership between the two countries on Sunday, in a meeting between Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer and Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar.

Zameer, who is on an official visit to Qatar, met with Al Thani on Sunday morning.

At the meeting, Zameer reflected on the growing Maldives-Qatar partnership, and thanked Qatar for the generous assistance in Maldives’ socio-economic development.

According to a statement released by the Maldivian Foreign Ministry, both Zameer and Al Thani reiterated the commitment to deepen bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

Zameer also conveyed appreciation for Qatar’s role in the mediation process on the Gaza crisis.

Both reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the partnership in the multilateral fora on matters of global concern.

Zameer was accompanied at the meeting by Secretary, Bilateral, Dr. Hala Hameed, Ambassador-at-Large, Dr. Fazeel Najeeb, and Assistant Director, Lamha Saleem.

This year will mark the 40th anniversary of bilateral relations between the Maldives and Qatar.

According to the Foreign Ministry, Zameer is also scheduled to meet with other senior officials from the Qatari government to explore opportunities to enhance cooperation in various sectors between the two countries.

Zameer’s latest trip comes at the heels of a similar visit to India last week.

Source(s): sun.mv

News

President recognises forefront services of nurses

Published

8 hours ago

12/05/2024

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has praised the dedicated efforts of nurses, stating that they fulfil a national obligation by providing forefront services. He made the remarks on a social media post, commemorating International Nurses Day.

In the post shared on social media, President Dr. Muizzu recognised the unwavering commitment of nurses, characterising their contributions and services as a valuable, significant responsibility for humanity. The president additionally commended the dedication of nurses for ensuring the provision of cutting edge care.

The International Nurses Day is annually celebrated on May 12, aiming to acknowledge the pivotal role nurses play, as they are the backbone of the healthcare system. The theme for International Nurses Day 2024 is “Our Nurses. Our Future. The economic power of care.” The purpose of selecting the theme was to emphasise the significance of reshaping perceptions of the economic and societal advantages of the nursing field, such that nursing can be seen as an investment rather than a cost.

Source(s): PsmNews

News

Government launches Hope Island for crime-exposed kids

Published

8 hours ago

12/05/2024

The Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology has announced the launch of Hope Island, a rehabilitation initiative aimed at children exposed to crime.

Speaking at a collaborative press briefing involving agencies under the homeland ministry, Minister Ali Ihusaan outlined the planning efforts for Hope Island. He emphasised the provision of fundamental education and religious guidance for the children residing there. He also highlighted the implementation of psychosocial intervention and sports programmes on the island.

Additionally, Minister Ihusaan disclosed that children would reside on Hope Island until they turn 18 years, and serve a designated term in either the Maldives Police Service (MPS) or the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). Subsequently, he said that they would be granted opportunities to pursue their chosen careers.

Furthermore, Minister Ihusaan announced a reduction in the age of criminal responsibility to 15 years, with previous advocacy for lowering it to 12 years. He cited instances of 12-year-olds engaging in criminal activities and revealed ongoing legal initiatives, in collaboration with the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO), to effect the change.

Moreover, Minister Ihusaan revealed plans to direct 12-year-old offenders to Hope Island for rehabilitation, with a dedicated facility established to mitigate exposure to criminal influences. He also disclosed intentions to develop a separate island specifically for this rehabilitation facility.

Source(s): PsmNews