Author: Minivan News

Central Hotel sold to Champa Brothers

The 40-room Central Hotel in Male’ on the 4,122 square feet G. Sanorage has been sold to Champa Brothers Maldives Pvt Ltd for MVR 11 million (US$713,359).

The hotel was sold along with an adjacent 1,899 square feet plot and 10-storey building on G. Koddhiparuge for MVR 5.9 million (US$382,620).

Both buildings were the source of legal disputes between the previous owners and Champa Brothers. The Civil Court ruled on October 16 (Dhivehi) and on October 23 (Dhivehi) that the estate sales were valid as the transactions were completed and full payments were made by the company.

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Runaway girl turned in to police by taxi driver

A 13 year-old runaway reported missing to the police was turned in by a taxi driver this afternoon and sent back to her family.

Police informed media today and appealed for public assistance in their search for Yashfa Ahmed, of G. Hurasfaru, after her family reported that she had run away around 11:45pm on Friday.

However, Sun Online reported this evening that the girl was found around 4:20pm when she hailed a taxi on Roashanee Magu and the driver turned her in to the police.

A police media official confirmed that the taxi driver reported her to the police and that she has since been returned to her family.

The 13 year-old had previously run away from home last month and was found inside a residence in Galolhu.

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MDP, PPM campaigning ahead of Monday’s by-elections

Former President Mohamed Nasheed visited Faaf Bilehdhoo yesterday (Saturday) to campaign for the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidate for a vacant seat in the Bilehdhoo island council, Ramzeena Afeef.

According to the former ruling party’s website, Nasheed met MDP members and supporters in the island before returning to Male’ last night.

MDP MPs Mohamed Gasam, Mohamed Shifaz and Ibrahim Rasheed are meanwhile campaigning in Meemu atoll for Ibrahim Latheef, MDP’s candidate for the Meemu Mulaku constituency atoll council seat.

Former President Nasheed visited islands in the Meemu Mulaku constituency last Tuesday to support Latheef’s candidacy.

In addition to the Mulaku and Bilehdhoo contests, by-elections are also due to take place on Monday, October 29, for a vacant island council seats each in Alif Dhaal Dhidhoo and Laamu Maibaidhoo.

Meanwhile, newspaper Haveeru reported today that a delegation from the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) departed Male’ for Laamu Maibaidhoo and Meemu Mulaku to campaign for the party’s candidates Hassan Adil and Ali Ibrahim.

The delegation includes PPM Parliamentary Group Leader and MP for Meemu Mulaku, Abdulla Yameen, and interim Deputy Leader Abdul Raheem Abdulla as well as other PPM MPs.

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Maldives “finally open to independent travellers”: Lonely Planet 2012

The inhabited islands of the Maldives “are finally open to independent travellers,” according to the 2012 edition of the Lonely Planet, published this month.

“What’s more, these incredible islands are finally open to independent travellers, meaning you no longer have to stay in resorts and be kept separate from the local population, something that kept backpackers away for decades. Intrepid individuals can now choose their own itineraries and travel from island to island, living among the devout but extremely friendly local population,” reads the independent travel section on the Maldives entry.

“With a national ferry network in place and a growing number of privately run guesthouses on inhabited islands, the Maldives and its people are now more accessible than ever.”

Prior to the controversial transfer of presidential power on February 7, the formerly ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) pursued a policy of introducing mid-market tourism with guest houses in inhabited islands.

Lonely Planet is the world’s foremost travel publisher, printing over a 100 million books and guides in nine different languages.

(Read an edited extract from Lonely Planet Maldives [8th Edition] by Tom Masters, Lonely Planet 2012 here.)

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Maldivian on 35th pilgrimage: Saudi Gazette

Ismail Abdul Latheef, head of the local Athama Hajj Group, has been performing the Hajj for the past 35 years, the Saudi Gazette reported on Saturday.

Abdul Latheef is presently in Mecca in charge of 200 Maldivian pilgrims with the Athama Hajj Group.

Latheef, currently in his 50s, told the Saudi online news outlet that he first performed the Hajj pilgrimage when he was a child.

“He came along with his father who was working for a Tawafa establishment in the Maldives. His father sponsored many a family to go to Makkah and perform one of the most important rituals in Islam,” the website reported, adding that Latheef “acquired solid experience in the field and became the manager of his father’s establishment.”

“Every time I see the Grand Mosque, I can’t help but cry tears of joy. Makkah is one of the most breathtaking cities on the globe. Its holiness makes every stone-hearted person melt in awe.” Latheef told the Saudi Gazette.

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Indian Quran teacher arrested on suspicion of molesting student

An Indian Quran teacher has been arrested in the Meedhoo district of Addu City on suspicion of sexually abusing an under-age female student.

Local daily Haveeru reported yesterday that the 35 year-old suspect taught Quran at the privately owned Shamshudeen Centre for Islamic Studies and that the victim was a grade nine student at the Seenu Atoll School.

Police have confirmed the arrest but declined to divulge any further information.

A resident of Meedhoo told the newspaper that family members of the victim allegedly assaulted the expatriate after the girl said that he had sexually abused her repeatedly on different occasions.

Police reportedly took the Quran teacher into custody around 10:30am on Friday following the confrontation with the family members of the alleged victim.

Under the Child Sex Offenders (Special Provisions) Act of 2009, the penalty for child sex abuse is 10-14 years but can be extended to 15-18 years if the accused was in a position of trust with the children he or she abused.

In August 2010, police arrested renowned Quran teacher and Qari (Quran reciter), Hussain Thaufeeq, on multiple charges of child sex abuse.

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Lost Maldivian pilgrim found inside Grand Mosque

A Maldivian pilgrim with the Sisilfaru Hajj group reported lost in the late afternoon on Friday was found inside the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca.

According to the local Dhi-Islam news website team in Saudi Arabia, Sarah Adam, of G. Lishan, was found safe and unharmed on Saturday night by the second-in-charge of the Sisilfaru Group, Ibrahim Manik.

Sarah was separated from the group and lost at the plain of Mount Arafat on Friday. Pilgrims are required to spend the afternoon of the ninth day of Dhul Hajja at the Mount Arafat in order to complete the Hajj.

Some 1,000 Maldivian pilgrims with eight groups are currently in Mecca for the Hajj and are due to return on November 3, 4 and 8.

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President Waheed departs for Faafu Nilandhoo

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik and First Lady Ilham Hussain departed for Faafu Atoll Nilandhoo on Friday afternoon.

According to the President’s Office, the President will also visit some islands of Dhaalu Atoll and observe activities carried out during the Eid holidays.

Former President Mohamed Nasheed meanwhile left for Haa Dhaal Kulhudhufushi on Thursday and attended a public feast after Eid prayers yesterday at the largest urban center north of the capital Male’.

Former President Nasheed as well as the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Chairperson ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik on Friday issued greetings and felicitations to all Maldivian citizens on the occasion of the Eid al-Adha.

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MIRA formulates policy for enforcement agencies

The Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) has formulated and published on its website the official policy (Dhivehi) for taking action against persons or companies with unpaid taxes, fees, rents, royalties or other monies owed to the state.

Under the approved guidelines for the relevant authorities to take measures against non-compliers, the government could refuse to provide services, cease business transactions and refuse to award contracts for the persons or companies with dues to the state.

Exceptions to the first rule however include basic services provided by the government and services provided by one state institution to the other.

The authorities empowered to take the punitive measures and enforce the policy include the Economic Ministry, Finance Ministry, Transport Ministry, Male’ City Council, Maldives Customs Service and the Department of Immigration.

While the policy will be in effect from November 1, 2012, for the first six months the enforcement agencies should refuse to provide services only to companies that owe monies to the particular authority. However, from May 1, 2013, the relevant authorities would be required to check if the company or person owes monies to MIRA.

The exceptions however do not apply to the Maldives Custom Service and Department of Immigration during the first stage of implementation.

Meanwhile, earlier this month, MIRA began enforcing its policy on ‘Freezing Bank Accounts of Taxpayers’ with unpaid taxes, fees, rents, royalties and other monies owed to the state.

“Since publishing the policy, taxpayers were given a grace period of 1 month to settle all outstanding dues. The process for account freezing has been commenced for 37 taxpayers for failure to settle the dues in the given grace period, and the details sent to relevant authorities to freeze the bank accounts of five of these taxpayers, as of 8 October 2012. Some taxpayers who issued dishonoured cheques were also among those who will have their bank accounts frozen. The total owing from these dishonoured cheques amounts to MVR 450,000 (US$29,182),” reads a news item from MIRA.

Moreover, MIRA has filed a number of cases at the Civil Court to enforce judgments over unpaid rent and fines imposed for late or non-payment.

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