Author: Minivan News

Vice President urges companies to fulfil social responsibilities

Speaking at the 15 anniversary function of Malé Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC) at the Fen Building, Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed urged all business organisations in the Maldives to give special attention to fulfilling their corporate social responsibility.

Dr Waheed said, as the largest water provider in the country, the MWSC was undertaking a great responsibility.

He called on the company to fulfill its social responsibility and keep in mind the greater benefit of the people, while still working to maximise its profit.

Dr Waheed said clean drinking water and more affordable and accessible services for the less fortunate of the country should be given special consideration.

He said access to clean drinking water and adequate sewerage facilities was a Constitutional right of Maldivians, and it is the state’s responsibility to provide these services.

Dr Waheed said the MWSC had been providing clean water for half the population, and added the government established provincial utilities companies to provide for the rest of the population.

Dr Waheed also presented the company’s annual employee awards.

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Investment in private sector to be worth US$1 billion over three years-President Nasheed

President Mohamed Nasheed has said in his weekly radio address on the Voice of Maldives last Friday that private sector investments in the Maldives will be worth an estimated US$1 billion over the next three years.

President Nasheed said this would be in addition to official development assistance, and discussed details of the investment areas and upcoming projects.

Some of the projects are the upgrade of Malé International Airport and Hanimandhoo airport, expanding Gan airport’s runway, establishing a waste management facility in Thilafushi, Apollo Hospitals taking over Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH), the proposed national ferry system, and a project to build 10,000 housing units.

President Nasheed also spoke of the recent Donor’s Conference, saying it “was very successful.” He added that it showed the trust the international community has in the current government.

The president said the US$ 313 million in pledges that was announced at the Donor Conference will go toward developmental assistance and budget support.

President Nasheed added that the sports sector will be restructured, and there will be a national sports institute to oversee development of sports infrastructure.

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Taxi destroyed in fire

A taxi parked near Hazarsh Mart in Galolhu, Malé, caught fire yesterday, report police.

Police said the fire started at 5 pm. Nobody was injured during the incident.

The Maldives National Defense Force Fire and Rescue team attended the area and controlled the fire.

Police reported that the car was almost fully damaged during the incident and are still investigating the reason for the fire.

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National football team player arrested

Police have arrested mid-fielder for the Maldives national football team and Victory club, Mohamed ”Bakaa” Arif, in connection with a drug-related case.

Sub-inspector Ahmed Shiyam confirmed that Arif was arrested last Thursday in connection with a police special operation.

Shiyam said the case was under investigation and he could not provide more details on the arrest.

Arif was recently transferred from the New Radicals club to the Victory, for whom he still has not played a single game.

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Maldives police complete judo course

Twelve police have completed their second course in basic judo techniques, organised by Maldives Police Services (MPS).

The judo course was conducted by Yukata Kakinooma from the Japan International Corporation Agency, running throughout March. The first course was conducted in January.

Judo, meaning “gentle way”,  is a popular Japanese martial art that emphasises immobilisation of the opponent through joint locks, holds and grappling.

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Successful agreement on UN Child Rights Treaty led by Maldives

The Maldives has secured the decision to draft a new international human rights treaty as an additional optional protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) at the Human Rights Council in Geneva this week, reports Miadhu.

The CRC, which is the most ratified treaty in the world, entered into force in 1990. Until now, it was the only major human rights treaty that did not have procedures to allow violations of children’s rights to be reported to UN human rights mechanisms.

The unanimous decision reached in Geneva ends the 20 year deadlock between UN Member States, now allowing international protection mechanisms to intervene when domestic institutions fail to offer protection.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Ahmed Shaheed said the fact that the Maldives was asked to chair and lead the negotiations to secure the agreement on the CRC showed the high regard which the international community has for the Maldives.

He added that the fact that the 20 year deadlock had been broken showed the Maldives’ growing international influence.

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Lost fishing boat found

A fishing boat which went out on 26 Friday evening and became lost  was found yesterday, reports Miadhu.

The news paper identified the fishing boat as ‘Mofa 258”.

Miadhu reported that all the men aboard the fishing boat were fine, according to the Coast Guard.

The fishing boat was found 55 kilometres away from Hirilandhu of Thaa Atoll.

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February marks record tourist arrivals of 77,063 and 91% occupancy

Tourist arrivals in February have increased almost 14 per cent on last year, from 58,520 to 77,063.

Approximately 70 per cent of the tourists arrived from Europe – a 12.5 per cent increase on last year – led by Germany. Italian tourist arrivals increased by 3.4 per cent, although arrivals from Greece, Portugal and Spain declined. Sweden and Finland plunged 28.3 per cent.

Total occupancy during February was high – over 91 per cent – with tourists spending a total of 573,640 nights in the country.

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Cabinet briefed on Hanimaadhoo international airport

Cabinet has been briefed briefed by the Privatisation Committee on additional proposals submitted by GMR Group of India to develop Hanimaadhoo airport as an international airport.

Chairman of the Privatisation Committee and Minister of Civil Aviation and Communication Mahmood Razee briefed the Cabinet on the issue.

Razee informed the Cabinet that GMR has proposed to develop the airport in two phases; the first phase overseeing the construction of a 2.8 km runway. The second phase would be started when there is sufficient air traffic.

Razzee said the international airport at Hanimadhoo could see 2.5 million passengers by 2025, provided that 12,000 beds in the tourism industry are operated in the region.

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