Author: Minivan News

High Court upholds arrest of police officer charged with rape

The High Court has supported Addu City Court’s order to extend the detention of a police officer arrested on charges of raping a married woman, taking nude photographs of her and letting his friends abuse her.

The arrest warrant was appealed at the High Court after the Addu City Court extended the police officers detention. The High Court said most of the evidences presented against the officer was found on his mobile phone.

The court also said that there was enough evidence to believe that the officer was involved in the incident.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

GMR Chairman to attend groundbreaking of new terminal

Billionaire chairman of Indian infrastructure giant GMR, G M Rao, will attend the groundbreaking ceremony tomorrow for the new terminal of Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA).

President Mohamed Nasheed will also attend the ceremony.

The constructing of the new terminal is the Maldives’ single largest foreign investment. GMR has said it intends to complete the terminal in 2014 and then turn Male’ into one of the top five airports in the 1-5 million passenger category.

The company has meanwhile been upgrading the existing facilities in a ‘throw-away’ refurbishment, including upgrades to the baggage belt and security area, lounges, refurbishment of the domestic terminal, new airline offices and a food court.

The opposition has meanwhile maintained a long-running campaign against the airport redevelopment and the government’s 25 year concession agreement with GMR.

Recent controversy has centred around GMR’s proposed US$25 airport development charge for departing passengers, which was recently overturned by the Civil Court in a suit filed by the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP), and its eviction of the Alpha MVK duty-free shop, a move approved by the High Court that nonetheless led to protests last week.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

First military wedding to be held at Kalhuthuhkalaa Koshi

Lieutenant Ahmed Waheed will today become the first serviceman to have a military wedding under the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). The event will take place this evening at Kalhuthuhkalaa Koshi.

The bride’s name has not been disclosed.

First Lieutenant Abdulla Ali said devising and getting approval for military weddings has been a long time coming, but is pleased that servicemen can now appreciate something commonly provided by national forces around the world.

“The main difference between a military wedding and a normal wedding in the Maldives the honor guard,” Ali said. “The couple will have a ceremony in the court, and then will be received by an honor guard for a reception. There will be a bugle call, and then the couple will pass by a sword team and request permission from the guards. It will be a formal and official event.”

Military weddings are not restricted to certain ranks, reports Haveeru.

Ceremony costs, however, are the responsibility of the serviceman.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Adhaalath welcomes talks: Shaheem

Adhaalath Party chief spokesperson Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saaed today said the party would accept government requests for talks over “Defend Islam” protest planned for next Friday, December 23.

Shaheem claimed that the government’s lack interest in a dialogue has created negative tension around the protest, Haveeru reports.

“Adhaalath Party will always accept any requests made by the head of state to discuss a state affair. But the government has so far failed to hold such discussions and the failure of this forced the coalition partners of the ruling MDP [Maldivian Democratic Party] to abandon it,” Shaheem was quoted as saying.

Shaheem further said the protest aims to peacefully prevent the arrival of religions other than Islam in the Maldives, and not to invite the Shari’ah-based penalties of stoning, hand cutting and execution.

Ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) this week announced plans to hold a counter-demonstration on December 23 against what appeared to be aggressive requests from Adhaalath at the time.

Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) is currently attempting a peaceful resolution of the dispute, reports Haveeru.

“We are concerned about losing the peace and harmony in the country. We are negotiating with the organisers of the religious protest and those who are planning to demonstrate against them,” commissioner Mariyam Azra told the local media.

The outcome of HRCM’s negotiations are expected to be released on Monday.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Red Bull Air Race entertains Friday crowds

Hundreds gathered on Male’ yesterday to watch Red Bull Air Race champion Péter Besenyei perform air stunts in a specially-designed plane over the Ekuevni Stadium area.

The event was organised by Euro Marketing Pvt Ltd, the sole distributor of energy drink Red Bull in the Maldives.

Hungarian national Besenyei, age 55, is a skilled aerobatics pilot and eight-time air race world champion. Since being approached by Red Bull in 2001, Besenyei has developed the company’s air racing competition and formulated the sport’s rules and regulations.

The Red Bull Air Race was first held in Zeltweg, Austria in 2003. International pilots compete against the clock on obstacle courses of pylons, or “air gates.”

An air race was originally scheduled for December 17 over Hulhumale’, however due to the boat traffic in the area authorities could not approve the event, Euro Marketing Managing Director Ali Waseem informed Minivan News.

Renowned Russian base jumper Valerie Rozov had also planned to perform a jump into Male’, but technical difficulties have forced Euro Marketing to re-schedule the event for next year.

“We will be hosting events in Male’ and from North to South of the country throughout 2012, including go-cart competitions and bicycle tournaments,” Waseem said.

Waseem noted that turnout for the air show was “very good,” and said Euro Marketing is seeking other events suitable to the nation’s island geography.

Head of Operations Lawrence Miranba previously told Minivan News that Euro Marketing booked the show “to bring an international event into the Maldives.”

“We are looking to create smaller events as well,” said Miranba at the time. “For instance, there’s a remote controlled plane group in Hulhumale’. We haven’t finalised anything yet, but we’d like to do something with them.”

Famed local bodu beru group Harubee performed at this weekend’s event, while a street style football competition and remote-controlled airplane race engaged onlookers throughout the show.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

UNDP and government sign US$8.5 million project to provide freshwater

The Ministry of Housing and Environment and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) have signed a US$8.5 million project to provide “climate smart freshwater solutions” to three densely populated islands.

According to a press release issued by UNDP on Thursday, fresh water will be provided to Ihavandho in Haa Alif atoll, Mahibadhoo in Alif Dhaalu atoll and Gadhdhoo in Gaafu Dhaalu.

Minister of Housing and Environment Mohamed Aslam said that the three islands were chosen after stringent selection criteria, primarily based on their populations and the severity of water scarcity – however, all the islands face clean water shortages, Aslam said.

The project is funded by the Adaptation Fund of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and will be implemented jointly by the government, UNDP and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

The project is undertaken with a “view on country-wide replication and upscaling in the future” press release reads.

“The funds will pay for the establishment of integrated and resilient water supply systems; increase total freshwater storage capacity; and improve the quality of harvested rainwater in the target islands. Similarly, communal rainwater storage schemes will be strengthened, and additional production capacity for desalinated freshwater will be installed to provide backup capacity in times of water stress,” according to the UNDP.

“Artificial groundwater recharge will be enhanced to improve the quality and quantity of water stored in the natural aquifer, and contamination of household effluents will be reduced to prevent damages to the sensitive reef ecosystem”.

Speaking at the project signing ceremony Officer-in-Charge of UNDP, Sanaka Samarasinha said that the “access to water is a fundamental human right, and considering the hardships communities face accessing fresh water in the country, this project will provide clean water to more than 6700 people over the coming months,” said

Undp noted that all the islands in the country do not have a “functioning water supply and distribution network that can ensure sufficient supply of safe freshwater during dry periods” – except Male’, Vilingili and Hulhumale’.

According to the press release, water is scare in the islands due to climate change-induced decline of freshwater resources that is affecting the entire country. It further reads, the key problems pertaining to freshwater security relate to the management of increasingly saline groundwater and increasingly variable rainfall patterns.

“The project will provide a compound solution to a number of critical climate and non-climate-related problems and will be a suitable model for replication on other islands with similar vulnerabilities,” UNDPclaims.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Customs investigates GMR eviction of Alpha MVKB

Maldives Customs Authority has said it will take “necessary legal actions” against GMR, which it claims illegally attempted to vacate Alpha MVKB Duty-Free shop at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA), reports local newspaper Haveeru.

Customs is investigating the case, an unidentified senior official reportedly told Haveeru.

After the attempted eviction on December 5, Customs Director Ismail Nashid told Minivan News that goods at duty free shops fall under Customs’ supervision and the “unsold goods can only be taken out of the shops with their permission”.

However, “GMR took out the goods without notifying us,” a separate Customs official told Haveeru today.

GMR directed Minivan to Customs over the issue. Customs did not respond to Minivan’s inquiries at time of press.

GMR began dismantling the Alpha MVKB Duty Free Shop, which sells alcohol, cigarettes, and watches, after “several notices” to vacate the area were “ignored” by the owners, GMR’s Head of Corporate Communications, Mahika Chandrasena earlier told Minivan News.

MVK has meanwhile decided to protest GMR’s management, in spite of rulings from the High and Civil courts that GMR’s termination of its contract with Alpha MVKB Duty-Free was lawful.

The High Court noted that GMR gave notice on March 1 and, as per the agreement, the contract terminated on March 31. As no party could extend the termination notice, the court concluded that MVK had no right to remain at the airport without approval from GMR. Alpha MVKB was originally leased for 10 years under an agreement between MVK and Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), with a one month termination clause, the court noted.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Bids open for Addu Convention Center

Bidding documents for the management of Addu’s Equatorial Convention Centre have been purchased by Immigration Controller Abdulla Shahid, MVK Maldives and Singaporean PAVL Leo.

The documents will be sold until January 18 for Rf2,000 (US$129) for locals and Rf4,626 (US$300) for foreigners. Bids are due by January 19.

The three parties were announced at a pre-bid meeting at the convention center, attended by three other interested parties: Singapore-based Jason Globe Private Limited, local company Liko Travels Private Limited and Abdulla ‘Damas’ Solih of Karankaage/Seenu atoll Hulhudhoo.

Indian and Chinese companies are still expressing interest, reports Haveeru.

The center was built this year for the 17th annual SAARC Summit on a budget of Rf150 million (US$9.7 million). The area is to be developed under the Tourism Act and the Decentralisation Act.

The bid reportedly includes the 7.7 hectares of land on which the centre is built, the 21.2 hectares of pond area that surrounds the centre, and an additional 67 hectares of land on which to build a city hotel.

Addu City Council plans to hand over the centre to a winning party in February 2012. The projected time frame is 18 months.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Male’ bus service bids open to four groups

MVK Maldives, Shiyam Auto Garage, AK Construction and MVK’s Ahmed Nazim have shown interest in providing bus service to Male’, the city council has announced.

City Council will accept bids for the project today, December 15, from the four groups exclusively, Haveeru reports. The parties are required to present a Rf500,000 (US$33,300) guarantee at the time of bidding.

The council will evaluate bids according to the parties’ demonstration of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and its commitment to renewable energy.

Previously, Male’ bus service was operated by MVK Maldives for a trial period. The agreement covering the trial service expired this month.

MVK has been requested to continue service until a party is selected and an agreement reached.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)