New Line boat which ran aground seashore 200 meters west of Hulhudhoo jetty yesterday afternoon around 3:15pm, was rescued around 4:00am today. The boat was heading towards Feydhoo for departure to Male’ when it ran seashore. Yesterday’s journey was its first after a lengthy break for renovation and improvements.

The reason for New Line running ashore is not know, however an eyewitness near the disaster suspected that it occurred due to a mechanical malfunction. “Steering system had failed and captain lost control over the vessel” said an eyewitness. Further he justified said that sea was very calm and that there was absolutely no wind.

Crew of New Line tried to recue the vessel as it ran aground seashore and many residents joined the rescue efforts latter. All of their communal efforts went in vein leaving the boat stranded. “How can you pull the vessel, it is fully loaded; unload few and wait for high tide” suggested a local.

The vessel was finally rescued around 4:00 on Sunday morning. Many people had helped in the rescue operation that lasted for four hours.

New Line is one of the two cargo boats operating between Hulhudhoo and Male’. It has returned to its operation after renovation. Another vessel, Speed Boat is also undergoing major renovation works.

Maldives Disaster Management Center (MDMC) has started to provide drinking water to Hulhumeedhoo people today. Safe drinking water shortage has started to create lots of problem in the two stranded islands in Addu since last month, as there has been no rain fall for the past five months. MDMC is seeking help from Herathera Island Resort to provide water to meet the immediate demand for them.

“We sought help from MDMC for water and they replied very quickly”, a Meedhooan said. MDMC then sought help from Herathera who has the capacity to desalinate water for almost 5000 people residing in Hulhumeedhoo. Public works unit of Hulhumeedhoo are using their trucks to carry water from Hearthera-Hulhudhoo channel to water tanks located in various public areas.

“Herathera with the help of Maldives Police Service will start filling up the water tanks in Hulhumeedhoo public areas today”, Island Chief Mr. Ahmed Shafeeu stated today, after the Friday Prayer. According to him this process will continue till people are able to fill up their water tanks. He also advised people not to waste water as the drought still continues. “I advice owners of fishing vessels to avoid taking water in huge volumes temporarily as they are provided as two liters per head” said Shafeeu.

“It’s a part of their (Herathera) corporate social responsibility to provide these sorts of help to the neighbouring communities” referred a Hulhudhooan. Further he said “We are happy that we have started to receive water thought later and on notification by MDMC”. As for now people are worried that drought may persist for a long time and that many water-borne diseases may start to surface up.

Hulhudhoo School has inaugurated its PTA members and members for newly formed school governance body ‘School Board’. Prefect board and heads of various clubs were also sworn in. The chair of the ceremony, Mr. Ali Khalid, distributed certificates to members of PTA and School Board whereas Assistant headmaster of Hithadhoo School Mr. Afeef distributed name tags for Prefects.

“This is a very happy moment for our school to introduce school board” Mr. Thaweel Abdul Muhsin said. “School board will function like parliament of the country, who would make policies on how the school should function, assist school administration with technical and management expertise and corporate with Education ministry to improve schooling system” Thaweel said.

“You must adhere to modern approach of learning and teachings” Mr. Ali Khalid, the most admired and potential headmaster of all times in Addu Atoll stated. “You don’t necessarily be working hard always, rather you must act wisely” he drew an example from the past and shared with the audience to think. According to him it would be very easy for Hulhudhoo School to grow faster and quote “You are very lucky, you have bunch of educated people in your island and I believe every one of them would be more than happy to help you”.

Senior member of Ministry of Education Southern Province Mr. Ahmed Abdulla guaranteed that he would work very hard to reconcile teacher shortage and a Headmaster. “I have listened to the concerns of School parents, these issues were already raised to us and I assure you that I would do justice with you on arrival of the State Minister Ms. Fathimath Naseer who is visiting Nepal” he said.

The members of the School Board are Mr. Ahmed Musthafa, Mr. Hussain Fahumy, Ms. Shamsiyya, Ms. Dhusooma, Ms. Mariyam Manike, Mr. Shareef, Mr. Azleem, Mr. Mujthaba and Ms. Fareedha Moosa.

Hulhudhoo youth, in a special gathering held at Hulhumale’ International School last Friday, endorsed Ilyas Labeeb as their candidate for the upcoming parliamentary election slated for May 9, 2009. The gathering was called for introducing the candidate to Hulhumeedhoo people living in Hulhumale’ and launching Ilyas Labeeb’s campaign T-Shirts.

Mr. Ali Manik (Kalhi Ali), a prominent figure in bringing change in last year’s presidential election in Hulhudhoo, honored the launching of T-Shirts. Another new campaign song by the famous vocalist Mr. Mohamed Azleen (Azky) and Lajuna was then introduced by Mr. Ahmed Zahid, the president of Hulhudhoo Sports Club.

Introducing the meeting at Hulhumale’ International School Mr. Ahmed Zahid highlighted the commitment from Hulhudhoo youth to Ilyas Labeeb’s constituency. He thanked Mohamed Azleen in particular for composing such beautiful songs to boost campaign.

On Sunday Mr. Ibrahim Zareer introduced the same T-Shirts to Hulhudhoo people at Dimish Kara campaign ‘Harage’. Many youth participated in the event that was arranged without any prior notice or announcement. “We would provide this special campaign T-Shirts to everyone who is engaged in the campaign, it would spread our message” said a member of campaign team.

Campaigns for various candidates are expected to take its culmination latter next month, however every candidate believes that this year’s parliamentary election wouldn’t be as easy as they had anticipated.

A teenager has been stabbed to death during a disturbance involving youths on Majeedhee Magu around 23:15 last night. Mr. Abdulla Farhad, 18, Lilly Maage, S.Hulhudhoo died while undergoing treatments for wounds caused by stabbing a knife, at IGMH around 3:30 in the morning.

Speaker from the Maldives Police Service stated that Abdulla Farhad was stabbed in the lower back of his body, near Luxury Shopping Center around 23:15 last night. Mr. Mohamed Nabeel, 21, M. Asareege has been taken into police custody around 19:00 tonight, however police is due to make a thorough investigation in connection to this brutal murder. According to police, Serious and Organized Crime Unit of Maldives Police Service is undertaking investigations and search for other alleged people in relation to this murder is underway.

Even though he was found laying with wounds near Luxury Shopping Center, the actual place where he was stabbed is unknown. Many believe that he was attacked near Central Clinic, however others think that he was attacked in the park opposite to Sosun Store. Indeed he must be walking home after closing business at the mobile shop he works.

A member of deceased family said “there were no wounds on his body other than the wound at his lower back”. He further said “the knife was pierced inside his body severely that bleeding in and outside his body wasn’t stoppable, despite four doctors’ efforts at IGMH”. Doctors transfused blood as well before he died in their hands at 3:30 in the morning.

Murder, gang fights, vandalism etc is on rise in Maldives despite protectionate measures taken by the respective authorities. Many criticize the government for civil unrest and loss of freedom on the roads. Others argue that our Muslim brotherhood has abandoned us leaving behind the duty of care for each other.