MaldivesIn Brief :Maldives to nominate female candidate for SAARC Secy. General post

The Maldives is set to nominate a female candidate for the post of Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

“It is the Maldives’ turn to appoint a Secretary-General to the biggest regional organization in South Asia,” Foreign Minister Dr. Ahmed Shaheed was quoted as saying in Miadhu.

“The Government will very proudly nominate a capable woman candidate to next month’s SAARC Summit for endorsement,” Dr. Shaheed has said.

When endorsed, this will be the first time a woman will hold this key post of SAARC.
The post of SAARC Secretary General is rotated between the member States in alphabetical order and it is the Maldives’ turn beginning in 2011-2014, the report added.

Over 300 prisoners released to house arrest: DPRS

Over 300 prisoners have been released to house arrest, the Department of Penitentiary and Rehabilitation Services (DPRS) has said.

Mohamed Rasheed, Director General of the Department was quoted as saying in Haveeru that “inmates released to house arrest included those who needed medical treatment and those who were admitted to rehabilitation programmes.”

However, “around 30 inmates were taken back to prison for violating the terms of their release,” he noted.

The release of prisoners to house arrest has been blamed on increasing attacks on journalists as well as mounting violence in the society.

A suspect who was involved in attacking the country manager of Habib bank too has been a prisoner released to house arrest.

And Ibrahim ‘Chicka’ Nafiz, who has been serving a five-year imprisonment for possessing a sword, was among the eight suspects arrested by the police, for attacking DhiTV staff last week.

However, the DPRS has said that it is trying to strengthen rehabilitation for prisoners working with the “public, Works Corporation and NGOs such as Society for Women against Drugs (SWAD).”

Torture Victims Association inaugurated

The Torture Victims Association (TVA) has held its inaugural meeting, a MDP-led NGO aimed at supporting torture victims.

The NGO is founded by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ahmed Naseem, Tourism Minister and human rights lawyer Dr Ahmed Ali Sawad, and Foreign Minister Dr Ahmed Shaheed, Minivan news reported.

Naseem has said the organisation was founded “so there is a place [torture victims] can go and talk about what happened to them, and take some solace, get some comfort.”

Rothschild supports Maldives to go carbon neutral

The Maldives and La Compagnie Benjamin de Rothschild (CTBR) have agreed a strategic partnership to take-forward the country’s pledge to become carbon neutral by 2020, Minivan news reported.

“Environment Minister Mohamed Aslam signed the agreement on behalf of the Maldives; Baron Benjamin de Rothschild signed on behalf of CTBR, and Baroness Ariane de Rothschild signed on behalf of BeCitizen, the Rothschild’s environmental advisory arm,” it said.

Under the agreement, CTBR will be mandated to secure international finance to fund a carbon footprint audit and Master Plan for the Maldives.

“Once funding is secured, BeCitizen will undertake a two-month assessment of the Maldives’ “carbon footprint,” detailing emissions from all sectors of the economy, including transport, housing, tourism, energy production and waste management,” it added.

Once the audit of the Maldives’ carbon footprint is complete, BeCitizen will develop a detailed Carbon Neutral Master Plan, which will outline precisely how the Maldives can meet its 2020 carbon neutral goal.

The carbon audit and the Carbon Neutral Master Plan are due to be completed during 2010, it added.

Tax Administration Bill ratified

President Mohamed Nasheed ratified the Tax Administration Bill that will put in place a broad tax regime in the country.

The Act specifies an administrative framework on taxation and measures for implementing a tax system.

The Act stipulates the setting up of the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority that will implement laws and policies on taxation and collecting all taxes payable to the state.

- Asian Tribune -