The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has ordered Thilafushi Corporation Limited (TCL) to halt the dredging of Thilafushi lagoon, because of issues that “could lead” to corruption in its contract with Heavy Load Maldives.
ACC Commissioner Hassan Luthfee told newspaper Haveeru that details of an investigation into TCL’s selection of Heavy Load for the 130 hectare dredging project would be released tomorrow.
Heavy Load was awarded the US$21 million project on September 30 last year, and inaugurated the project on February 4.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also expressed concern over the project, which it claimed had “started work” prior to being issued an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
The EPA’s Director of Environmental Protection and Research, Ibrahim Naeem, confirmed to Minivan News that a license was granted to Heavy Load on Feburary 10, while work started on the Feburary 4th.
He could not clarify if this meant the company had begun actually dredging prior to being issued the license.
“Dredging has a large impact on the environment, which is why licenses are issued to ensure mitigation measures are in place,” he explained.
Heavy Load is a family business interest of ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik, the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s parliamentary group leader.
Speaking from Colombo, Moosa told Minivan News that Heavy Load had spent 2-3 months mobilising resources for the project. The February 4 inugration attended by President Mohamed Nasheed was symbolic, and did not necessarily mean the company had started dredging work, he said.
As for the ACC’s allegations it was, he said, “not a coincidence” that the announcement had been made a day after allegations broke in the Indian press that People’s Alliance (PA) leader Abdulla Yameen – also former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s half-brother – sold blackmarket oil to the Burmese miliary junta.
“There is a part of the ACC that is not free and fair,” Moosa said, alleging that the commission was subject to misuse for political purposes.
“PA’s Deputy Leader [Ahmed] Nazim is very close with one of the commission members, [Abdulla] Hilmy, which needs closer investigation,” Moosa said.
“I am a strong part of this government and I think this is a political trick. I haven’t even been into the Heavy Load office in one and a half months because of my campaigning [in the local council elections]. It is run by my family, my children.
“I had shipping company in 1981 when [former President] Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and his brother-in-law took me to prison and destroyed my business and my life. I spent four years in prison and they have not answered for this,” Moosa contended, questioning why the ACC was not investigating audit reports concerning prominent ministers in the former administration.
Moosa further claimed that Heavy Load had already deployed dredger for the work and was unlikely to halt on the ACC’s orders – “they have to go to the court and provide evidence of corruption,” he said.
In late January the ACC ordered a halt on another government contract, between the Department of Immigration and Malaysian mobile security firm Nexbis, claiming that there were instances where corruption may have occurred.
Facing political pressure ahead of the local council elections, President Mohamed Nasheed upheld the ACC’s request that the roll-out of the technology be postponed.
Nexbis responded that it would be taking legal action against parties in the Maldives, claiming that speculation over corruption was “politically motivated” in nature and had “wrought irreparable damage to Nexbis’ reputation and brand name.”
Moosa told Minivan News that it was unlikely the Heavy Load project would be similarly held: “We are not a foreign company,” he said.
The dredging is part of TCL’s development of a new port catering to 15,000 ton cargo ships and container terminal, on 3.8 million square foot of land. The project is partly intended to free up land currently occupied by the port in Male’, one of the most densely populated cities in the world at over 100,000 people per square kilometre.
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If anything is against you everything would be a gas.
You are corrupt. You give a bad name to what Anni is doing. You will defame all efforts of the President.
Get out while you can.
ACC had learn from Immigration Border Control system which Deputy State Minister Adam Naseer and IT Head Green Waheed teach ACC board members out to stop project of there is no corruption by failing the technical bid..
In my considerate i think now ACC is very important commission to be in Tender Board since there main aim is now technical rather than corruption.
All the blames must goes to MDP Deputy State Minister Adam Naseer.
One victory for real reformers in MDP too! Shame on you Reeko! There are more funny characters like him..
if anything that would benefit the public is undertaken, there are people who would do anything to stop it. Its is very sad but a true fact in maldives politics now. Not a though it given to the public interest. Im sure and pray, god punish those guilty in destroying this nation.
bravo ACC , Reekoa is corrupt . better ger rid of him
Musa busted hahaha
Lets make a petition to reform MDP first we need to clean MDP by get rid of these scum bags like Raako Moosa, Janaazaa Shaheed, and Raako Zaki
Moosa, can you please pay the loan you took from Caterpillar Financial Services Asia Pte Ltd. You have tried to con them many times by entering into a settlement agreement which led them to withdraw their case against you from the Civil Court. Now again the case had been filed against you to recover the money. You are a dharani boa dho!!
You are as corrupt as Gayyoom, Yameen
Please investigate how Haeavy Load alias Reeko got the contract? Would like to know the story. There is a common thought that all such projects are being given to Reeko. There are many ways to cover corruption but that can be cleared if the processes are investigated carefully.
This man reeko is one of the many in MDP govt who is corrupt to the core. I dont know why Anni is keeping these ppl at the top. They are ruining Anni's reputation and our hopes of getting this country clean. thaahiru dhiri ulhumeh aharumenakah nulibeyne with these corrupt ppl.
Well Mr Reeko, I would like to ask how did you get this bid in the first place, wasnt that also politically motivated. This seems a corrupt favor from MDP Govt for your roar.
How about taking actions for those who are involved in corruption instead of shut down all the project works. I think we all know there will be millions of dollars which could be greater than the amount of corruption that ACC claim which could incur to re-list the project again.
There are very corrupt people in the Thilafushi Corp board. These guys have been in ACC for questioning for more than 3 months now.
One board member was offered $ 3 million to be shared within the board members if heavy load got the project. I don’t know how it went in the end.
Dear President Nasheed.
Please get rid of these corrupt people in your govt before you end up being another Gayoom. This is your moment. Dont let the scounerels take you hostage. Dont let these crooks take you hostage. Take control. Learn from history. People like Reeko, Zaki, Kerafa Naseem, Sato know the game very well. They manipulated Gayoom to get their way. They are doing the sam to you.
Dear sir. We trust that you will root out all these things from this country. We voted u to the top job to do just that. We dont want anything else from you.
It is time we reform Anti-corruption commission as it is making Government bankrupt rather than assist in saving. The decision for ACC to wait 4 months to issue this order shows their intention to destroy some individuals. Their timing is extremely questionable. Mr.Luthufy was well backed by DRP/PA and it is the payback time for him and he can't be independent. Now who is going to investigate ACC?
It seems that all Maldivians gets corrupt once they hold on to power. Law is a toy when they come to power.
Investing in business opportunities is going to be very risky in near future in Maldives as a result of ACC blocking the projects even though it is commenced. We need to understand the business point of view before making any decisions. One of the example is Nexbiz business group which is an international company who lost their share value in the market as a result of such a report. We all need to understand if things are going on like this Maldivian business market will have to scarifies and our economy will suffer. ACC have to plan some other way of having a corruption free economy. Not just destroying the market.
@Cow ACC will not block anything if it goes according to proper transparent process. Corruption has to be stop by any means, otherwise we will sea always Heavy Load, Mega Maldives,and GMR Maldives, MDP. This country is not a heritage of only these people. ACC needs to stop all these bastards of their corruptions.
@ Ekaloa
I totally agree with you
There is a rumor that each board member of Thilafushi Corp got $400,000 from heavy load.
@Ekaloa. Do you know corruption is a symptom of this monetary system. Just like if you had a flue temperature change. You can't make a corruption free market but you can minimize it to certain level. It will be much much better if ACC can stop such a think before such a huge investment start. and i think Ekalo also knows about international investment policies and procedures regarding these kind of heavy projects. If we try to fit it in every hall we see we will never see a turning point. Better be a business man. LOL
I support MDP's policies. But MDP does have some ppl they need to get rid of.
1 Reeko Moosa
2 Hussain Zaki
these are the biggest two that comes to my mind.
Reeko moosa is an ass licker of rich ppl. He will know this is true.
@ cow - "better be a business man" what a joke.
The biggest businessmen under Gayoom were Yameen, Ilyas, J.Nazim, makun Sato, Husen Manik D. Manik, STO Manik, Maattey, Ibrahim H Zaki, Kerafa Naseem and others..
The biggest businessmen list under Anni looks like this: Reeko Moosa, I.H. Zaki, Maria aka. makun Sato, Nazaki Zaki, Kerafa Naseem, Babukeyo Javeedh, Sahudy anwaru, Kuda Bandhey...list goes on.
businessman. ha ha...very cute.
MR. President, I repeat. Please stop this robbery. Take immediate action. You are becoming so much like Gayoom before u even realize it! Sir, act fast.
AS SOMEONE SAID IN A COMMENT YESTERDAY YAMEEN AND HIS COWBOYS WERE THE CROOKS..AND A NEW BREED OF CROOKS ARE ALSO BORN OUT OF REEKO AND THE LIKES TOO! AMAZINGLY HISTORY REPEATS WITH NEW FACES..AND SAME OLD STORY!
It seems to me that Reeko Mossa is above the law now. We understand that he was a very active and a vocal activist, but he should not demand a paycheck for his participation in the activities that led to the downfall of the dictator Gayoom. Like many others, I was also involved in all those protests and other activities of MDP.This doesn't mean we all have to be paid back. We did this for our freedom and to bring justice to this nation and we got what we fought for. The credit goes to all who participated, not only for Reeko Moosa and Maria. Yes! They took the leader ship and intiated the movement and were perhaps more vocal than others. But they should not be selfish and take advantage of the situation and demand a paycheck from this government. Reeko Moosa voted in favour of the last bill that gives them unlimited priviliges. This shows that these people are not honest ambassedors of MDP. They have their own selfish agenda. As a member of MDP, I urge Presidien Nashid to take strong action against these selfish elements of MDP before the party lose its credibility.
Yameen is rip off us by not doing any work.Reeko is reclaiming an island at the rate of market value and which has the capacity to recover all the money invested. So there is a huge difference between this two political figures. The former rob us in broad day light and the other let our life become better. Don't just think from either blue or yellow mind.
"There is a rumor that each board member of Thilafushi Corp got $400,000 from heavy load."
There is a rumour that a cow was found on the moon! You cannot stop or order to stop a legal contract on the basis of rumours, heresay etc.
If the ACC has a case, then take it to Court and let the judges decide on the guilt of the parties involved. ACC is an investigative authority; it doesn't have the power to determine whether someone is guilty or not! In the eye of the law, you're innocent until proven guilty.
It is not a coincidence that the ACC acted the day after the $800 million oil dealings of Gayyoom and Yameen came out in "The Weekly" Indian magazine. This is a "message" from former regime die hards, saying, "You can't touch us".
The former Auditor General was dismissed on the basis that he bought a tie using his Corporate Card, even though he reimbursed the purchase.
We have Yaameen confessing that he used STO funds to pay for his children's schooling in Singapore. Sure he paid for it; nevertheless he was abusing his position of power. No one else employed by STO or us ordinary citizens have the means to use STO funds to avoid foreign currency charges!
Anni is the most corrupt leader the country has seen.
@ good MDP man ....bravo for ur comment
I fully support the ACC when they do their job professionally. I hope they have done a through, professional job in this case.
The above information is incorrect. on 4th feb, it was the inaugural ceremony where the dredger was switched on symbolically to pump water, not dredge sand and reclaim.
secondly ACC did not order to halt, it ordered to rebid, which is an order only a court can give to a corporation, not a commission such as ACC.