Author: Minivan News

Tourism Ministry advises visitors to verify registration of tour agents

The Tourism Ministry has advised visitors to to verify the registration of local tour operators and agents to “avoid unforseen situations”.

The ministry made the remarks after the police announced that they are investigating into local travel agencies involved in scamming tourists by charging money in advance for reservations, without paying the resorts.

“Visitors are advised to check the list of travel agents if reservations are made by a local travel agent in the Maldives. This is to protect clients interest and avoid any unforeseen situations,” the Tourism Ministry said.

A list of all registered travel agents has been published on the ministry’s website. According to the list, a total of 146 registered agencies are operating in Maldives.

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TVM and VTV to broadcast Euro 2012

State broadcaster Television Maldives (TVM) and private Villa Television (VTV) station have been granted broadcasting rights to air European Football Championship Euro 2012, reports local media Haveeru.

Speaking at a ceremony held on Wednesday, Financial Controller of cable operator MediaNet Ahmed Nashid said the move would allow Maldivians access to watch the championship and would provide a “break from politics.”

The Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) have held regular protests calling for early elections since the controversial transfer of power on February 7, which the party alleges was through a coup d’état.

“All we see these days is politics. But the opportunity to watch a match will provide a break from politics,” Nashid said.

CEO of VTV Ibrahim Khaleel said the TV station would immediately start a countdown to the football championship to be held between June 8 and July 1.

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President Waheed returns from India

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan has returned to the Maldives after concluding a five day official visit to India on the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

Prime Minister Singh extended US$25 million from the Standby Credit Facility to alleviate short financing issues. India had already extended US$20 million from the Standby Credit Facility in February 2012 as well as the rollover of the US$ 50 million State Bank of India (SBI) Treasury Bonds by a year.

Speaking to the Indian press during his visit, President Waheed announced he would revise the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) set up to investigate the controversial transfer of power on February 7. The Commonwealth’s Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) had warned of stronger measures against the Maldives should the government fail to review the mandate and composition of the CNI to make it more credible and impartial.

Speaking to local media at the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport on his arrival, President Waheed said the Commonwealth had no grounds to take measures against the Maldives.

“I do not believe they will take any measures. We have cooperated with the CMAG. They have no grounds to take measures. If they do, it will be quite strange,” Waheed told reporters.

During his visit, President Waheed met with President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, and other key officials of the Indian government; including Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai, National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon, and Minister of External Affairs S. M. Krishna.

The President also met with the diplomatic community in New Delhi, and Indian business leaders in Delhi and Mumbai, and delivered a lecture at the Indian Council of World Affairs.

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Nasheed vows to continue protests for early elections

Ousted President Mohamed Nasheed has vowed to step up demonstrations for early elections after the government agreed to a Commonwealth demand to revise a commission set up to investigate the controversial transfer of power on February 7.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) youth wing offices on Tuesday night, Nasheed said new President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan had been forced to revise the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) due to popular demonstrations for early elections and called on the public to step up protests.

Nasheed alleges he was deposed in a coup d’état carried out by mutinous elements of the police and military on February 7. Thousands of MDP supporters have since held regular protests since the change of government calling for fresh elections.

“The Commonwealth is with the Maldives. Commonwealth officials can see the vast number of yellow scarves when they step out on to their balconies. Don McKinnon is astonished by the number of people who have come out in support for this in this tiny place,” Nasheed said.

Sir Don McKinnon is the Commonwealth’s Special Envoy to the Maldives. The Commonwealth has called for early elections in the Maldives within 2012.

Nasheed reiterated his belief that Maldives may never see elections again if early elections are not held in 2012. Moreover, he claimed President Waheed’s administration was attempting to influence the Elections Commission by offering ambassadorships and other benefits to the Elections Commission President Fuad Thawfeeq.

The two offices opened on Tuesday night were the Orchard Office on Keneree Magu and the offices of youth activist group “Yellow Force.”

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MDP condemns frequent power interruptions in Malé

The ousted Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has condemned frequent power interruptions in Malé and has claimed the interruptions resulted from two foreign companies involved in power upgrade withdrawing from the Maldives after the controversial transfer of power on February 7.

However, CEO of State Electric Company Ltd (STELCO) Zaid Mohamed has told Minivan News that Germany-based MAN SE and Denmark’s SAMCO companies only left the country for 10 days following the change of government, but returned to the Maldives to continue work on the Fourth Power Development Project.

Daily power cuts result from a delay in completing the Fourth Power project which will add two generators, each capable of producing eight megawatts of electricity, to the company’s functioning 17 generators, STELCO has previously said .

The fourth power project was scheduled to be completed by December 2011, but will now be completed by the end of May, Zaid said.

The MDP in a statement on Wednesday expressed concern over damage to household electric appliances from unscheduled power outages. The party has also claimed the new President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan intends to reduce electricity subsidies to the public.

Meanwhile, Indian media IBN Live has reported that President Waheed asked for Indian investment in providing electricity services during a meeting with Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan during Waheed’s recent trip to India.

Waeed told the Governor “electricity is a major problem in Maldives and said power companies from India can help Maldives to tide over the energy deficiency,” IBN Live reported.

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President Waheed could contest elections under PPM ticket: Umar Naseer

Vice President of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Umar Naseer has said that Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan could potentially stand as a presidential candidate for the party.

Speaking to the Haveeru newspaper today, Naseer claimed that although no discussions had taken place with the current president over contesting on a PPM ticket – the door would be open for him to do so along with any other interested candidates.

The comments were made after Naseer was quoted last night in local media claiming President Waheed had confirmed to members of the coalition government that he would not stand for re-election.

Reportedly speaking on private broadcaster DhiTV yesterday, Naseer also said that if the current government aligned itself under one presidential candidate during the next general election, he was confident the coalition would be able to obtain victory within the first round of voting.

Sun Online quoted Naseer as adding, however, that the PPM should get the presidential ticket among coalition parties as it presently holds the largest number of elected representatives in parliament among government-aligned parties.

He was also quoted as pledging that he would back former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom in a presidential primary contest if the one-time head of state ran for re-election.

“I am considering contesting in the presidential primary. It’s very likely that you will see me. If President Gayoom also decides to contest, I will be right behind him holding the flag,” Naseer was quoted by the Sun Online news agency as saying.

General elections are currently scheduled to be held by July 2013 at the earliest, despite calls from the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and the organisations like the Commonwealth for fresh polls to be held during 2012.

Gayoom founded the PPM last year after an acrimonious war of words with Ahmed Thasmeen Ali, the current leader of the former opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP).

Thasmeen was initially approved by Gayoom to suceed him as the head of the DRP, the first political party founded by the former president.

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MDP launches website for former President Nasheed

The former ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) launched websites for President Mohamed Nasheed and the party’s ‘Kula Yellow’ facebook page at last night’s gathering at the ‘Usfasgadu’ protest site.

The Kula Yellow website was inaugurated by MP Ibrahim Rasheed while President Nasheed’s website was brought online by MP Ahmed Rasheed.

According to the party website, RaeesNasheed.com was created by MDP’s youth supporters and offers aggregated news stories and picture galleries of the deposed ruler as well as videos of speeches and public addresses.

Last night’s rally meanwhile featured Boduberu from the ‘Dhanmaanu Group.’ The former ruling party has been conducting nightly protest rallies and marches calling for early presidential elections to resolve the ongoing political strife in the wake of the controversial transfer of power on February 7, 2012.

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Former head of customs pleads not guilty to corruption charges

Former principle collector of customs and registrar of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), Ibrahim Shafiu, pleaded not guilty to corruption charges at the Criminal Court today.

Shafiu is accused of abuse of authority to help a company named Centre Enterprises evade import duties for a crane.

The ex-chief spokesperson of DRP under former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom had also pleaded not guilty to similar charges of assisting a company associated with current DRP Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali, ‘Sultans of the Seas,’ evade import duties for two luxury speedboats.

Sultans had evaded Rf52 million (US$4 million) in custom duties after Shafiu had decreased the duty payable for the two vessels and refused to fine the company. Import duties owed by Centre Enterprises were meanwhile reduced by 35 percent and 20 percent, allegedly through Shafiu’s influence over the valuation committee.

Although the charges against the ex-customs head were filed in September 2009, the case had remained stalled as Shafiu had been living in Canada following President Gayoom’s defeat in the October 2008 presidential election.

Shafiu was arrested at the airport and served with court summons when he arrived in the Maldives last month.

According to newspaper Haveeru, Judge Saeed Ibrahim adjourned the hearing after the prosecuting attorney requested time to evaluate the evidence against Shafiu as a number of others were implicated along with Shafiu.

Shafiu reportedly requested that the trial be expedited.

Other individuals charged in the case include Ibrahim Shiyam (H. Maafaage), Mohamed Anwar (SinaMale’ 03-35), Abdulla Waheed (M. Reason), former Chief Customer Officer Mohamed Armeen (M. Woodpecker) and Senior Customs Officer Hassan Sulaiman (Lh Hinnavaru, Landhooge).

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MNDF and Indian Navy conduct joint operations in EEZ

The Maldivian National Defense Force (MNDF) has today begun joint naval operations with the Indian navy, patrolling the Maldives’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), reports Haveeru.

The paper reports that the Indian Navy ship and the Coast Guard’s Huravee Launch and Shaheed Ali ships will participate in the operation monitoring the waters for illegal activity.

The operations come as President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan visits India on a visit intended to strengthen bilateral ties with the Maldives’ neighbour.

Defense Minister Mohamed Nazim visited Indian in April, meeting with officials to enhance military cooperation. The MNDF also conducted joint operations, labelled ‘DOSTI – XI’ with the Sri Lankan and Indian navies last month.

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