Author: Minivan News

Deputy Speaker Nazim submits six witnesses in corruption trial

Deputy Speaker of Parliament MP Ahmed Nazim submitted six witnesses in his defence last week at the ongoing corruption trial at the Criminal Court.

The minority opposition People’s Alliance (PA) MP is facing multiple counts of conspiracy to defraud the former Atolls Ministry.

Among the witnesses submitted by Nazim at Thursday’s hearing were MP Ahmed “Redwave” Saleem, who is also facing similar charges of corruption for his role in the alleged scam as director of finance at the now-defunct Ministry of Atolls Development.

The fraudulent purchases of harbour lights, national flags and mosque sound systems were first flagged in an audit report released in early 2009.

Following an investigation into the allegations in the report, Chief Inspector Ismail Atheef said at a press conference in August 2009 that police had uncovered evidence that implicated former Atolls Minister Abdullah Hameed along with MPs Saleem and Nazim in a number of fraudulent transactions.

Police exhibited numerous quotations, agreements, tender documents, receipts, bank statements and forged cheques showing that Nazim received over US$400,000 in the scam.

A hard disk seized during a raid of Nazim’s office in May 2009 allegedly contained copies of forged documents and bogus letterheads.

Police maintained that money was channelled through the scam to Nazim who laundered cash through Namira Engineering and unregistered companies.

Thursday’s hearing meanwhile focused on charges that Nazim used employees of Namira Engineering while he was the company’s Managing Director to submit bids in the name of two companies called Tech Media Service Pvt Ltd and Standard Electric Works Pvt Ltd to provide 220 harbour lights to the Atolls Ministry.

Nazim allegedly received Rf1.9 million after Namira Engineering was awarded the project.

Nazim however presented as witnesses two directors of Tech Media Service and a director of Standard Electric Works to prove that both companies were aware that a bid was submitted in their names.

MP Saleem and a former employee of the Atolls Ministry, Moosa Naeem, was submitted as witnesses to establish that the ministry received the 220 harbour lights.

The prosecution meanwhile presented as evidence the police investigation report, cheques issued by the state and bogus letterheads found during a police raid on Namira Engineering in May 2009.

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Revised committee composition approved

Parliament yesterday approved the revised composition of standing committees with 71 votes in favour, one vote against and one abstention.

A drawn out dispute over the representation of parties in the committees during the previous session of parliament brought all committee work to a standstill.

Following the reworking in July, the composition of committees had to be revisited at the beginning of the current session after a number of Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) left the main opposition party.

While 28 MPs were elected on a DRP ticket in May 2009, only 16 now remain.

Under parliamentary rules of procedure, the 11-member committees should reflect the composition of the Majlis floor. With 45 percent of seats, the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) is entitled to five seats in each committee.

Opposition MPs meanwhile retain control of influential oversight committees, such as the Public Accounts Committee.

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China’s expanding footprint in Maldives alarming: Times of India

Alarm bells are ringing afresh in the Indian security establishment over renewed efforts by China to expand its footprint in Maldives, writes Rajat Pandit for the Times of India.

“With China poised to establish a full-fledged embassy at Maldives, strategically located southwest of India astride major sea lanes in IOR, officials say Beijing has stepped up its ‘lobbying’ to bag a couple or more crucial development projects in the 1,190-island archipelago.

China, in particular, seems interested in developing Ihavandhoo and Maarandhoo Islands, with transhipment ports among other things, as well as grabbing a piece of action in the development of the country’s second international airport at Hanimaadhoo.

China’s efforts to make further inroads into Maldives have gained momentum after the visit of Wu Bangguo, the chairman of the standing committee of the Chinese National People’s Congress, to Male’ in May.

China has for long being building maritime and other linkages with eastern Africa, Seychelles, Mauritius, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Cambodia, among others. Pakistan has been a more-than-willing partner in all this, with the Gwadar deep-sea port being built with Chinese help in Baluchistan.

China’s main aim is to ensure the security of its sea lanes facilitating its critically-needed energy imports. But there is no getting away from the fact that it also amounts to a virtual encircling of India, in what is called the “string-of-pearls” construct.

India, too, has been taking steps to counter China’s strategic moves by stepping up its defence engagement with countries like Maldives, Mauritius and Seychelles. After defence minister A K Antony’s visit to Male in August 2009, for instance, Indian warships and Dornier reconnaissance aircraft are helping Maldives in maritime patrol and surveillance. New Delhi is also assisting Male to set up a network of ground radars in all its 26 atolls and link them with the Indian military surveillance systems.”

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Introducing ‘Dhonisaurus’: Minivan’s new independent travel review and ratings site

Minivan News is proud to introduce our new subsidiary travel site www.Dhonisaurus.com, offering the first independent, comprehensive, reader reviews and ratings for the Maldives tourism industry.

A ‘dhoni’ is a traditional Maldivian vessel with a distinctly curved prow, while a thesaurus helps you choose exactly the right word for the occasion. Stick the words together: Dhonisaurus. The dinosaur is just a bonus.

The Maldives is world famous for its beaches and clear blue waters.

But what really makes one resort different from another? It’s surprisingly hard to tell from a glossy tourism brochure, or an article written by a well-pampered travel journalist.

Opinion sites such as TripAdvisor powerfully influence the decision of tourists to visit a destination, but these large, international travel review sites do not have the luxury of detail as they must be able to objectively measure a rented château in Paris alongside a backpacker hostel in Yemen.

Moreover, rather than staying a few nights, the average visitor to the Maldives spends US$10,000-12,000 and stays on a single island for several weeks, so we figure they could use a bit more detail before making the big decision.

We pick up where TripAdvisor leaves off, asking visitors to rate resorts for Rooms, Service, Beach, Activities, Dining, Bar Experience, House Reef, Environmental Responsibility, Value and ‘Look and Feel’. We average these scores and all submitted reviews to automatically generate an overall rating out of 100. This way the more ratings submitted the more accurate the reviews become.

The ratings on Dhonisaurus reflect readers’ opinions, not our own, and the site pays its way through banner advertising rather than being sponsored by a consortium of resorts and tour operators, or by taking a cut from bookings. We have a vested interest in giving useful, impartial information, as this makes readers come back, review their experience and help make us even more accurate and credible.

Because we take an average from 10 categories, our ratings may seem harsher than those of other Maldives review websites, but the advantage of doing things this way is that you can get an honest, overall picture of what a resort is really like behind the brochures and press junkets. It’s also the first time resorts in the Maldives have been reviewed and contrasted for qualities such as their environmental responsibility.

The in-house reviews on Dhonisaurus are written by Maldives experts, including guidebook author Adrian Neville, who has reviewed almost every resort in the country over 20 years writing about the Maldives.

Adrian and the Dhonisaurus team will also be answering questions posted by travellers in the new site’s Advice Forum, on topics as diverse as diving, expat living and marine biology.

As Dhonisaurus grows we intend to add local guest houses on inhabited islands, include useful tools and forum posts for independent travellers in the Maldives, develop a separate rating system for safari boats, and hold award ceremonies for the winners of each category.

We’re very excited about the launch of Dhonisaurus as it greatly expands Minivan News’ presence in the travel sector and the advertising opportunities we can offer, and gives us an additional revenue stream to reinvest in growing independent journalism in the Maldives.

For a limited time only we are offering discounted introductory rates on Dhonisaurus.com for businesses keen to capture a high-conversion audience right in the act of planning their trip to the Maldives.

We want Dhonisaurus to be comprehensive. If a resort is not listed or has just opened (or closed!), contact us and we will ensure it is amended. Listed resorts must be open and receiving guests.

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BEST project to strengthen public administration

Agreements were signed between the UNDP, Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the President’s Office yesterday to implement the second phase of the US$1.6 million Building an Efficient, Service-oriented, Transparent Administration (BEST) project.

Haveeru reports that the BEST project is supporting the government of the Maldives with modernisation and public administration reform, with a goal of ensuring maximum efficiency in public administration.

The CSC has pledged US$1 million followed by US$87,000 allocated by the President’s Office and US$300,000 from the UNDP for the second phase of BEST.

“This project is exactly what partnerships should look like in the Maldives,” UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, Mr. Andrew Cox was quoted as saying. “Its real strength is taking what has been done before, and scaling it up. The fact that this is possible demonstrates the seriousness of the Government and the Civil Service Commission in dealing with complicated problems.”

The project will focus on building the capacity of the CSC, its Civil Service Training Institute, and the Governance Reform Unit at the President’s Office.

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Bidding opens for Kulhudhufushi plots

Bidding is now open for 20 plots of land on the newly-reclaimed Kulhudhufushi Development Zone in Haa Dhaal atoll Kulhudhufushi.

Plots measure 1000 feet squared and will be sold at a rate of Rf300 per foot squared, Kulhudhufushi Development Corporation Ltd. has told Haveeru.

Bidders are asked to pay 25 percent of the proposed bidding price as down payment along with Rf50,000 bid security, and the total price within a week of winning a plot. Alternatively, payments may be made in two installments or over five years, with interest.

Bidding is open to all, except individuals who own plots of 600 feet squared or more anywhere in the country, reports Haveeru.

Proposals will be accepted at Afeefuddeen School until November 24.

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J Hotels and Resorts awarded mid-market tourism project in Laamu Atoll

The Tourism Ministry has awarded the ‘Asseyri’ project to develop mid-market tourism in Laamu Atoll Gan to J Hotels and Resorts, reports Haveeru.

J Hotels and Resorts – owned by former MP Abdulla Jabir who has announced that he will be running for chairperson of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) – was chosen among three bidders for the project, according to a Tourism Ministry official.

The project involves developing a 25 hectare area with 1,500 beds, including a 300-bed hotel and 79 guest houses, as well as spas and sports facilities.

State Minister for Tourism Thoyyib Mohamed previously told Haveeru that while the government preferred a private party to develop and manage the whole project, the ministry had a ‘Plan B’ to lease out separate components of the project to different parties.

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President departs on official visit to France

President Mohamed Nasheed departed on an official visit to France this morning.

President Nasheed will hold talks with French Environment Minister Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet and French Foreign Minister Alain Juppé.

According to the President’s Office, discussions will focus on bilateral French aid and official assistance programmes to the Maldives.

President Nasheed will also meet senior management of Agence Française de Développement (AFD), a French international development agency, to discuss development and financial assistance in terms of access to water and sanitation.

Meanwhile the President has also invited to the fourth annual Democracy Forum to be held in Bali, Indonesia in December.

The letter of invitation was presented to Special Envoy of the President Ibrahim Hussain Zaki by the Special Envoy of Indonesia Abdurrahman Mohammad Fachir at a meeting that took place at the President’s Office.

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Police recover stolen gold necklace

Police have arrested two minors who stole a necklace from a foreign woman after holding a knife to her throat in Male’ yesterday.

The woman was walking down Majeedhee Magu in the evening yesterday when she was robbed by the juvenile offenders near the VB Mart in Maafanu ward.

According to police, the offenders were aged 15 and 16. Police recovered the gold necklace and returned it to the victim.

The child and family protection unit is investigating the case.

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