Author: Minivan News

Police arrest convicted criminal in Fuvamulah

Police have arrested a convict who had been sentenced for 12 years was supposedly in prison, after he was arrested on suspicion of trafficking drugs on Fuvamulah in Gnaviyani Atoll.

Online newspaper Sun reported that the person was in possession of illegal drugs inside a rented room in the island after police entered the place looking for him.

He swallowed seven rubber packets he was holding when he saw the police, however he was later taken to the hospital and the illegal drugs were taken out from his body.

The paper identified him as Abdulla Shareef, 34 of Lhaviyani Atoll Kurendhoo.

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Cafe’ Alfresco reopens

Cafe’ Alfresco has announced that it has been reopened, after the Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) shut down the famous cafe’ during a hygiene inspection program.

”We are happy to announce that Café Alfresco has been reopened today (June 15, 2011) at 4:00pm,” Alfresco said in a statement on its website.

”We have set the facilities to meet the required standards and all rules and regulations will be given top priority,” the statement said. ”Once again we sincerely apologise to all our customers and assure that all regulations will be met and maintained in the future.”

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Online database of Maldivian personal details reportedly shutdown

A database pertaining to detail personal information about all Maldivians over 17 years of age has been shutdown hours after going online today, local media has reported.

According to Haveeru, the website that published the information, which has since been taken down, allowed a user to find the birthdates and address of a citizen simply by entering their name into an online database.

The report claims that the Department of National Registration had rejected the possibility of the details having been leaked through its office. The department added that it had been investigating the website following complaints about the data being published.

Police were unavailable for comment on the matter when contacted by Minivan News at the time of press.

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Australia to allow online tourist visas for Maldivians

The Australian government will allow Maldivian nationals to apply for tourist visas online from July 1.

In a statement, the Australian High Commission in Colombo said the new system would not require Maldivians to have a visa label placed in their passport.

“A notification is sent to the client providing details of the visa and airlines are able to confirm the visa entitlements through the Advanced Passenger Processing System,” the High Commission said.

“Clients can also, if they wish, print a copy of their visa approval notification email to carry with them whilst traveling to Australia.”

For more information and to access the lodgement gateway, go to www.immi.gov.au/e_visa/e676.htm

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Tourism Ministry threatens to revoke resort licenses over payments

The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture is threatening to suspend the operating licenses of a number of resort and hospitality properties unless they pay outstanding government charges and related fines before July 20, Haveeru has reported.

The Nasandhura Palace Hotel and 10 resort properties in the country reportedly owe a combined total of US$16million to the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA), with failure to pay these individual debts expected to lead to a revocation of operating licenses under the Lease Rent Regulation.

Any enterprises that fail to pay these state charges before the 90 day deadline passes on July 20 will be able to have their licenses reinstated once any outstanding government debts are met, according to tourism officials cited by the paper.

Galaxy Enterprises, which rents the Nasandhura Palace Hotel, is facing legal action by the MIRA, who filed a case at the Civil Court this week over claims it is owed some US$265,000 by the company.

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Maldives to see lunar eclipse tonight

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs has said that tonight the Maldives will see a lunar eclipse.

The lunar eclipse will be seen from  23:23pm to 3:30am.

The Islamic Ministry said that in all the inhabited islands eclipse prayer will be conducted and in Male’ the prayer will be conducted at the Islamic Centre.

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Faseyha Point reopens after live goat found in toilet

Famous teashop ‘Faseyha point’ that was closed by the Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) has reopened.

The teashop was closed after MFDA officials found a live goat inside the toilet of the teashop.

The MFDA has so far inspected more than 100 teashops and restaurants in Male’ during a special operation to improve restaurant hygiene.

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Gayoom praises MP support during Afrashim vote

Former Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has issued a statement thanking MPs who supported Judicial Services Commission (JSC) member and Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Dr Afrashim Ali during a motion of no confidence that saw him removed from the judicial watchdog yesterday, according to local media.

Miadhu reported that Gayoom praised the 34 MPs who voted against removing Dr Afrashim from his post with the JSC, despite the no confidence motion passing with 38 votes in favour, claiming the Ungufaaru MP had strived to ensure “freedom and independency” in the Maldivian judiciary.

Gayoom used the statement to praise the need for independence in establishments like the judiciary that he said served as “foundations of democracy” that needed to be kept free of “undue political influence.”

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MIRA seeking US$265,050.93 in fines and non-payment for Nasandhura Palace Hotel

The Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) is seeking US$265,050.93 from Galaxy Enterprises Maldives in fines and non-payments under an agreement with the Ministry of Tourism for the rent of Nasandhura Palace Hotel, reports Haveeru.

MIRA is contending that Galaxy has not paid US100,000 in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fees stipulated in the agreement, and US$65,050.93 in fines for failure to pay the rent before deadline in the second and third quarters of last year.

The Civil Court has granted Galaxy seven days to respond.

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