Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) welcomed the maiden flights of Etihad Airways and Hainan Airlines yesterday, making Male’ Etihad’s 67th destination.
Etihad flight EY278 from Abu Dhabi touched down at approximately 2:17 pm and was welcomed with a water cannon salute, bodu-beru dancers, coconuts and a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The Hainan flight from Beijing that touched down approximately 20 minutes later was similarly received.
Passengers who disembarked from both flights appeared curious, surprised, exhausted and delighted at the festivities. Etihad Executive Vice President Halid Al Marhedi was invited to cut a golden ribbon with GMR CEO Andrew Harrison and Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation (MMPRC) Managing Director, Simon Hawkins.
The new partnerships reflect the travel and tourism industry’s changing patterns.
While Etihad, the official airline of the United Arab Emirates, is projected to expand arrivals to the Maldives significantly, Hainan signifies China’s growing demand.
“It’s a good sign that these two airlines are having their maiden voyages today,” said Mahika Chandrasena, GMR Head of Corporate Communications. “Etihad shows that we are interested in expanding and working with these larger, well-known airlines. Hainan shows that we are interested in working with the Chinese market, which is growing dramatically.”
Hainan is the third Chinese airline to open operations in the Maldives.
Etihad is making the rounds in the region: today, it makes its maiden voyage to the Republic of Seychelles. Although Etihad will celebrate its 8th anniversary in the next few days, as one of the youngest premier airlines it has seen astonishing growth.
“Forward booking indicates that the Maldives has become one of the most popular destinations for leisure travelers and honeymooners,” said al Marhedi at a reception held at Naladhu resort last evening. Al Marhedi said Etihad was “very pleased to invest in the Maldives and support its economic growth.”
Speaking at the ceremony, Hawkins said the Maldives tourism industry could only benefit from the higher connectivity offered by Etihad. “It’s interesting to learn why people don’t come to the Maldives,” he said. “The number one reason is, people simply don’t know where we are. So when a major airline like Etihad opens services here, we know we can expect better connectivity to new markets and a fundamental boost to the country’s economy.”
Hawkins concluded that team work between airlines, travel agents, resorts and other sectors were essential to the growth and maintenance of the national economy.
Etihad has taken steps to offer customers a complete travel experience. Special travel packages are tailored to a range of budgets and travel purposes; airline guest members who book early and fly in the next 30 days will have their mileage points doubled.
INIA currently receives approximately two million arrivals each year from 29 different airlines. GMR aims to raise that to three million in the next year, and to 5.2 million by 2014, Chandrasena said.
“Alitalia will be joining us in December, bringing our airline numbers to 30,” she added. “We don’t want to say ‘no’ to anyone.”
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2011, which ended Sunday, was hailed by Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard as a “major contribution” towards building “a more purposeful, relevant and valuable Commonwealth.”
However, critics argue that steps taken failed to herald bold progress.
Speaking after the closing ceremony in Perth, Gillard told media, “I believe we have made a major contribution to ensuring the Commonwealth is an institution that is well positioned for the future. We have set the direction for a more purposeful, relevant and valuable Commonwealth.”
An official conference communique shows resolutions to develop climate change policies and support related innovative technologies.
In 2010, Gillard was heavily criticised by her own electorate for a proposed carbon tax. President Mohamed Nasheed expressed his support for her “brave steps”, and recommended that other countries follow her example.
Leaders also agreed to promote universal health care, equality in gender and education, and to address security issues including piracy, human trafficking, arms trade and cyber crime.
British Prime Minister David Cameron also announced a proposal to reform the rules of succession to the monarchy, allowing the first child of the royal family to assume the throne regardless of gender.
However, CHOGM has been criticised for avoiding significant human rights reforms.
A proposal submitted by the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) panel, which was appointed at the last CHOGM to propose modernisation measures, criticised the association for losing relevancy with modern global trends.
The proposal criticised the Commonwealth’s inability to censure member countries that violate human rights or democratic norms. This oversight has been widely criticised as CHOGM members did not reconsider the earlier decision to hold CHOGM 2013 in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka is currently facing war crimes allegations for acts committed by its military during the 2009 civil war with the Tamil Tigers. Sri Lanka’s own internal investigation has been rejected by numerous international human rights groups including Amnesty International (AI) and Human Rights Watch (HRW) on the grounds that it does not meet international standards.
Previously, a Commonwealth member would be expelled or suspended for such violations after the event.
Sri Lankan representatives were reported as being “incensed” when the matter was raised by Canadian and Australian officials.
In 106 “urgent” recommendations, the EPG advocated for the adoption of a Charter of the Commonwealth; the creation of a new commissioner on the rule of law, democracy and human rights to track persistent human rights abuses and allegations of political repression by Commonwealth member states; recommendations for the repeal of laws against homosexuality, currently existing in 41 Commonwealth states, and a ban on forced marriage.
EPG proposals were neither endorsed nor published by the Commonwealth member states. Pressure to publish the proposals from the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada was resisted by India, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Namibia.
CHOGM’s failure to act on the EPG proposal was considered a “disgrace” by former British Foreign Secretary Sir Malcom Rifkind.
“The Commonwealth faces a very significant problem,” he said. “It’s not a problem of hostility or antagonism, it’s more of a problem of indifference. Its purpose is being questioned, its relevance is being questioned and part of that is because its commitment to enforce the values for which it stands is becoming ambiguous in the eyes of many member states.”
EPG Chair and former Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi allegedly told delegates at the start of the summit that the meeting would be considered a “failure” if the reforms were not adopted.
Two-thirds of the 106 recommendations have been sent to “study groups” for review.
The Commonwealth includes 54 nations, the largest block being formed by Africa with 19 regional states.
Before concluding this year’s meeting, CHOGM welcomed Malaysia’s offer to host the 2019 session.
Officials at the Presidents Office and the Human Rights Commission were unavailable at time of press.
An experiment by British biotechnology company Oxitec Limited has yielded mosquitoes genetically engineered to prevent the spread of dengue fever by killing their own offspring.
The mosquitoes, formally termed aedes aegypti RIDL strain, transmit a lethal gene to their offspring which kills them before they reach maturity. Only male mosquitoes carry the gene.
The engineered mosquitoes were first released in the Cayman Islands in 2009 in a 25-acre area. A report published yesterday (October 30) revealed signs of success.
According to the traps, genetically engineered male mosquitoes accounted for 16 percent of the total male population in the test area, while 10 percent of the larvae contained the lethal gene. Scientists concluded that although genetically engineered males were half as successful at mating as normal mosquitoes, their activities would still suppress the population in dengue-endemic areas.
A larger trial on Grand Cayman island in 2010 reduced the targeted mosquito population by 80 percent for three months, Oxitec has reported.
“The results, and other work elsewhere, could herald an age in which genetically modified insects will be used to help control agricultural pests and insect-borne diseases like dengue fever and malaria,” the US’ New York Times reported today.
The insects have also been released in Brazil and nearby Malaysia.
Dengue is reported in between 50 and 100 million cases each year, and accounts for an estimated 25,000 deaths. According to Oxitec, dengue threatens 50 percent of the world’s population and costs the global economy US$4 billion annually.
The new bug could prove useful to the Maldives. Though it ranks number one on South-East Asia’s list of malaria-free zones, the Maldives continues to combat dengue fever annually.
This year, hospitals documented the highest number of fatalities when Ahmed Shinah of Vaadhoo in Gaaf Dhaal Atoll succumbed to the disease in July. An Oxitec report shows a steady increase in cases weekly since 2009.
Director General of Health Services Dr. Ibrahim Yasir said health officials are aware of Oxitec’s experiment but are awaiting confirmation that the mosquitoes are a valid solution.
“We have heard about it, but we are not discussing the experiment at a policy level right now,” Yasir said. “We are waiting to see how it works in other countries first.”
Yasir was unable to say if the Maldives would be able to genetically modify its own mosquitoes, but noted that the environmental parallels between Malaysia and the Maldives gave officials confidence in Malaysia’s results.
“We will not pilot the experiment here, but I think the way they are exploring it in Malaysia will help us decide if it safe for the Maldives. It could certainly be a cutting edge solution to dengue,” Yasir said.
The Maldives is particularly vulnerable to the impact of dengue. Using Maldives as an example, Oxitec reported that dengue cases had occurred more frequently this year than in the two years previous in tourism-dependent countries. Travel warnings were issued by various government and international health organisations for these areas.
The economic impact of even a warning can be significant for tourism-dependent countries such as the Maldives, Oxitec claims. A paper by Mavalankar et al. found that French Réunion lost 40 percent of its tourism traffic in the year following the 2005-2006 chikungunya oubreak. The paper estimated that a country such as Thailand could lose US$363 million annually for every four percent drop in tourism traffic.
Deputy Director General of Tourism Hassan Zameel said dengue had never been reported on resorts in the Maldives, and was not expected to become a concern.
“Of course dengue is a problem if it becomes widespread and cannot be controlled, but the government has given this lots of thought and emergency mechanisms are in place,” he said, adding that emergency procedures were carried out effectively for the outbreak in July and August.
“Cases are mostly reported on local islands. Resorts have their own methods involving sprays and smoke to counter the spread of mosquitoes. They’re doing very well at controlling it. But I don’t think it will be an issue moving forward,” Zameel added.
Oxitec lately opened a new facility to serve further experiments in Brazil and Malaysia. However, the program is also being criticised for possible health and environmental risks.
Unlike an antibiotic, mosquitoes cannot be recalled once they have been released. Some scientists interviewed by the Times said the insects could develop a resilience to the gene and survive. Todd Shelly of Hawaii’s Agricultural Department said 3.5 percent of the insects in a lab test survived the gene and matured into adulthood.
The mosquitoes are also sorted by hand according to gender, leaving room for error which could be signficant when thousands are released over an area.
One possible solution is modifying female mosquitoes, which do not carry the lethal gene, to stay grounded.
Chief Scientist at Oxitec Dr. Luke Alphey deemed the new approach safe because it releases only males, while only females bite people and spread the disease. He said it should have little environmental impact, reports the Times.
Meanwhile, authorities in Florida, United States hope to conduct an experimental release of the bugs in December.
A prostitution ring that has trafficked Sri Lankan girls to Maldivian resorts via Male’ for the past six years has been busted by Sri Lankan police, and is now being investigated by local authorities.
The operation began detected after a Pannipitiya brothel was raided by the Special Investigations Unit of Sri Lanka’s Mirihana Police, which operates in a Colombo suburb. The police are investigating the operation’s association with Maldives’ resorts.
Maldives Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said local police were awaiting these details before taking action locally.
“We have just heard about the operation today, once we receive more information we will launch our own investigation,” Shiyam said.
Shiyam indicated that it was a “delicate matter”.
“We have found some operations before, and sometimes there are many people who are involved,” he said, adding that the police conduct “on and off operations” targeting prostitution rings.
The accused will face deportation or appropriate legal procedures, Shiyam said. Maldivian police forces expect full cooperation from their Sri Lankan counterparts in addressing the issue.
Speaking to Sri Lanka’s The Sunday Times, Inspector H. N. B. Jayasinha said a police decoy established contact with the Pannipitiya brothel’s inner operations, explaining that clients were accepted by appointment.
The brothel was later raided and five girls were arrested along with the matron ‘Pannipitiya aunty.’ The six women arrested were of Galle, Kandy, Anuradhapura and Mahiyangana, and have been remanded until October 31.
Officials noted, however, that the brothel was part of a wider network.
Jayasinha told The Sunday Times that investigations revealed that two or three girls were sent to the Maldives on tourist visas each month, where they worked as prostitutes on islands near Male’.
Speaking to local media Haveeru, Jayasinha said the girls were lured with promises of employment, and instead were held hostage and forced into prostitution.
Haveeru today published pictures of the girls being arrested by local police at a Male’ home, however none of the ringleaders have yet been arrested.
A police investigation conducted earlier this year revealed that human trafficking had overtaken fishing as the Maldives’ second greatest contributor of foreign currency, pulling in an estimated US$123 million annually. A majority was of this industry involves the trafficking of Bangladeshi workers following false or duplicitous promises of employment, however the trafficking of sex workers has also been previously reported.
Although the Maldives’ economy expanded in October, higher food and transport costs combined with the depreciating rufiyaa has bloated inflation rates to 8.3 percent, a CARE Maldives report has shown.
“Inflation during the period was mostly influenced by food index owing to the increase in prices of both fish (41.6%) and other food items (11.19%) followed by the increase in the transportation costs,” states the report.
“But this is not singular for this economy as rising prices have been witnessed across the globe,” the report contends.
Quoting a “global slowdown” in economic activity, the report suggested that international commodity prices are due to fall in coming months. The drop could temper the Maldives’ rising prices.
The recently-implemented Goods and Services Tax (GST) caused many Maldivians to note a price hike with anxiety. However, the President assured the people that further reforms scheduled for January 2012 would temper the new rates.
CARE Maldives suggested that a drop in international commodity prices would also reverse the widening trade deficit and declining reserves of foreign currency. Gross international reserves declined by approximately US$27 million between December 2010 and September 2011.
Statistics show an increase of US$33.2 million in reserves to date compared with August 2010, the report claims.
CARE estimates that the fiscal deficit will remain at 11 percent of the GDP; total revenue is expected to increase from 23 percent of GDP to 29 percent by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, total expenditure continues to surpass revenue. Records indicate a four percent increase from 37 percent of GDP in 2010 to 41 percent in 2011, primarily due to growing government salaries.
“The increase in expenditure mainly reflects the restoration of wages of government employees to the levels prior to 2009. The government has however taken some steps in terms of rationalisation of manpower. The overall fiscal deficit is estimated to remain at 11 percent of GDP.”
Approximately ten percent of the Maldivian workforce is employed by the government, an ungainly figure that has been targeted as a key hemorrhage point in the government’s budget. The Finance Ministry recently asked government institutions to curb job creation and new hires.
Earlier this month, President Mohamed Nasheed said the government aimed to bring the fiscal deficit down to a single digit number.
“Government expenditure has been substantially reduced in a number of different areas. For this year, we forecast a budget deficit of 11 percent. We have noted now that it has been reduced by three or four points,” he said.
CARE Maldives summarized its report by criticising the growing inflation rate and trade deficit, but praised government policies that target these issues.
“The progressive policy measures taken by the government especially on the exchange rate combined with declining commodity prices globally would help to reverse these trends.”
The Attorney General’s (AG) Office has appealed the Criminal Court’s ruling that the arrest of Gassan Maumoon was unconstitutional.
The AG’s Office told local media that it appealed because the court’s ruling contained “legal issues” and was delivered in a case that the police had not filed.
Gassan Maumoon, son of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, was arrested on Monday, October 23 for allegedly throwing a wooden plank that struck and critically injured a 17-year-old boy during a protest outside of the family’s household, Endherimaage.
The protest was held by the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) on October 20. Gassan was subsequently summoned twice by police, and later taken to Dhoonidhoo prison for further enquiry.
The Criminal Court however released Gassan under the claim that his arrest violated procedures established by the Supreme Court for operating article 46 of the constitution.
The ruling came after Gassan’s lawyers applied for a writ of ‘habeas corpus’, or release from unlawful detention. They argued that due process was violated as the circumstances of his arrest did not fall under exceptions provided for in the constitution where police could arrest suspects without an arrest warrant.
Article 46 states that, “No person shall be arrested or detained for an offence unless the arresting officer observes the offence being committed, or has reasonable and probable grounds or evidence to believe the person has committed an offence or is about to commit an offence, or under the authority of an arrest warrant issued by the court.”
President’s Office Press Secretary Mohamed Zuhair added that the court had cited a precedent set by the Supreme Court on a similar case, stating that a suspect should be arrested at the scene of the crime. Otherwise, said Zuhair, a suspect should be arrested at the scene where evidence is found.
Zuhair observed that the court’s policy on article 46 restricts the due course of justice.
“The police had investigated the case and detained Gassan when they thought they had enough evidence. They submitted the evidence to the court and followed the procedures in place. What other procedures should they use, especially in a time-sensitive case such as a case of violence?” he said.
Zuhair added that if the court’s claim against the police’s arrest procedures went undisputed, all individuals arrested during the protest would have to be released.
Police Superintendent Mohamed Jinah insisted at the time of the court’s ruling that the arrest was lawful as police had reasonable grounds to suspect Gassan had committed a crime and were prepared to submit early evidence.
If Gassan’s arrest was unlawful, said Jinah, “everyone police have arrested and brought before the court [for extension of detention] was arrested in violation of the constitution.”
On October 26, police released 11 suspects who had been arrested without a warrant on suspicion of having committed an offence.
When asked if the appeal was expected to overturn the court’s ruling against the police. Zuhair was optimistic.
There are two key points of argument, he said. “How was a private member of Gayoom’s family able to launch a case in the Criminal Court without first going through the Civil Court, as is the usual course of action, and secondly, how else were the police supposed to submit their evidence, other than the procedure in place, which they used?”
Gassan’s case involves another first: after the police were allegedly summoned to and “thrown out” of the Prosecutor General’s (PG) office, the PG publicly stated that it was seeking legal advice from the Supreme Court. “This is unprecedented, usually these cases are appealed to the High Court,” Zuhair said.
“I hope this is resolved quickly because there is a growing concern among a wide section of society over the impartiality of the judiciary,” he concluded.
Recently, MDP requested international assistance in overcoming the “increasingly blatant collusion between politicians loyal to the former autocratic President, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, and senior members of the judiciary.”
The request was made in relation to a Supreme Court case in which Gassan has contested MP Mohamed Musthafa’s election to parliament in May 2009.
“The Supreme Court case is the latest installment of an ongoing attempt by Gayoom to secure a parliamentary seat for his son, Gassan Maumoon,” a statement sent by MDP and subsequently forwarded to diplomatic missions and United Nations offices by the Foreign Ministry alleged.
Recent actions in the judicial system have indicated a deep and tangled history of politically biased judicial rulings.
The Judicial Services Commission (JSC), the watchdog body charged with overseeing the judiciary, abolished its Complaints Committee citing “efficiency”, with complaints against judges subsequently forwarded for review by the legal section and Chair Adam Mohamed Abdulla, a Supreme Court Justice.
Last year the JSC received 143 complaints concerning the conduct of judges. By its own statistics none were tabled in the commission, and only five were ever replied to.
Chair of the former complaints commission, Aishath Velezinee, was meanwhile stabbed in the street in January this year.
The JSC also failed to table or even acknowledge receipt of a report on the judiciary produced by the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), which questioned whether the JSC possessed the technical ability and knowledge to investigate complaints and hold the judiciary accountable, as well as its independence.
In the wake of these developments, Zuhair said lawyers have begun forums to openly discuss allegations against the judicial system. “They are active and getting a fair amount of media coverage, I think they may formulate reforms for two laws concerning judges and the judiciary,” he said.
The laws involve the process of appointing judges to the Supreme Court, and the qualifications required of a Supreme Court judge.
Aminath Shaira, age 30 of Finolhu/Noonu atoll Manadhoo, was publicly lashed 100 times outside the Justice Building for committing fornication. Lashing is the standard punishment for intercourse outside of marriage under Maldivian law.
Shaira was sentenced to one years’ imprisonment after she was identified as the mother of a premature baby that was found on 19 May in a Coast Milk tin in the bushes near the Vilimale’ powerhouse.
Forensic experts at the time claimed the baby was dead upon birth, and had been aborted after a five-month pregnancy.
Shaira was also sentenced to 100 lashes and one year’s house arrest for fornication, the Criminal Court confirmed today. Officials said she would be transferred to a prison in the next few days.
Shaira had been charged with disobedience to an order under article 88(a) of the 1968 penal code as well as violations under the Child Protection Act.
Fingerprints belonging to Mariyam Rizna, 18, of Guraidhoo in Kaafu Atoll, had been found on the Coast Milk tin at the time. Rizna was sentenced to six months in prison for helping Shaira deliver the baby.
A third suspect, Aishath Aniya, 24, of Huraa in Kaafu Atoll, was released after the court determined that there was not enough evidence to prove that she had provided abortion pills to the defendant.
Police were unable to identify the baby’s father at the time, and Shaira did not reveal his name.
Abortion is illegal in the Maldives except to save a mother’s life, or if a child suffers from a congenital defect such as thalassemia. Anecdotal evidence, however, points overwhelmingly to a high rate of abortion and unwanted pregnancy.
Around the same time as Sharia’s arrest, a dead infant was found in a plastic bag in Male’s swimming track area. A medical examination later concluded that the baby had sustained cuts, bruises and other wounds, an indication of possible abortion practices.
In November 2010, an abandoned newborn was discovered alive in bushes near the Wataniya telecommunications tower in Hulhumale’.
In January 2010, Minivan News reported that many women unable to travel to Sri Lanka resort to illegal abortions performed by unskilled individuals in unhygienic settings.
Deputy Minister of Health and Family Fathimath Afiya told Minivan News that a meeting was held today to discuss reproductive services in the Maldives. While Maldivian and Shariah law criminalise abortion and intercourse outside of wedlock, Afiya said communication between relevant services and the judiciary made it difficult to fully address each case.
“There needs to be an appropriate legal framework for reporting these cases to the services that could help unmarried and teenage women in compromised positions,” said Afiya. “We are very concerned about the rising number of unwanted pregnancies and abortions by married and unmarried women. Today, we began formulating an action plan for short- and long-term improvements.”
The action plan, which will be finalised during a half-day workshop in November, aims to create awareness of the challenges that pregnant married or unmarried women face, and the comparative lack of appropriate services, among citizens and legislators.
“The situation is very serious, I was surprised at the work that needed to be done to improve the situation,” Afiya said.
Sexual education is not administered per se in the Maldives, and the only official study of reproductive health was done in 2004. Other unofficial studies have noted that very little information is available on the subject.
According to Afiya, up to three cases of abortion are reported by Indira Ghandi Memorial Hospital’s (IGMH) family protection unit–a scant slice of the real picture. Most abortions go unreported or are only brought to medical professionals when an unsafe abortion has damaged the mother.
The stigma of having a child out of wedlock appears to drive women to grave action. Some use abortion-inducing pills or receive injections from amateur abortionists; others turn to harmful vaginal preparations, containing chemicals such as bleach or kerosene. Although infrequent, some women insert objects into their uterus or induce abdominal trauma.
Afiya said the situation is not limited to abortions – an increasing number of women abandon their babies at the hospital after birth.
“Some will just leave after giving birth. It does happen somewhat regularly,” she said.
In 2009, a young woman convicted of having extra-marital sex was also flogged. Amnesty International called for a moratorium on the “inhumane and degrading” punishment in the Maldives.
Although flogging is still a legal form of punishment in many Muslim countries worldwide, Amnesty officials claim that it specifically discriminates against women. Of the 184 people sentenced to lashing in 2006, 146 were female.
As Addu moves forward with SAARC preparations, local artists are also recommending a look at the past.
The Addu Cultural Center is the first historical replica village in the region, and the second in the Maldives. Founders Saifulla Hameed, Ibrahim Fariq and Min Haj said it serves three purposes: to respect the elderly, to remind the youth, and to introduce tourists to Maldivian heritage.
“Even now, people are visiting the center,” said Project Director Hameed. “They are shocked when they see this replica of how Maldivians lived years ago. For the older generation who remember this lifestyle, it’s like traveling back in time, and they are especially happy to see this. We also plan to invite schools to educate the young people.”
Construction of the center began six months ago, and is due for completion in time for the SAARC Summit, which starts on November 10.
The center includes seven buildings made from palm materials: a blacksmith, a living area, a bathroom, a 60-year-old koda dhoni, a kitchen, a school and a historical display room. A garden is also being cultivated. Buildings are furnished with original artifacts. Local crafts will be sold in one display building as souvenirs.
As SAARC approaches, the centre’s finishing touches are being made during any possible moment.
“It is hard to work because most people are preparing for the summit, but we work at night or during the day, when people are available,” said Hameed.
Project Partner Ibrahim Firaq began collecting artifacts at age 16; he is now 47. The Cultural Centre is the first opportunity he has had to make use of his collection.
“It was one of my dreams to put the collection on public display. I can’t even sleep, I am so eager to open this place,” he said.
Firaq’s collection includes coal-blowers, traditional cookware, rope bed frames, boat building tools and more. Many items, such as colonial clocks, European pottery and Arab tea and coffee pots, indicate the importance of international trade to the Maldives.
The collection will be used by a team of 20 staff who will “live” in the village.
“We have been training these workers to work, live and behave appropriately to illustrate a traditional lifestyle,” said Hameed. “The elderly picked it up easily, since many have actually lived like this when they were younger. But the younger workers need training.”
Hameed said he had developed the concept years ago, but applications for funding were previously rejected. Recent council elections and SAARC preparations paved the way for funding and expansion.
The centre is privately funded, and supplemented by a government contribution. Hameed said growing interest in developing Addu as a tourist destination has made the centre more significant.
“People staying at resorts have nice food and activities, but there isn’t much to see on those islands. Now, with more paved roads and things to see in Addu, there will be more reason to come here,” said Hameed, who looks forward to the attention that Addu is expected to receive during and after SAARC.
Addu atoll features a mere two resorts and two local hotels; council officials called accommodation a development priority. Mayor Abdullah Sodiq however said Addu offers unique opportunities for tourism within the Maldives.
“Addu is unlike other areas in that it offers places to visit. The remains of the British royal air force can be of interest to Europeans, and the Commonwealth War Grave is interesting to Commonwealth countries,” said Sodiq. “We also offer a protected marine area, as well as excellent diving.”
The Cultural Centre’s team also reported local interest in opening art galleries, crafts markets and Maldivian restaurants.
Haj said Addu should use the new convention center for more than just business events.
“Right now, Addu needs more accommodation to really host big conventions. I’m not sure that they’ll get more than two events a year. They should use the center for exhibitions, concerts or plays,” he suggested.
Few Maldivian schools boast artistic and cultural studies as a strong point. The government, however, has taken steps to foster cultural awareness.
Maldives Hulhevi Media Project recently began the first digital recording and documentary of the traditional Buruni Ballad, funded by the United States Embassy.
In September, the government announced plans to sign the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Deputy Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mamduh Waheed, said at the time that protecting cultural heritage would improve tourism in the Maldives. “We have a market for the natural aspect of the Maldives, and now we will be able to add cultural attractions and destinations. I think it will draw tourists interested in cultural conservation,” he observed.
Recently, a UN State of the World report found that over half of the global population was under the age of 25. One-quarter of the Maldives’ population is aged between 15 and 24, with a quarter of the young men and half of the young women reported as unemployed.
Vice President of the Maldives Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan recommended creating more job opportunities in the atolls.
Deputy Minister of Finance Haifa Naeem said it was important to “diversify jobs to attract the youth market, in fields such as arts and culture.”
The SAARC summit will be preceded by several days of festivities by local and international dance, music and sports groups.
“This is the foundation of Addu’s development,” said Addu’s mayor Abdullah Sodiq, referring to the city’s SAARC preparations during a press conference held in Hithadhoo yesterday. He said the projects had been supported by “99 percent” of Addu residents.
Maldivian media was flown to Addu yesterday to observe preparations for the upcoming 17th annual SAARC Summit, scheduled for November 10-12. Festivities will be held in the area starting on the first of the month, in conjunction with the Muslim holiday of Eid.
“We are expecting a lot of traffic through here, and are confident that everything will be ready in time,” Sodiq said. “But this is only the beginning, and we have many more plans for development.”
Addu’s SAARC projects have been underway for six months, officials report. As the deadline approaches, construction teams are working round the clock to finish two harbors, a VVIP lounge, roads and the country’s largest convention center.
Sodiq said the harbors will renovate Addu’s commercial prospects, while the convention center provides new opportunities for locals, officials and foreigners alike.
Construction of Feydhoo harbor continues as the first deadline passes and another approaches.
“The harbor is a central place for Addu, there is demand for it even after SAARC and we have plans to generate more industry and shipping using these new resources,” said Sodiq.
New roads constructed around the convention center have made future road development less expensive for the council’s budget, he added.
Addu’s council also plans to use the Rf115 million convention center, a two-story building of glass, wood and marble with a capacity of 3000, to transform the atoll from a quiet place to a hub of business and tourism.
“We have some representatives talking to businesses in Singapore and Malaysia about hosting events here,” Sodiq told Minivan News. “We will be soliciting bids to find the right event manager to look after the convention center as well. I think there are people interested in what Addu has to offer, and I’m sure we can get a market for it.”
Officials and locals interviewed also hinted at hopes for musical events, theatrical performances, art exhibitions and holiday celebrations.
Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Assistant Director Ahmed Abeer Ismail said the centre’s origins were a sign of Addu’s potential. “That area began as a swamp, now it’s the biggest convention center in the country.” The swamp was heavily landscaped by MNDF and police forces, and now features a few scenic islands.
One of the Maldives’ most strategic atolls, Addu has been largely left to seed since the British withdrew its forces and influence in 1975. City councilor Ahmed Mirzad called SAARC the beginning of a new Addu.
“For 30 years we had Gayoom, and nothing was done in Addu. Then there was a new president, and unlike Gayoom he didn’t just look after Male’, he looked after the entire Maldives. For 30 years we didn’t even have one harbor that was working for Addu, but in the past six months, we have gotten everything,” said Mirzad.
Addu’s councilors were elected for the first time six months ago. Mirzad said the next three years will be a difficult but critical time for the council to prove itself to Addu’s people. Still, the timing is ideal.
“I don’t think, I know that this summit is the right starting point. Now, we will only keep going with our plans to grow,” he said.
Workers cross a newly-constructed road to continue landscaping across from the convention center.
One particular operation illustrates the grassroots motives behind the SAARC preparations. Selected from Maldives National University (MNU) Addu first-year students in hospitality, 24 Media Liaison Officers greeted Male’s press pack yesterday.
One young woman said the event was as much for the liaisons as for Male’ press.
“It’ll be challenging to handle foreigners and media personnel,” a group of students concurred. “But we are so happy to have this opportunity.”
“I was shocked to be asked to take part in SAARC, I never thought that I would get to work at something I’d heard so much about,” said another student. “And the certificate of reference that I’ll get afterwards will be really helpful for me when I’m looking for a job after graduation,” she added.
Liaisons have just completed a six-month management course and are attending seminars and briefings for SAARC. They will be divided into 11 teams of two to three officers and assigned to press pooles from different countries.
“The ministry was going to get people from Male’, but I suggested we use the local energy. They are good, they can do the job, and this is a key event, so why shouldn’t these students take part?” said Abeer.
Addu’s development isn’t only tailored to foreigners; Sodiq said part of the development plan is to bring Addu residents home.
“Unlike other islands, we have historical places to visit and our islands are connected, so tourists can actually see more than the sun, sand and sea. We will be constructing more lodgings as well, and our hospital and airport are going to be expanded. More business means more jobs, and part of the purpose of all this is to bring Addu citizens back after their migrations to Male’,” he said.
In Addu, infrastructure is a priority for community growth. Noting that education was key to development, Sodiq said that a Kangaroo school is scheduled to open next year, and a Billabong school is being considered.
For the moment, however, Addu’s mind is on SAARC.
With teams working around the clock to complete harbors in Gan and Feydhoo, and MNDF motorcades practicing their moves late into the night, Addu is a bustle of construction and security.
Both harbors were originally due for completion on October 25, yet concrete foundations have not yet been laid. However officials assure that they are 90 percent complete. When asked about setbacks, National Security Advisor Ameen Faisal said, “The weather. Due to heavy rains, many projects were delayed. It was unexpected and beyond our control, but we managed and we are on target.”
Inquiries of Addu’s appearance for SAARC yielded few details. “It’s a secret, we want it to be a surprise,” Faisal and Sodiq concurred.
Security, however, is highly detailed.
MNDF has delegated security teams to specific event components including media, medical, resort transport, and the airport. “Right now we are very confident in our security personnel and do not anticipate any problems during the SAARC summit,” said International Media Coordinator Ahmed Ibrahim.
Ibrahim added that “it will be helpful to have the extra security forces that other countries are providing because Addu is very big.” In addition to ground security, MNDF will be supported by the coast guard, which will establish multiple security layers around Addu’s marine perimeter, special task forces from Sri Lanka, and surveillance equipment from China, among others.
Summit guests include three of the world’s most controversial heads of state from India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Their reputations do not appear to cause anxiety to SAARC officials.
“They will not receive any special treatment, unless requested of course,” said MNDF Commander of SAARC Airport Security, Ahmed Shafeeq.
“There is no risk at all,” said Faisal. “We aren’t even bothered about it.”
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