Author: Minivan News

Cabinet takes measures to manage 2013 budget to avoid “enormous challenges” later in the year

The Cabinet is to take austerity measures to manage the MVR 15.3 billion (US$992 million) budget passed in parliament for 2013.

According to the President’s Office website, the cabinet noted that should measures not be put in place to control the budget, the country would face “enormous challenges”.

The cabinet took the decision after discussing a paper submitted by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury. The Ministry of Finance intends to inform government offices of the austerity measures.

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Civil Court rules no need for ACC apology to Nexbis

A ruling passed by Civil Court has stated there is no need to order the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to apologise to Nexbis.

The Malaysia-based mobile security provider claimed that ACC had publicly made defamatory statements regarding the agreement between the company and the immigration department, local media reported.

The case brought forward by Nexbis asked to determine whether statements made by ACC in the media were against the constitution and laws of the state.

Nexbis had also asked for an order to be issued upon ACC to refrain from making statements regarding the agreement until all court cases are settled and to publicly apologise for their actions.

Civil Court ruled it was not proven to the court that the ACC had acted outside the boundaries of the constitution or any laws of the state, local media reported.

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“STEP” program launched for training youth

The Education Ministry in collaboration with the Tourism Ministry, Human Resource Ministry, and partner resorts have launched a training and education program for ‘O’ level graduates, reports local media.

The first three months of training will include an orientation of all resort fields, followed by six months of training in the field of their choice, Deputy Human Resource Minister Abdulla Rifau explained to Haveeru.

An internationally recognised certificate will be granted to students who complete the training program.

Food, accommodations and an allowance will be provided to participants, Education Minister Dr Asim Ahmed said.

Fifteen resorts have signed up for the “STEP” program thus far, he added.

The government plans to expand the program to include construction, agriculture and fisheries sectors, according to local media.

Yesterday, Minivan News spoke with representatives from the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) and the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), who both agree income inequalities are being fueled by vested interests, faulty government policies and a lack of educational training opportunities for youth.

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Police “abruptly” stop providing security for Drug Court

The Maldives Police Service (MPS) has stopped providing security for the Drug Court as of January 20, according to local media.

The court said police had abruptly terminated providing security services without giving a reason for doing so.

Police Media Official Hassan Haneef told local media that police had not stopped providing security for the court, but had rather changed how that security was provided.

“Previously security was provided by placing police officers at the court and now the security is provided by the officers who patrol the city,” Haneef told Sun Online.

The court has taken the issue to Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz Hussain, stating that the current situation is “worrying”.

The Drug Court has repeatedly requested security from police last year before it was eventually provided, reports Sun Online.

State security forces are mandated to provide court security, as stated in Article 95 of the Courts Act.

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Fined container ship permitted to leave

A container ship that ran aground off the east coast of Male’ in early January and was fined MVR 61.6 million for damage to the area’s reef has been permitted to leave after providing a bank guarantee, reports local media.

During an investigation into the incident, the Maldivian Transit Authority prohibited the Auguste Schulte from leaving the country.

The ship’s operator, Silver Company, has said it plans to carry out its own investigation into damage sustained to the reef before paying the fine, transit authority Chair Rasheed Nafiz has previously claimed.

“As keeping the ship here would cause major losses to the company, we have given the green light for the ship to leave after the bank guarantee was given,” Nafiz explained to Haveeru.

Previously, a ship operated by Delmas – the same company local media reported as owning Auguste Schulte – was stranded in the same area for 20 days.

Mohammed Nabeel, Managing Director of Silver Company, told local media that the compensation claim for that previous ship was set at MVR 4.5 million (US$ 291,828), adding that the contrast between the two figures is “remarkable”.

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ACC to investigate two subsidiary companies registered under BML

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had said it will investigate two subsidiary companies registered under Bank of Maldives (BML).

ACC President Hassan Luthfy told local media that BML has been notified to halt operations of both the BML Properties Limited and BML Investment Limited.

Luthfy said the company has at present failed to provide documents on the two subsidiaries that it had requested, local media reported.

“We have been informed of problems related to the two companies through the media, and investigations are under way,” he was quoted as saying.

“Complaints include the issue of the chairman holding shares in the company, and the issue of efforts to manage mortgaged property instead of selling them as ordered by the court. Some people have also complained saying that their mortgages have been sold, and that their cases were not dealt with in the same manner.”

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MMPRC targets Turkish tourism potential at regional travel fair

The Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) last week participated in the 2013 Eastern Mediterranean International Tourism and Travel Fair (EMITT) as part of attempts to boost the destination’s reputation in emerging markets like Turkey.

Some 27 representatives from the country’s tourism industry took part in the event, which ran from January 24 to January 27, according to the MMPRC.

Despite having attended the show on numerous occasions before, the promotion board stated that huge growth potential was anticipated in the number of tourists from Turkey coming to the country – particularly with Turkish Airlines recently commencing five weekly services between Istanbul and Male’.

Citing official Tourism Ministry figures, the MMPRC said that 5,416 visitors from Turkey arrived in the Maldives during 2012, a 19.2 percent when compared to the same period the previous year

In December 2012 alone, the official figures indicated 802 Turkish nationals had travelled to the country, a 188.5 percent boost over the same period in 2011. Despite this growth, Turkey was found to account for 0.6 percent of the country’s tourism market in 2012.

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Foreign Minister admits Maldives’ ties with India weakened after GMR Dispute

Foreign Minister Abdul Samad Abdulla has admitted relations between India and Maldives have deteriorated following the premature cancellation of the GMR airport development contract.

Samad’s comments came after Maldivians were left struggling to obtain Indian visas following a clamp down by Indian authorities, shortly after GMR was ousted from the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport.

Speaking at the parliament’s Government Accountability Committee, Samad was reported by local media as saying that despite official assurances that ties between Maldives and India remained unaffected, “the ground reality is to the contrary”.

“Maldives and India has long existing close ties. But the recent tensions especially the GMR spat has affected the relations even though both sides have not said so officially.

“After these things surfaced we have been anticipating the backlash. I don’t want anything unexpected to come to pass that causes difficulties for Maldivians. We are working in two ways. One is to repair the damage done to the relations and come to a mutual agreement on certain things,” Samad was quoted as saying in local newspaper Haveeru.

State Foreign Minister Hassan Saeed said that during the weekly sit-downs with the Indian High Commission in the Maldives, unilateral actions on the part of Maldives were constantly highlighted.

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Home Minister Dr Jameel appointed acting Minister of Economic Development

Minister of Home Affairs Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed has been appointed as acting Minister of Economic Development, the President’s Office has announced.

President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik appointed Jameel to the position pending the return of Minister Ahmed Mohamed, who is on an official visit abroad.

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