Author: Minivan News

Land leased by Jabir’s company revoked due to outstanding rent payments

Land leased on Kaashidhoo in Kaafu Atoll to Maldivian Democratic Party MP Abdulla Jabir’s J Hotels and Resorts has been revoked by the government due to failure to pay rent.

According to local media, Kaashidhoo Council President Ali Sulthan said the land – leased for the construction of an 80-bed guest house – had been leased for the past ten months, of which only three months’ rent had been paid, local media reported.

An amount of MVR 166,000 (US$10,758) is apparently due from the company, which was contracted to pay a sum of MVR 15,000 (US$972) per month.

“The land was leased to a company owned by our constituent member Jabir. We have revoked the land because they were not paying the rent at all,” Sulthan was quoted as saying by Sun Online.

J Hotels and Resorts is operated under Jabir’s Yacht Tours Maldives.

Executive Director of J Hotels and Resorts Ibrahim Rasheed confirmed to local media that that the company does own a land in Kaashidhoo, but it does not have land with outstanding rent payments.

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Child support payments increased to MVR 1000

Child support payments are to increase to MVR 1,000 (US$64) after the Parliament Regulation Committee decided the previous amount of MVR 450 (US$29) was too small, local media reported.

The amendment to article 65 of the Family Regulation now states that a father who has more than one child is required to pay MVR 1,000 per child, per month until the child reaches 18 years of age, local media stated.

A father who has one child is required to pay MVR 2,000 (US$129) per month until that child reaches 18.

The amendment further states that MVR 2,000 must be provided to a woman during iddah – the period of waiting after a divorce, local media reported.

The amendment to the Family Regulation was proposed by Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Rozaina Adam.

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UN Resident Coordinator departs Maldives

UN Resident Coordinator Andrew Cox has left the Maldives following the conclusion of his tour of duty.

In a departure statement, Cox expressed “gratitude for the excellent cooperation he received from the government, state institutions, civil society organisations and the media during his time as the UN Resident Coordinator in the Maldives.”

Cox also paid a farewell call on President Dr Mohamed Waheed. According to the President’s Office, “Waheed expressed his gratitude for the enormous contribution made, and the support received towards the development of the Maldives, during Mr Andrew Cox’s tenure as the UN Resident Coordinator.”

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Committee to enlist Singapore parliament in US$800 million oil trade probe

Parliament’s Committee on National Security is requesting assistance from the parliament of Singapore to investigate the case related to US$800 million in “illegal” oil trade allegedly conducted by former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and his half-brother, the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) presidential prospect, MP AbdullaYameen, Sun Online reports.

During the committee meeting Monday (January 21) MP Reeko Moosa Manik announced the parliament was notified to contact Singapore’s parliament requesting they facilitate meetings with the Singapore police and anti-corruption authority.

The Foreign Ministry refused to fully cooperate and said it would take two weeks to arrange the requested meetings, according to local media.

Travel to Singapore and Malaysia for the investigation was scheduled for January 20, however was delayed due to the “failure to arrange meetings with [the necessary] investigative bodies,” added Sun Online.

The alleged international money laundering racket involved Yameen as “the kingpin” of a scheme to buy subsidised oil through the State Trading Organisation’s branch in Singapore and sell it on through an entity called ‘Mocom Trading’ to the Burmese military junta, at a black market premium.

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Elections Commission approves 17th political party

The Minister of State for Home Affairs and former Deputy Commissioner of Police Mohamed Fayaz has been granted permission by the Elections Commission (EC) to form a new political party, reports local media.

Assuming the newly formed National Industrial Alliance (NIA) can find 3000 members, it will become the 17th political party in the Maldives.

The NIA’s platform will focus on achieving economic freedom through investments and job opportunities for citizens as well as “bringing about a ‘revolution’ to Maldivian businesses and medium-sized companies” via government assistance and “other sources,” according to Sun Online.

Fayaz stated the NIA will cooperate with the government regardless of which party is in power.

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Group of men attack expatriate near artificial beach

A group of people attacked an expatriate near the artificial beach area in Male on Monday night.

‘’When we went to the area the assailants had fled,’’ said Police Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef.

“The victim suffered minor injuries and police provided him with assistance. The victim said the group had tried to rob the victim,’’ Haneef said.

Haneef said no arrests have been made and did not disclose the nationality of the victim.

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Finance Ministry not working to recover funds lost through state incompetence: AG

The Finance Ministry has not been working to recover lost funds from the state, Auditor General Niyaz Ibrahim has alleged.

Speaking to local media, Niyaz said  the state treasury has suffered huge losses due to incompetence from state employees.

Despite audit reports revealing where money has been wrongly spent, Finance Ministry has not been working to recover the funds, Niyaz told local media.

“We are sending a copy of the audit reports from each institution to the Finance Ministry. We recommend the finance ministry to take action against them in which the ministry is involved.

“However there has not been enough work towards taking action against them, especially in the cases where the incompetence of some employees and other loss,” Niyaz was quoted as saying in local newspaper Haveeru.

The Auditor General said that transactions made against the state finance act and violations of travel procedures in government offices were common issues repeated in the audit reports.

Niyaz added that as some offices are repeating these mistakes, there will be a period of three months whereby the offices have to improve prior to an assessment at the end of the time period.

Cases of incompetence or deliberate acts of fraud resulting in losses of state funds are also being submitted to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) by the Auditor General, according to local media.

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President Waheed launches party campaign camp at wife’s house

President Mohamed Waheed’s Gaumee Ittihad Party (GIP) will launch a party camp to attract more supporters at Waheed’s wife’s home, local media has reported.

Waheed has declared he will compete in upcoming presidential elections, but said he was undecided as to whether he would compete as an individual or form a coalition with another party, GIP Deputy President Mohamed ‘Nazaki’ Zaki told local media.

The party’s first camp to attract more supporters will open in Male’ next Wednesday at First Lady Ilhama Ahmed’s family residence, local media reported.

According to Zaki, the party campaign to increase members had so far been a success and a second camp is expected to open later this month on Feydhoo in Seenu Atoll.

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Maldives Surf Entertainment launches program to teach surfing to children

Sea Sports and Maldives Surf Entertainment have signed a contract to commence the ‘Bohfathi Raalhu Training Program’, a program to teach surfing to children between 8 to 15 years.

‘’Bohfathi Raalhu Training is sponsored by the popular surf brand “VOLCOM” which is solely distributed and sold by Sea Sports and is scheduled to start on 13 February 2013,’’ Maldives Surf Entertainment said in a statement.

‘’The training will focus on kids aged between 8 to 15 years, who will be given a basic introduction to surfing.‘’

The statement said that during the program the participants will be taught the history of surfing, surfing skills, surf etiquette, health and fitness, awareness about surf culture and ocean safety.

‘’The purpose of the training is to take surfing to new levels in the country, to develop local talent and professional surfers within the local population and to provide students with the ability to enhance their opportunities and pursue long-term careers within the industry,’’ the statement said.

According to the statement the the first phase of the training program will cover most islands with adequate surf breaks in the southern atolls between Fuvahmulaku and Thulusdhoo north of Kaafu Atoll.

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