Day: August 15, 2012

Surfing association attacks MNDF resort proposal over fears for local access: “Like England selling off Wembley Stadium”

The Maldives Surfing Association (MSA) has hit out at a proposed resort development on a Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) training island, claiming it will substantially reduce local access to an already limited number of high-profile waves in the country.

Ahmed Rifaee, a member of the MSA’s Steering Committee, claimed that while Maldivians were largely unaware of the significance of the waters around the island of Thanburudhoo to the country’s sporting heritage, the proposed resort development threatened to leave local people with access to just two world-class surf points.

Rifaee said that tourism laws presently prohibit non-guests from using prominent surf points based at the country’s resorts – legislation that threatens the future development of a sport he noted had gained the Maldives its greatest athletic successes and recognition internationally.

The resort proposal, first discussed under the previous government as part of plans to fund a state-of-the-art military training complex, was forwarded to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) this week to determine the legality of an island set aside for the military being leased for commercial purposes.

However, the private group linked to the development, Telos Investment, told Minivan News that a “robust development plan” was being put in place for local surfers, adding that discussions were already under way with surf authorities – including the MSA – over the issue.

Earlier this week, the MNDF confirmed to Minivan News that it would be leasing Thanburudhoo to a third-party that would develop the site as a surf resort. The island is currently used by officers for training and recreational purposes.

The country’s military authorities this month registered the MNDF Welfare Company in a bid to generate income to fund welfare services for the armed forces by investing in various businesses, including the tourism sector.

With an ACC investigation set to be tabled in the coming days, the development proposal was slammed by Rifaee, who claimed that the waters around the island were a unique experience for local and international surfers alike. He added that the waters housed two world class waves that had been used for generations to allow local surfers to hone their skills – no matter their levels of experience.

“We have been surfing these waves for a long time, they are one of the best training grounds for local surfers,” Rifaee said. “Outside the local community, it is little known by the wider Maldivian people about what a loss this would be to the country. I would say it was equivalent in England to selling off Wembley stadium to a foreign company.”

Former government proposal

In a proposal said to have been discussed last year between the government of former President Mohamed Nasheed, then senior MNDF figures, and Telos Investment, Thanburudhoo was to be leased for an initial 50 year period for development as a “boutique surf resort” to secure US$5 million in funding for an MNDF training facility.

The resort development plan was initially submitted by Telos Investment President Dr Gunnar Lee-Miller, who is said in the proposal to have experience “serving the Ministry of Human Resource, Youth & Sport, the Maldivian Olympic Committee, and several associations in a sports development capacity.”

MNDF spokesperson Lieutenant Abdulla Ali said this week that the concept of development of its training island as a tourist resort was approved by the former government in 2010, but that work had stalled “for various reasons”.

“However, we have started that process again, and the discussions are continuing,” Lieutenant Ali said.

No agreement at the time was reached on the proposals, which included a clause to allow local Maldivians “in good standing” with the MSA to have access to the waves around the resort twice a month, on every other Friday and Saturday.

While accepting that even limited access to local surf points was a less restrictive policy compared to other resorts in the country, Rifaee said even allowing access twice a month would be a major setback for national surfing.

“By allowing us to surf only on Saturday or Friday morning , when the waves are not always going to be there, this might not be too helpful,” he said. “It’s not just local surf spots that would be affected by such a proposal either. I’ve been told that there are one or two top dive spots in the waters. However, any resort development would need reclaimed land and a harbour, which will endanger these spots.”

Rifaee contended that while the MSA had yet to take a formal stance to oppose the resort development, discussions were ongoing over how to proceed.

“We are going to protest this if we have to. It’s part of our culture and has been for many years. Even my grandfather used to surf.”

Responding to the claims, Telos Investment told Minivan News that it would be issuing a statement soon regarding the project and the potential impacts on national surf development.

“To be sure, there is a robust surf development plan for local surfers and fruitful discussions with Maldivian Surf Association Leaders have already commenced,” Dr Lee-Miller responded by SMS at time of press. “We care greatly about the development of Maldivian surfers both in Male’ and the outer atolls.”

Minivan News was awaiting a full statement from Telos Investment at time of press.

Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Ahmed Adheeb was not responding.

Proposal

In a proposal submitted in July 2011 by Telos Investment and senior Ministry of Defence figures, Telos Investment would pay US$5 million dollars for a 50 year master lease for Thanburudhoo to develop a surf property for tourists. The money would be used to fund the development of a ‘Leadership and Management Centre for Excellence’ at the MNDF’s Girifushi facility.

The proposal stated that Thanburudhoo had originally been given to the MNDF to carry out combat training exercises – a purpose that it could no longer maintain due to the number of surrounding resorts.

“So rather than letting an under-utilised island continue, MNDF believes that Thanburudhoo can be utilised to give a new lease and life and strong future to Girifushi and the emerging leadership of MNDF and the country,” the proposal stated.

The proposal was not an attempt by the MNDF to enter the tourism market, collect a yearly lease from an island, or form a joint venture with a foreign investor.

Former Economic Development Minister Mahmoud Razee, who was acknowledged in the same proposal as having provided “constructive counsel” to Telos Invesment and senior MNDF officials, confirmed to Minivan News that discussions over the proposal had taken place. However no agreement was reached with the Nasheed government, Razee said.

Razee claimed the decision to not move ahead with the proposal was “partly due to timing”, but also concern over providing access to the surfing areas around the island for “young people”.

The government of the time had checked the offer in line with its wider Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme and found it comparable to other privatisation projects, Razee said.

“However, what we didn’t do was make the project a joint venture with the MNDF,” Razee added.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Nominations open for Special Achievement award

Nominations for this year’s National Award for Special Achievement opened today and will close at 3:00pm on September 20.

The award is given by the President in recognition of those who achieve distinction for the country. Details of the award were provided during a press conference at the President’s Office today.

The awards’ technical committee comprises of Dr Hassan Hameed, Dr Abdul Muhsin Mohamed, Dr Ibrahim Zakariyya Moosa, Aminath Reena and Hussain Amir.

Nomination forms are available via the President’s Office website or can be collected in person during office hours.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

President to meet public on Eid

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan will meet with members of the public at Muleeage on the morning of Eid-Ul-Fitr day.

The President’s Office website has announced that all members of the public are welcome as well as foreigners from diplomatic missions and international organisations.

Specific invitation is not required for attendance at the event which will be between 9:30am and 10:30am on Sunday.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

MDP to hold mass rally ahead of CNI report, but will “accept findings”

The steering committee of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has decided to stage a mass rally before the publication of the Commission of National Inquiry’s (CNI) report, but has also committed to accepting the commission’s conclusion should it find there was no illegal activity involved in the ousting of former President Mohamed Nasheed on February 7.

A successful resolution proposed that should the CNI conclude February’s transfer of power was illegal, former members of the government should be reinstated, early elections scheduled, and legal proceedings initiated against those implicated.

However, should the CNI conclude that there was no coup in February, the steering committee decided it would wait for constitutionally scheduled presidential elections in 2013.

Deputy Leader of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Umar Naseer has responded to the MDP’s “amusing” proposals by stating his party’s intention to take the matter to the Supreme Court should the CNI’s findings indict the current government.

Local paper Haveeru reported on August 2 that Naseer, after refusing to testify a second time before the CNI, had argued the reconstituted commission represented an attempt by “foreigners to enter into the country’s internal affairs through the backdoor”.

Following his own statement to the committee last month, the interim leader of the PPM and former President Maumoon Adbul Gayoom told the press that he would not accept that the ousting of Nasheed amounted to a coup, regardless of the CNI’s findings.

Current President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan, during an interview with the BBC in June, stated his belief that he would not feel compelled to resign if he was found to have played no role in any alleged coup.

“If [the commission] find out that I had a role in bringing about a coup, then I would definitely resign,” he said. “But if I have no role – if somebody else has done it – it doesn’t mean I have to resign, according to the law of the Maldives.”

In the interview, Waheed argued that premature elections would be far more harmful to the country than his continuing presence in the President’s Office.

The CNI, originally created in February by presidential decree to investigate the events leading up to and including Nasheed’s resignation, was reconstituted in June following concerns, both domestic and international, that the committee lacked independence and impartiality.

The revised commission includes the addition of a Nasheed nominee as well as a retired Singaporean judge as co-chair.

Calm before the storm?

Last week, the MDP announced its decision to suspend its ‘direct action’ protests for the remainder of the Ramazan period in order to foster an atmosphere in which inter-party dialogue might progress.

Prior to this, the party had intensified its anti-government campaign during July, spending consecutive nights demonstrating on Chaandanhee Magu near the political and military headquarters of the capital, Male’.

The concurrent raising of tension in Male’ brought clashes between police and protesters. Injuries on both sides of the barricades brought claim and counter claim of police brutality and violent protests.

High-level parliament-initiated talks were scheduled to take place yesterday morning but appeared to stall after a number of senior party figures failed to attend.

There was apparent confusion regarding the aims of yesterday’s meetings. Jumhoree Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim told local media that the meeting was “meaningless” unless the issue of resuming Majlis sittings was discussed.

The Majlis has not met since the end of July following Speaker Abdulla Shahid’s decision to suspend sittings owing to escalating tensions in the house.

Alternatively, the MDP’s representative at the meeting left the President’s Office yesterday speaking of early elections and the course of action to be taken after the CNI report’s publication.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Eight islands experiencing water shortages

Emergency Operations Manager of National Disaster Management Centre, Mohamed Didi, has told Haveeru that eight islands in the country were currently experiencing water shortages.

Didi said that relief efforts were underway to provide drinking water to the islands from within their atolls although emergency reserve funds been severely depleted during the North East Monsoon season.

“MVR 4 million from the emergency relief fund for water shortages has almost been used up. Hence Finance ministry approval is required to spend over the allocated funds,” said Didi.

“A request will be sent tomorrow. There has been no water shortage during the South-West Monsoon within the last four years,” he said.

Surface fresh water is generally lacking in the Maldives due to increasingly variable rainfall patterns induced by climatic change and the management of saline groundwater.

Groundwater was previously used for drinking, however, following the 2004 tsunami, underground wells in most islands are contaminated by sewage, waste and salt-water.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Illegal, wasteful expenditure flagged in Home Ministry’s audit report

Several instances of illegal and wasteful expenditure were flagged in the audit report of the Ministry of Home Affairs for 2010, made public on Tuesday, including MVR 800,000 (US$51,880) paid to two political appointees who did not attend the ministry.

The audit discovered that two state ministers were paid salaries and benefits from January to December 2010 while one was working at the Presidential Commission and the other at the Maldives Customs Service.

“Although the two posts were created for the Ministry of Home Affairs, as the ministry did not receive any service from the two appointees, this office believes that the President’s Office’s creation of the two posts cannot be considered for the need of the ministry,” the report (Dhivehi) stated, contending that the appointments were in violation of budgetary rules and procedures.

The two political appointees referred to in the report were Sheikh Hussein Rasheed Ahmed, a member of the Presidential Commission and former head of the Adhaalath Party, and Mohamed Aswan, former principal collector of customs.

Among other cases ostensibly in violation of the Public Finance Act and regulations under the law, the Auditor General’s Office noted that none of the construction projects for island and atoll offices as well as regional fire service buildings begun in 2008 were completed on schedule.

According to a status report on the projects prepared in June 2010, while none of the 14 projects were completed on time, the ministry did not seek over MVR6.5 million (US$421,540) in damages for the delays as stipulated in the contracts for 13 of the projects.

The report also found that the Home Ministry failed to include a clause for damages for delays as required by financial regulations in contracts worth MVR1.1 million (US$71,335) and MVR68,500 (US$4,442) respectively to set up partitions and a reception counter in the office.

Consequently, the ministry incurred a loss of MVR189,225 (US$12,271) that it was unable to claim as damages for delays of 51 days and 19 days respectively.

Moreover, as a result of hiring an engineering firm for a monthly pay of MVR4,500 (US$291) for inspection and management of office buildings begun in 2008 by the now-defunct Ministry of Atolls Development, the ministry had to pay over MVR1 million (US$64,850) as a consultancy fee due to delays in completing the inspection work.

The audit also found that four employees of the Parole Unit at the ministry transferred to the Department of Penitentiary and Rehabilitation Services (DPRS) in September 2010 by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) were paid salaries out of the ministry’s budget from September to December 2010 as the DPRS did not have space for the four transferred staff.

In another case highlighted in the report, the ministry paid an owner of an uninhabited island (Haa Alif Dhapparu) MVR5,310 (US$344) in excess of the compensation stipulated in the agreement when the island’s ownership was transferred to the Ministry of Housing and Environment. The island had been under the care of the Home Ministry before it was designated an uninhabited island on August 9, 2010.

The audit report noted that the ministry’s registry of property and assets were not properly maintained in accordance with section 7 of the financial regulations. While some purchases were not entered into the registry, assets transferred from other ministries were similarly unregistered.

As a result of not requiring employees to sign for use of ministry’s mobile phones and laptops, the report noted, six laptops were lost in 2010 while “no employee was held responsible for the losses”.

Lastly, the report found that financial records of monies collected by the ministry were not properly kept. A registry of cash collected was not maintained and receipts were not entered into the daily ledger, leading to discrepancies in the accounts.

Province Offices

The audit of the former Upper North Province Office meanwhile discovered that political appointees paid a living allowances were using government accommodation in Haa Dhaal Kulhudhufushi free of charge. Consequently, the electricity bill for the province office’s accommodation block amounted to MVR105,812 (US$6,861) in 2010.

Moreover, as of July 2011, the electricity bill for the block reached MVR126,022 (US$8,172).

The audit also found that the province office paid MVR156,133 (US$10,125) as docking fees to the Kulhudhufushi Regional Port for an accommodation barge used by Boskalis International, which was contracted by the government to reclaim land in the island.

As the funds were not included in the province office budget and the land reclamation project not carried out through the office, the audit concluded that the expense was in violation of financial regulations.

The report also flagged the hiring of a project consultant for a monthly pay of MVR10,000 (US$648) who had not submitted education certificates. While the province office had claimed that the other candidates did not show up for the interview, the Auditor General’s Office learned that interviews were conducted.

The consultant was appointed a state minister before the contract period expired, the report noted, suggesting that “the announcement for the post was made directly to hire that person.”

Moreover, the audit found that political appointees at the province office did not submit reports of trips out of the island as required by regulations. However, attendance records showed that the staff in question were said to be out of the island on office business.

Meanwhile, the audit of the South Province Office discovered that an individual hired in January 2010 to draw up a strategic development paper in three months was paid a total of MVR154,000 (US$9,987) after illegally extending the contract period beyond the agreed upon three months.

As of July 2010, the audit found, there was no record that the report was ever submitted.

The audit also found that the province office paid for the expenses of a state minister in Male’ for 49 days while there was no record to show any official business conducted during the stay.

Moreover, the expenses for food and accommodation of the south province state minister were significantly higher than the approved rate for government employees.

On July 15, 2010, the audit found, a state minister arranged a dinner worth MVR10,788 (US$699) for 24 people at the Villigilli Resort and Spa while there was no documentation sent from province office to the resort.

“Moreover, while the expenses form was not properly filled, both the form and the approval for the payment voucher were signed by the state minister,” the report stated.

The province office also spent MVR5,088 (US$329) a day for a Defence Minister’s stay at the Villigilli Resort from July 25 to 27, 2010, while there was no documentation at the office explaining the purpose or nature of the trip. Invoiced for the expenses, the Defence Ministry claimed it was not an official visit.

The audit discovered that the province office spent a total of MVR27,580 (US$1,788) to mark the India-Maldives Friendship Week in Addu City while the funds were not included in the office budget and the expenses were not approved by the Finance Ministry.

In the wake of the revelations of the audit, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Chair Hassan Luthfy told local media today that the commission would discuss the Home Ministry’s audit report at its meeting tomorrow and identify cases to investigate.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

MDP files corruption case in ACC over delay in HRCM report

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has filed a case in Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) alleging corruption involved in Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM)’s delay in releasing its findings concerning a police crackdown on protesters on February 8.

In a press statement released (Dhivehi) yesterday, the MDP alleged that HRCM was “deliberately delaying” the release of its findings for “political interests”, despite stating in local media that it had completed the investigation process.

“Human Rights Commission of the Maldives has stated in the media that they have finished compiling the report following their investigation into the violent police crackdown on protesters on February 8, after the toppling of the legitimate government by a coup d’état,” the party said.

“This party condemns the commission’s delay in releasing the report, which we believe is because of  political interests,” read the statement.

The MDP alleged that the actions of HRCM were in violation of the regulation on right to information, and claimed that despite the commission’s statement to local media stating that it had released the report, it was not publicised anywhere.

“When [we] requested a copy of the report, the commission responded saying that a copy of report would only be made available after the commission decided on the matter during a meeting held on Wednesday, August 15, and said that they had sent the report to MDP office. But as of now, no such report has been received,” read the statement.

The MDP in the press statement said that these actions suggested that “members of the commission are involved in corruption – the use of power and authority for the benefit of certain parties”, and that therefore MP Ibrahim Rasheed would submit the case to the ACC on behalf of the party.

The MDP also called on the commission to immediately release its report to the public without delay.

HRCM response

Following MDP’s statement, the HRCM released a counter statement explaining the procedures it follows after releasing a report.

“This commission acts in accordance with the stipulations of article 24(c) and 24(d) of the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives Act.  Therefore, it includes issuing of the investigation report to the party that filed the case, and we also share a copy with those that we feel are responsible and the authorities,” read the statement.

Article 24 of the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives Act (Act no. 6/2006) dictates the procedures which the commission has to follow after completing its investigations.

Article 24(c) states: “The commission should present a report of the investigation to the party that filed the case to the commission and to those which the commission believes should take responsibility.”

Article 24(d) states: “The commission should present its investigation report to the relevant authorities, and must advise them on way to which issues concerned in the report be not repeated again.”

HRCM in the statement said that the publicising of an investigation report would be decided after meeting held by the members.

The commission also claimed that the investigation into  the events that took place on February 8 was “not an investigation that was initiated following a case filed to the commission” but rather a “self-initiated investigation”.

The commission also claimed that the report had been sent to concerned parties on May 28, and had also shared “necessary information” with the public during a press conference on July 18.

Minivan News understands that the report has been submitted to the government, but has not been otherwise circulated.

February 8

On February 8, thousands of protesters who took to the street in peaceful protest following the controversial toppling of former President Mohamed Nasheed were met by a violent crackdown by police.

The political chaos was triggered after Nasheed rallied MDP supporters, declaring that his resignation had been under duress, and called for the freshly-appointed President Mohamed Waheed Hassan to step down and call for elections.

“Yes, I was forced to resign at gunpoint,” Nasheed told foreign reporters after the rally. “There were guns all around me and they told me they wouldn’t hesitate to use them if I didn’t resign.”

Nasheed’s supporters then clashed with police and military forces near Republic Square, and were repeatedly tear gassed by the police. Dramatic footage of the crackdown has been shared on social media. More videos uploaded showed police kicking and beating protesters on the ground.

A Minivan News reporter was injured following what he described as a baton charge by former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s ‘Star Force’ officers.

“They were beating old women with batons,” he said. “It was just like the old days.”

Police also confirmed at the time that there had been injuries to protesters.

HRCM investigation

The HRCM condemned the police brutality against civilian demonstrators.

“We highlight the fact that a lot of civilians and police officers have inflicted injuries of varying degrees during the demonstrations organised by the MDP, which became a confrontation between police and protesters,” a statement read at the time. “With regards to the demonstration, this commission is in the process of investigating the matters under its mandate.”

Addressing police forces and the public, the commission requested both parties to safely support the rights guaranteed in Article 32 of the constitution, which provides for the freedom of assembly.

“We advise the police to maintain their actions to standards that would not lose the public trust on the police service and we call the public to support and assist the police in executing their duties,” read the statement.

On May 29, HRCM stated that it had completed the investigation of the event and stated that its findings were sent to the authorities including the Prosecutor General’s office and parliament.

HRCM member Jeehan Mahmoud at the time said all but one of its investigations into the government changeover in February, and the events that led up to it, had now been completed.

One more report into the alleged human rights abuses conducted by police on the day of February 7 was left to be completed, she added.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Police forwards Aruham’s murder case to Prosecutor General

Police have concluded the investigation into the death of 16 year-old Mohamed Aruham, who was found dead inside ‘Lorenzo Park’ on May 30, and have forwarded the case to the Prosecutor General’s Office to press charges against six suspects arrested in connection with the case.

The police identified the six suspects as Mohamed Sufyan, 19 of Gahdhoo in Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll, Mohamed Visaam, 19, of Maavah in Laamu Atoll, Mnsoor Yousuf, 23 of the same island, Athif Rasheed, 21 of Mahchangolhi Scenery View, Hussain Aleem, 28 of Galolhu Dhaashthaan and Ali Mifrah Ahmed of Mahchangolhi Kanbalifaru.

According to police, all suspects except Ali Mifrah Ahmed have previous criminal records.

Aruham’s body was discovered inside Lorenzo Park at about 6:00am by police officers patrolling the area on March 30.

Local newspaper Haveeru quoted a witness who saw the body as saying that Aruham appeared to have been stabbed twice in the chest, and that his whole body was covered in blood.

Deputy Head of Police Serious and Organised Crime, Dhaudh Mohamed, previously told the press that Arham was killed in a revenge attack in an argument that night between two rival gangs.

Dhaudh said that the police investigation had found that Aruham had a close relationship with the gang, who were based in the park in which he was found dead.

Friends of Aruham’s have said that he was in the park that night after all his friends left because he was too tired to go home, as he had just finished attending a camp that day.

Aruham did not leave the park with his friends and may have fallen asleep in the park alone and been attacked while he was asleep, according to some of Aruham’s friends.

The victim was a student at grade 9 in Dharmavantha School when he died.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Waheed to address Organisation of Islamic Cooperation

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan is to address the fourth extraordinary session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Mecca.

The session, which began on Tuesday night, will focus on the situation in Syria, issues faced by people in Palestine, the problems confronting the Muslim community in Burma, and the situation in Mali.

Before departing from Male’ on Sunday Waheed also stated his intention to secure funds for the Ministry of Islamic Affairs’ mosque fund.

Local media last week reported an Algerian businessman as having donated MVR3.1 ($US200,000) to the fund.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)