Author: Minivan News

Former education minister will be first Chancellor of Maldives National University

Former Education Minister Dr Musthafa Luthfy has been appointed by President Mohamed Nasheed as the Chancellor of the first university to be opened in the Maldives, reports Haveeru.

The Maldives National University will be formally inaugrated at Dharubaaruge tomorrow morning.

President Nasheed and Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik will address the ceremony. President Nasheed will also present MNU’s seal to the new Chancellor.

Dr Luthfy was the Tourism Minister under the former administration and the Education Minister under the MDP government, until he resigned with seven other cabinet ministers due to a constitutional technicality on reappointments, and the opposition-majority parliament’s refusal to approve the reappointed ministers.

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Elections Commission recounting 15 constituencies

The Elections Commission is recounting the ballots for 15 constituences after opening the boxes yesterday in the presence of journalists and concerned candidates. The EC on Thursday began a clarification count of the ballots from Sri Lanka.

Areas being checked include: Dhaandhoo council, Kibindhoo constituency, Mundoo council, Villi-Maafannu constituency, Kaafu atoll Maafushi council, Laamu atoll Gan council, Gemanafushi constituency, Dhaandhoo constituency, Hebandhoo council, Naifaru council, Maaungoodhoo council, Thulusdhoo constituency, Maamingili constituency, Hulhu-Meedhoo constituency, Mid-Henveiru constituency

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Red Crescent to support Ville-Male orphanage

The Maldivian Red Crescent has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Health and Family to support the Ville-Male Children’s House orphanage.

Haveeru reported that under the one year agreement, the Red Crescent would identify assistance needed for the orphanage and provide it, raising grants through international organisations where necessary.

The MoU was signed at the Health Ministry by Minister Dr Aminath Jameel and Secretary General of the Maldivian Red Crescent, Rasheeda Ali.

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PG will take DRP council member for Villi-Maafannu to court

The Prosecutor General will take successful Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) candidate for Villi-Maafannu, Ahmed ‘Fly’ Hameed, to court for allegedly beating a police officer.

Haveeru reports that Hameed was being prosecuted for allegedly obstructing police attempts to control a crowd of 11,000 at Dr Zakir Naik’s sermon in May 2010, which became hostile after Ahmed Nazim questioned Naik over the penalty for apostasy.

Police confirmed a case was sent to the PG’s office on 22 August, 2010.

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Canadian firm to install sewerage infrastructure in upper south province

Ottawa-based Clearford Industries Inc. has signed an agreement with The Upper South Utilities Limited (USUL) of the Republic of Maldives to negotiate and enter into sewerage infrastructure projects for up to fifteen of the islands located in the country’s Upper South Province, using Clearford’s Small Bore Sewer system.

Canadian company Clearford Industries has signed an agreement with the Maldives’ Upper South Utilities Limited to install and service sewerage infrastructure on 15 islands.

Solid Waste and Recycling Magazine reported that the “good faith” agreement would enable the Maldives to pay Clearford over a 20 year period, in a deal worth an estimated US$40 million.

Sewers are currently installed on just 12 of the Maldives’ almost 200 inhabited islands.

Groundwater on islands without sewerage systems was frequently contaminated due to the porous coral and sand structures of the islands, the report stated.

“The Maldives has been one of the 10 priority countries for Clearford during the last year of international business development,” the magazine reported Bruce Linton, president and CEO of Clearford, as saying.

“We have interacted with and made proposals for servicing on some of the islands over this period. I am confident that we have a very knowledgeable customer and an optimal technical solution for their requirement.”

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Cabinet appoints sub-committee to implement local councils, teachers to be licensed

Cabinet yesterday decided to appoint a sub-committee to oversee the technical and administrative arrangements for establishing local councils, following the elections on Saturday.

Ministers acknowledged that there were also legal requirements that needed to be met before councils could commence their duties.

During Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, ministers also decided to register and license teachers working in the Maldives, after reviewing recommendations in a paper presented by the Ministry of Education.

When the decision comes into effect, all teachers teaching in pre-school to higher secondary levels, school principals, technical staff in these levels, and all those interested in teaching in schools of the Maldives will be required to register and acquire a license to teach.

Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed chaired the meeting as President Mohamed Nasheed is a four day holiday following the local council elections.

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President commends independent institutions on “peaceful and competitive” elections

The Elections Commission, police, state authorities and civil society organisations were to be commended for the generally peaceful local council elections, held last Saturday, President Mohamed Nasheed has said.

The elections were peaceful and competitive without major incident, Nasheed said.

The DRP won 502 seats, 91 island councils and 10 atoll councils, according to preliminary results of the local council elections.

MDP won 375 seats, 61 island councils, four atoll councils and 88 percent of the city council seats. Independents took 160 seats, 15 island councils and one atoll council (Dhaalu).

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IFC and MMA to establish Maldives’ first credit information bureau

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is to work with the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) to establish the country’s first credit information bureau, reports India Infoline.

The creation of a formal mechanism for sharing credit information will improve access to finance for small and medium enterprises, the IFC stated.

“Creating a financial infrastructure that supports informed credit-related decisions and improves access to credit for small and medium enterprises is an important priority for IFC and the Maldives,” said Per Kjellerhaug, IFC Regional Manager. “Establishing a credit information bureau will help the country get closer to achieving this goal.”

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News sites and celebrity blogs awash with reports of Maldives’ blonde “fantasy” island

Self-described ‘Internet’s most notorious gossip columnist blogger’ Perez Hilton has joined a growing number of international media outlets to cover the story of the Lithuania-based company Olialia’s plans for a luxury Maldivian resort staffed only by individuals with blonde hair or wigs.

Last week, Olialia Brand Manager Lauryna Anuseviciute told the Associated Press that non-blonde staff at the proposed resort, which is set to be built on a man-made island resembling a high-heeled shoe, “will wear a blond wig to make everyone look similar.”

Although Olialia’s resort plans were first announced back last September, the story has this week garnered attention from news sources all around the world, including Sky News, The Week, the Sydney Morning Herald and Perez Hilton’s blog – usually a source for the latest news on pop stars like Britney Spears rather than tourist developments in the Maldives.

“Lithuanian company Olialia has created a business empire, and their newest venture is a ‘fantasy resort’ island in Maldives,” the blogger wrote. Perez Hilton also referenced Anuseviciute, who described the importance of hair colour to the business plan.

Maldivian tourism authorities have yet to officially hear of – or approve – the ambitious project.

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