Author: Minivan News

Changi Airport Group to sign INIA consultancy deal

Singapore’s Changi Airport Group has agreed to oversee the development of Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA), reports Haveeru.

The company, which manages Singapore’s multiple award-winning Changi airport, will officially announce the deal at a ceremony on Monday morning.

The development of INIA will be financed through China’s Exim bank, reported cabinet members earlier this month. Beijing Urban Construction Group were reported to have been working with Maldives Airports Company Ltd on the plans.

Tourism minister Ahmed Adeeb has previously explained that Changi would be hired as consultants as they are better qualified to work with Chinese and Japanese contractors.

Preliminary contract agreements for the development of the airport – stalled after the termination of the previous deal with India’s GMR in 2012 – were signed during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinpeng in September.

Source: Haveeru

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Emirates to add third daily flight from Malé

Emirates airlines is to add a third daily flight between Malé and Dubai International Airport, starting from December 1.

Emirates flight EK656 will depart Dubai at 02:10 to arrive in Malé at 07:15. The return leg, EK657, will depart Ibrahim Nasir International Airport at 08:45 and arrive in Dubai at 11:55.

“The Maldives has proven to be a strong market for leisure and family travel. With a wide range of luxury hotel chains, romantic beaches and adventurous water sports activities; it certainly has something for everyone,” said Ahmed Khoory, a senior vice president at Emirates.

“The increased cargo capacity on the route will also help facilitate business between the Maldives and its key trading markets,” he added.

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President Yameen meets with Indian and Pakistani prime minsters

President Abdulla Yameen has met with both Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the sidelines of the 18th SAARC summit in Kathmandu.

Yameen expressed gratitude for India’s continued for support and assistance, and discussed opportunities to increase Indian assistance towards the Maldives health sector.

During his meeting with the Pakistani prime minister, Yameen discussed expanding relations, particularly in the fields of trade, commerce, and human resources. Yameen and Nawaz also exchanged views on making SAARC a more powerful regional bloc.

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Police discover buried bones at Henveiru Adi Park

The Maldives Police Services (MPS) has discovered buried bones at Henveiru Adi Park this morning while setting up the area for a police event held tomorrow.

A police media official told Minivan Mews that the Serious and Organised Crime and Forensics team investigated the bones on the scene, taking them for further investigation.

The official also said that the police have not yet confirmed whether the bones belonged to humans, saying that tests are being undertaken to determine the origin of the bones.

However, local media reported that the bones were that of humans while also stating that the area used to be a small cemetery.

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16-year-old boys dies after fall from building

A 16-year-old boy died last night while being treated at Haa Dhaalu Kulhudhuhfushi regional hospital after he fell down from the roof of a building under construction.

Local media has identified the boy as Ahmed Visham of Vinares, Haa Dhaalu NeyKurendhoo.

While speaking to Raaje.mv, Neykurendhoo Council President Mohamed Sizan said that the incident occurred at around 6.30pm and that the boy fell down a distance of about 25 feet.

Visham was taken to the Kulhudhuhfushi where he was treated at the ICU before he passed away at 1.15am.

The fall reportedly broke bones in his calf area and arms while also causing several injuries to his head and face.

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Maldivian journalists told that China will not interfere with Maldives’ sovereignty

Maldivian journalists in China have been told that the country will not interfere in the domestic affairs of the Maldives.

Meeting with Maldivian journalists, Director of the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Asian Department Xin Wang said that a lot had been planned between the two nations.

“China is just helping the Maldives pull itself up. It will be Maldives that makes the final decision on everything relevant to this development,” Haveeru reported Xin as saying.

President Abdulla Yameen announced earlier this month that increased ties with China were part of a policy of looking east. Criticising the interference of “Western colonial powers”, Yameen noted that working with China does not bring the same challenges.

Source: Haveeru

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High Court to rule on Majlis reappointment of auditor general

The High Court has today accepted a complaint lodged by former Auditor General (AG) Niyaz Ibrahim challenging the appointment of his replacement.

Niyaz was dismissed from his job when President Abdulla Yameen on Monday approved Hassan Ziyath as the new AG hours after 59 MPs voted in his favour.

The ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) had pushed through a surprise amendment to the Audit Act on October 29 requiring the AG be reappointed within 30 days.

Niyaz’s lawyer Ibrahim Riffath told Minivan News Niyaz could not be dismissed half way through his seven year term through an amendment to the Audit Act.

“Article 215 of the Constitution clearly sets the AG’s term to seven years. Niyaz was appointed in May 2011. Further, Article 218 states the AG’s position only becomes vacant if the incumbent resigns or through a no confidence vote by the People’s Majlis,” he explained.

“The Majlis will have to amend the constitution to dismiss him by any other means.”

Niyaz has also requested that the High Court issue an injunction on the enforcement of the new amendment.

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PG submits Thinadhoo terrorism cases for the second time

Prosecutor General Muhthaz Muhsin has submitted terrorism charges against 89 individuals from Gaaf Dhaal Thinadhoo Island for the second time.

Criminal Court Chief Judge Abdulla first threw out the Thinadhoo cases on Saturday (November 22) after state prosecutors failed to attend a hearing scheduled for 10am.

Mushin resubmitted the cases yesterday, but the Judge Abdulla refused to accept the cases claiming he was uncertain if state prosecutors would cooperate with the trial.

The PG office submitted a letter assuring Judge Abdulla of their cooperation, and has appealed his decision to reject the case at the High Court.

The 89 are accused of setting fire to government buildings on Thinadhoo following former President Mohamed Nasheed’s ouster in February 2012.

Judge Abdulla had last week ordered 55 of the 89 defendants be held in detention pending the outcome of the trials, claiming the accused were intimidating witnesses. All have since been released.

Nasheed has called on Muhsin to respect the judge’s decision stating: “Abdulla Mohamed has decided the case is invalid. When the prosecutor general submits the same cases to his desk again saying he has the power and authority of the state, that is an affront to the rule of law and courts.”

The former president also said that the military’s detention of the judge during his tenure was “wrong”.

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Two MNDF officers and a policeman arrested in Malé drug bust

The Maldives Police Services has arrested two officers of the Maldives National Defense Forces (MNDF) and a policeman in a drug bust this morning.

Speaking to the press today, Drug Enforcement Department’s (DED) Head Superintendent Ahmed Shifan said three individuals were arrested at Avista café in Malé on suspicion of drug trafficking.

Following the arrest, the police conducted a search of Sinamalé apartment 12-03, and found 18 bullets of suspected heroin and tools to pack narcotics. A fourth man was arrested at the apartment.

The police officer arrested in the case is 28 years of age while the two MNDF officers are 24 years of age and 28 years of age.

A further two men were arrested on charges of drug trafficking in Malé this week. They were caught on the stairway of Galholu Mithuru in Malé with 27 pieces of cellophane and 23 packets thought to contain illegal drugs.

There has been a spike in the number of police officers arrested in drug busts this year.

In March, the police arrested a police sergeant in a drug bust involving 24 kg of heroin. The MVR36 million haul is the largest from a police operation in the country’s history. Four Maldivians, three Bangladeshis and 11 Pakistanis were also taken into custody.

Police later revealed that the officer had used a local money transfer service to send money to an Iranian agent.

Local media reported in August that the officer was among three Maldivian suspects released from custody after the Prosecutor General’s Office decided there was insufficient evidence for prosecution.

On November 11, a police officer and eight others were arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking from Lhaviyani Atoll Hinnavaru Island.

According to the police, 16 bullet-sized rubber packets of “a substance suspected to be drugs,” 241 bullet-sized rubber packets of heroin, and 145 packets of hash oil were seized during an operation conducted by the DED in Hinnavaru.

A police officer and two others were also arrested in a drug bust in Addu City in October.

Speaking at a conference of police division and atoll commanders on October 22, Home Minister Umar Naseer said criminal gangs in the atolls were attempting to infiltrate the police by forging personal relationships with police officers stationed in their islands.

Gangs attempt to “penetrate” police stations in order to gather information to carry out criminal activities, he said.

Naseer said complaints have been received from various islands about offenders quickly learning of a crime being reported to the police.

Information was thus “leaking” from within the police, he added.

“So some people hesitate to share information with some police stations. This is very regrettable,” he said.

Commanders in the atolls should ensure that police officers do not fraternise with known criminals or suspected drug dealers, Naseer urged.

Naseer said he had received complaints from various islands about police officers spending time with suspected drug dealers when they were off-duty.

Commanders should be aware of who their subordinate officers “go to coffees or picnics with,” he advised, which should be controlled to ensure the “credibility of the police force on that island or atoll.”

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