the help from Western Australia Police to comply with international human rights norms. He started construction of a maximum security prison with a vision to improve the living condition for inmates. The first Police Training School, housed in Addu Atoll was opened under his patronage. Many modern scientific methods of investigation in Maldives Police Service were introduced under his instruction, including establishing Forensic Labs and deployment of CCTV camera in strategic points in the capital of Male'. The Community Policing concept used in policing in the Maldives is introduced under his guidance. In a leaked cable titled PROSPECTS FOR REFORM DOMINATE DISCUSSIONS IN MALDIVES the followings were noted: "Home Affairs Minister Ahmed Thasmeen Ali join a cabinet that is growing younger and more dynamic as President Gayoom continues to make changes in an effort to prompt progress in the Special Majlis (parliament) that is considering constitutional reforms. "Thasmeen Ali was keen to continue to develop the capacity of the national police force, which was split from the National Security Service (Maldives? military) late last year. He also outlined plans to develop a separate, well- trained prison service and to construct a new prison on Maahfushi Island, noting that the current prison there, in which prisoners are kept in large common areas rather than smaller cells, makes it almost impossible to control or remove individual prisoners. He noted that his ministry, as part of the GoRM decision to invite the ICRC in to look at prison conditions, will work from ICRC standards as it designs the new prison". Party to new heights During Thasmeen's leadership he took DRP to a new height. Though DRP was defeated in the 2008 presidential election he managed to increase the party membership and made gains in the parliamentary election and local elections. With Thasmeen at the helm DRP secured more seats in the parliament than Nasheed's ruling MDP. This is a major victory to DRP, especially since this came during the honeymoon period of the new government. During the split of the party there was much criticism leveled to Mr. Thasmeen by Gayoom supporters accusing Thasmeen of the 2008 defeat. However, DRP issued a statement reflecting of the past success in elections under Thasmeen saying "we note with regret that the party was unable to win a single election under President Maumoon’s leadership when it was in the government". "One of the main reasons for