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Tourism minister dismisses rumors of new VP appointment

The tourism minister Ahmed Adeeb has dismissed rumours he may be appointed as the new vice president. “All rumours, I have no interest at this stage,” he told Minivan News.

Local daily Haveeru reported yesterday that a constitutional amendment, proposing an age limit of 30-65 years for the president and vice president, was aimed at making Adeeb eligible for the position.

Adeeb is now 33. The Constitution says the president and vice president must be over 35 years of age.

The amendment was proposed by MP Mohamed Ismail of the ruling coalition partner Maldives Development Alliance (MDA).

Haveeru suggested ruling coalition MPs might also amend the Constitution to authorise the president to appoint or dismiss his deputy.

The relationship between president Abdulla Yameen and vice president Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed is reportedly under strain. Dr Jameel was very active during the presidential campaign, but is rarely seen in public now.

His cousin, Mohamed Maleeh Jamal, was dismissed from the cabinet on Thursday. The government did not provide a reason for the dismissal.

Ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives’ (PPM) parliamentary group leader Ahmed Nihan told Minivan News that MPs will hold discussions before backing MP Ismail’s constitutional amendment.

A two-third majority or 63 votes of the 85 member house is required to amend the constitution.

The PPM and MDA control some 48 seats and will need the backing of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) or Jumhooree Party (JP) to approve the amendment.

In December, MP Ismail had proposed capping the age limit for the presidency at 65 years of age, but withdrew the bill in March.

At the time, local media said the proposal was aimed at barring JP leader Gasim Ibrahim from contesting the 2018 presidential elections. Gasim would be 66 in 2018.

Ismail said he had withdrawn the amendment on the request on the ruling party’s leaders.

The move came after Gasim met with the tourism tycoon Mohamed ‘Uchchu’ Moosa and the tourism minister during the trial of ex-president Mohamed Nasheed.

Gasim’s JP in January split from the ruling coalition and allied with Nasheed’s MDP and launched daily protests against what it called government authoritarianism.

Nasheed was jailed for 13 years on terrorism charges on March 13.

The government in April froze the accounts of several subsidiary companies of Gasim’s Villa Group over a US$90.4 million fine, which the company insists is illegal.

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Chamber of commerce vice president slams ‘old-fashioned’ officials

The “old-fashioned” or “outdated” mentality of senior officials at state institutions poses difficulties in introducing new sports for Maldivian youth, chamber of commerce vice president Mohamed Asif has said.

At a ceremony to open a biannual street market, Asif said that previous efforts to reintroduce new sports were thwarted, reported CNM. 

Yesterday’s ceremony featured a display of paramotor or powered paraglider flights for the first time in the Maldives.

Asif said the chamber plans to bring foreign pilots to introduce paramotoring as a sport to Maldivian youth.

The paramotor consists of a small motor driving a propeller, which is worn like a backpack.

Asif came under fire recently over a video filmed at the national art gallery depicting Austrian models with body paint. The video was filmed in March by Austrian company WB Productions as part of an installation art project on violence against women, who were invited by Asif on behalf Maldivian National Chamber of Commerce and Industries (MNCCI).

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Malé city councillor dismissed from PPM council over photo with ex-defence minister

The Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has dismissed Malé city councillor Zaidhul Ameen from the ruling  party’s council, reportedly over a photo with convicted former defence minister Mohamed Nazim.

A photograph of Zaidhul Ameen with Nazim and his family in Singapore circulated on social media today. PPM’s deputy secretary general Abdul Aleem is also in the photo.

Nazim was convicted of weapons smuggling charges in March sentenced to 11 years in prison.

The photo was taken while Nazim was in Singapore for medical treatment. The retired colonel returned this week after more than a month in Singapore.

PPM spokesperson MP Ali Arif said Ameen was removed from the party’s council because of a disciplinary issue.

“As far as I know he had two cases against him in the disciplinary committee. The committee investigated the case and decided to expel him,” he said.

Ameen declined to comment on the issue, but said he will release a statement later.

Media reports suggested that he was expelled for “taking a photograph with a man who tried to assassinate the president”.

The police claimed that documents found in a pen drive in Nazim’s apartment contained plans to assassinate President Abdulla Yameen, tourism minister Ahmed Adeeb, and police chief Hussain Waheed. Nazim has maintained that the weapon and pen drive were planted by police on Adeeb’s orders.

PPM’s deputy secretary general Aleem is also reportedly under investigation by the disciplinary committee, which has yet to determine a penalty.

In March, a solder was demoted after he wrote, “We are with you, Nazim sir,” on his Facebook page.

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MDP denounces ‘arbitrary arrest’ of senior party official

The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has raised concern over what they called the “arbitrary arrest” of its deputy secretary general yesterday.

Speaking at a press conference this morning, Anas Abdul Sattar said police officers approached him at the waiting room in the ADK hospital in Malé at 3pm while he was waiting with his wife for a doctor’s consultation.

He was told to come with the officers to the police headquarters to clarify information.

Police officers did not have a court warrant, he said.

When Anas’ wife’s consultation with the doctor was completed, police officers did not allow Anas to take her home, but “forced” him to go to the headquarters in a police vehicle, he said.

At the headquarters, police officers told him he was accused of an offence and said they required a statement, but did not provide details on the offence.

Anas then requested for legal counsel.

Police officers later said they had only wanted to meet with some senior officials of the MDP to seek information about the opposition’s ongoing protests over the imprisonment of ex-president Mohamed Nasheed, he said.

The MDP is organising a third mass protest on June 12.

Police have placed several restrictions on opposition protests, including a ban on the use of four-wheeled vehicles without prior permission, since a crackdown on a historic demonstration on May 1.

Anas was released at 5:30pm.

“It is very disappointing when the police are able to take anyone at any time without any attention to the state or circumstances they are in,” he said.

He also raised concern over how the police had found out he was at the ADK hospital

“The police’s actions are very concerning. If they want to question an individual, it should be done through the official channels.”

The police denied today they had taken Anas to the police headquarters against his will. A spokesperson said Anas had come willingly on the police’s request.

However, the MDP vice chairperson Ali Shiyam today called the police’s actions arbitrary.

MDP vice president Mohamed Shifaz said the party has now asked the police to communicate with the party in writing, claiming the police only lecture party officials on democracy at meetings.

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180 waste bins donated by China handed over to HDC

The environment ministry has handed over 180 out of 200 waste bins donated by the Chinese government to the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) for use in Hulhumalé.

Speaking at a ceremony held at the HDC office today, environment minister Thoriq Ibrahim urged residents of Hulhumalé to make use of the bins and keep the beaches and roads of the reclaimed island clean.

The waste bins were handed to HDC under the ministry’s ‘Saafu Raajje’ waste management campaign.

HDC managing director Mohamed Siman said the state-owned company’s goal was to develop Hulhumalé as a “green city.”

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Saudi company studying feasibility of Sharia-compliant resort

Saudia Arabia’s Al Khozoma Management Company is conducting a feasibility study to develop a Sharia-compliant resort in the Maldives.

“It is an Islamic country and fits our philosophy. Also, it’s a preferred destination for Arab and GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] markets, so it makes sense,” the group’s hospitality division vice president Hussein Ali Hatata told Hotelier Middle East.

According to the March 2015 quarterly report by the tourism ministry, tourist arrivals from the Middle East increased by 46.7 percent in the first three months of 2015 compared to the same period last year.

Some 4,120 holidaymakers from the Middle East visited the Maldives this year, representing a market share of 3.7 percent.

In January 2014, the ADK company in association with Turkish hotel giant Caprice Gold announced plans to build the first Islamic resort in the Maldives.

The five-star, 673-room resort was to be built on Shaviyani Atoll Gaakoshibee. However, the two companies reportedly cancelled the agreement late last year.

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Aitken Spence acquires two new resort properties

Aitken Spence Hotels has acquired two new properties in the Maldives for resort development, making the Sri Lankan company the largest foreign resort operator in the country.

According to TTG Asia, Aitken Spence revealed yesterday that it has leased the island of Raafushi in Noonu atoll for US$5 million for the development of a four-star resort.

The company also plans to invest US$50 million to develop a five-star resort with 163 rooms on the island of Aarah in Raa atoll.

The hospitality group also operates resorts in Meedhupparu, Hudhuranfushi, Rannalhi and Vadoo in the Maldives under its Adaaran brand.

Maldives Capital Market Development Authority CEO Ahmed Naseer told Sri Lankan newspaper the Daily Mirror: “We have potential future developments for over 60 islands with about a US$2 billion financing requirement and an airport development with another US $400 million financing requirement.”

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HRCM welcomes talks to resolve political crisis

The human rights watchdog has welcomed the government’s calls for talks with opposition parties to resolve the ongoing political crisis.

In a press statement last night, the Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) urged all political parties to make good use of the opportunity with sincerity and good faith.

The commission said peace and stability are essential for protecting and promoting human rights, urging all parties to work together and to refrain from actions and rhetoric that incites hatred and animosity among the public.

The HRCM also expressed concern with the assault of police officers as well as complaints of police brutality against opposition protesters.

President Abdulla Yameen extended official invitations for separate talks with the three allied opposition parties last week.

However, the government has ruled out negotiations over the release of imprisoned former President Mohamed Nasheed and former defence minister Mohamed Nazim, whose arrest triggered the current political crisis.

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High Court overturns MDP chairperson’s remand extension

The high court has overturned today the criminal court’s ruling to hold the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party’s chairperson in police custody.

Ali Waheed was arrested under a court warrant on May 2 for encouraging violence at a historic anti-government protest on May 1.

The criminal court granted a 15-day remand on May 3 and extended the remand for seven additional days on May 17. The court supported the police’s claim that Waheed posed a danger to society.

But the high court judges noted Waheed had no criminal record, and said the police had not been able to provide sufficient reasons to keep him in custody for longer.

Judges also said the criminal court must consider the individual’s rights when extending remand detention and said long periods of pre-trial detention are prohibited by international law.

Waheed was released on Sunday when the remand period expired.

Adhaalath Party President Sheikh Imran Abdulla and Jumhooree Party council member Sobah Rasheed, arrested on the same charges, remain in police custody.

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