Maldives has a high percentage of criminals – Dr. Waheed

25 December 2007
Report: Soodh

Maldives has a percentage of criminals in comparison to the population, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Dr. Abdullah Waheed has said.

Speaking at the inauguration of training people to help prevent HIV AIDS among drug addicts, Dr. Waheed said that Maldives is a country where are lot of criminals are there when looked in percentage of population. He said that this was a very important day in the life of jail and thus there will be a lot of benefits from the program which begins today.

“Today is a very important day in the history of Jail. And there is going to be a lot of benefits from this program” Dr. Waheed said.
He said that most criminals are drug addicts and they are victim of mental illness and they need to be treated.

“In year 2002, the percentage of criminals was 40%. Normally they commit a crime once or twice. And 40% are people who commit crime 4 to 5 times. These 80% people can be treated by rehabilitation. Experts say that the other 20% are those who have criminal tendencies in their nature” Dr. Waheed said.

DPRS say that participants of this training program will be given information on Narcotics drugs and preventing HIV AIDS. This program organized by United Nations office on Drugs and Crime and will be held in all countries of SAARC.

Those who trained under this program will conduct awareness programs in jail about drugs and prevention of HIV AIDS, DPRS said. 2 personnel from UN, officials from IGMH and experts from NNCB are those who are giving information in this program.

Officials from Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Health, National Narcotics Control Bureau, Maldives Police Service and DPRS take part in this 4 day program.