Author: Daniel Bosley

Weak fisheries sector could benefit from strong tourism

The Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture Ahmed Shafeeu has suggested that the tourism industry might be “tapped” to improve the fortunes of the ailing fisheries sector.

“The internal market is there for agriculture and fisheries. The local demand for fish is huge, including resorts,” he said.

Shafeeu noted that there was potential in closer links between resorts and local producers, and that there had already been suggestions from some island communities that such links be further cultivated.

“The [fisheries] sector needs to be re-prioritised. Recently, the focus has been mainly on tourism. We are very vulnerable if we depend only on tourism,” said Shafeeu.

The most recent statistics from the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) have revealed that the volume of fish exports dropped by 63 percent in the twelve months from January 2011 to January 2012. The value of these exports dropped by 33 percent during the same period.

The statistics, provided by the Department of National Planning, show that tourism constituted around thirty percent of real GDP last year and is projected to represent a similar figure in 2012.

The fisheries industry is predicted to contribute just 1.1 percent of Maldives’ real GDP this year, dropping nearly two thirds from its 2006 contribution. The national significance of the industry however remains huge, providing employment to more than half of the population.

Potential issues that may act as potential barriers to the consumption of local fisheries produce in the resorts seem to be transport and product quality.

Deputy Tourism Minister Mohamed Maleeh Jamaal said that the opening of local airports and the development of transport may make it easier to increase the consumption of local produce in resorts.

He said that there had not been any research done on the exact patterns of consumption on resorts. The MMA figures show that the Maldives exported an average of 43 percent of its fish catch over the five years up to 2011.

“Currently, there are many challenges in the transportation of products,” said Maleeh.

“We hope domestic products can be consumed in our resorts. Fisheries have a high potential. All resorts consume a lot of fish. I think the demand for locally caught fish is very high,” he added.

Maleeh said that the sustainability of Maldivian fishing techniques were a strong selling point of the nation as a tourist destination. He saw this as part of what makes the Maldives unique.

The sustainability of centuries-old ‘pole and line’ fishing methods is not only considered a source of national pride, but also attracts buyers from premium supermarkets in the UK and Europe.

Shafeeu said that the resorts often imported only local reef fish, choosing to import other high value fish products which could potentially be available domestically.

A senior management source at one resort told Minivan News that they did source local fisheries’ produce in their restaurants and in their staff canteen, owing to the low cost.

“We don’t buy from outside,” said the source, although they said the choice was often limited: “It’s not every day we can get what we want.”

They added that this arrangement was possible due to the location of their resort, in North Male’ Atoll. For more isolated resorts, they explained, it is not viable for local fishermen to bring fresh fish every day.

This issue was also touched upon by Maleeh: “Resorts need continuity and consistency of supply,” he said, adding, “The quality of products needs to be maintained.”

Describing alternative methods of improving the prospects of the industry which has suffered greatly from foreign competition in nearby waters, Shafeeu raised the issue of the impact the “major shortage” of fresh ice had on the quality of produce.

“One of the major concerns is getting good ice across the country,” said Shafeeu, explaining that the delays imposed while vessels waited for ice, as well as the potential impact on the quality of the catch, were “not acceptable”.

He added that with the budget being “very limited” he was exploring the possibility of converting funds from other projects to meet this need.

Investment in ice processing plants was described as one of the areas he hoped would benefit from the resumption of fishing subsidies was announced by President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan last month.

The subsidies, amounting to Rf100million a year (US$6.5million), are yet to receive official approval from the Majlis, although Shafeeu said that the chair of the Finance Committee had indicated that a consensus in favour of subsidies had been reached.

He said that he had instructed ministry staff to advertise the availability of the subsidies so that fishermen could register and receive their vouchers as soon as the Majlis reconvened.

When asked if he felt the fishing industry to be in terminal decline, Shafeeu replied that he did not think this was the case, believing that the industry could still play a prominent role in the country’s economy “if we give it enough attention”.

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Waheed secures release of additional US$25million credit during India trip

As President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan’s first visit to India nears its end, a joint press release from the two governments has summarised the trip.

“The President of Maldives conveyed appreciation for the release of an instalment of US$ 20 million from the Standby Credit Facility from India in February 2012 as well as the rollover of the US$ 50 million State Bank of India (SBI) Treasury Bonds by a year,” the statement read.

The President of the Maldives also thanked the Prime Minister of India for agreeing to an additional release of US$25 million from the Standby Credit Facility to the Government of Maldives,” it continued.

India extended a US$100million credit facility to the Maldives in November last year with the aim of increasing economic ties between the two countries.

A standby line of credit is normally forwarded to countries which have reached macroeconomic sustainability but experience short term financing issues.

The Maldivian Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) recently reported that government income has increased 91.8 percent based on the same point in 2011. This increase, however, is expected to be offset by the reduction in customs duties after amendments were made to the import/export legislation last year.

The Majlis finance committee this month revealed that this year’s budget deficit will reach Rf9.1 billion (US$590 million), which is equivalent to 27 percent of GDP.

Today’s joint statement confirmed that all agreements made during the November 2011 visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s November 2011 visit to the Maldives would be upheld.

“In this context,” the statement continued, “it was agreed to expeditiously implement the projects for renovation of the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Male and the establishment of the National Police Academy under grants-in aid from India.”

The release also highlighted President Waheed’s gratitude for last year’s extension of a $US40 million line of credit for the construction of 500 housing units.

Prime Minister Singh’s hopes for Indian investment in the Maldives were also mentioned in the joint statement.

“[The Prime Minister] expressed the hope that the Government of Maldives would ensure a climate conducive for the promotion of investments and that the existing projects with Indian investments, including the Male International Airport project, would proceed satisfactorily.”

President Waheed has been meeting with prominent members of the Indian business community during the trip assuring them of the government’s commitment to signed contracts, whilst in the Maldives the dispute over the details of the airport development deal between the government and GMR continues unabated.

Media offensive

Waheed’s first overseas visit since assuming office has been accompanied by extensive international media attention.

President Waheed spoke at length to New Delhi Television (NDTV) on Sunday in an interview that encapsulated all of the topics covered during his media campaign in India. These included the Commonwealth, former President Nasheed, radical Islam, investment, China, and former President Maumoon Gayoom.

Waheed told his interviewer that the fact that the Maldives was a young democracy had not been understood by some of its “international partners”.

“They assumed that Maldives has now embraced democracy and that democracy has arrived, but the early stages of democracy involve many obstacle sand many tendencies that come and haunt us from the past,” said Waheed.

When asked about the possibility of earlier elections he argued that he was willing to move them forward as far as he is able under the terms of the constitution.

“I will support that, but we had an independent elections commission appointed by the parliament. The moment I give a date the Elections Commissioner will come out and say it’s none of your business,” he responded.

Newstrack India and the Indian Express have reported Waheed as saying that no party other than Nasheed’s supported elections any earlier than July 2013.

Asked about the demands of the Commonwealth for early elections, Waheed said “the Commonwealth is not pushing for early elections as vehemently as before, as I believe they understand the situation in the Maldives a little bit better than they did.”

Regarding the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) and the demands of the Commonwealth for its reformation, he said “we will do whatever is necessary to make everybody feel comfortable”.

“We did the best we could , at the time, to identify three very prominent people in Maldives who are apolitical, who have not been involved in any part politics for the last couple of years and who are well-qualified,” he said.

“I think it would have been proper for the Commonwealth to observe the proceedings of the commission and to understand the terms of reference better before they came to a conclusion about its integrity and impartiality.”

Asked whether he was “bothered” by the meetings between Nasheed and Indian leaders, he said: “No, he is a former president and as a former president it is proper for the Indian government to receive him.”

When the topic of rising Islamism was raised, specifically the inclusion of two Adhaalath members in the cabinet, Waheed said “we have to engage with the Islamic scholars – if we try to isolate people, the situation can get worse.”

He said he was not worried about a growing trend and that any Muslim country was bound to have small extremist elements: “I think it is manageable… people tend to get associated with extremist factions because they don’t have the economic benefits of development.”

Relations with China also came up for discussion, with Waheed offering assurances that there was “no real chance” of the Maldives moving into China’s orbit. “We have a preferential relationship [with India] as our closest neighbour and this is a concern Indians should not be worried about.”

The interviewer also asked why the visit was an official rather than a state visit, to which Waheed responded that this was not significant, saying that he thought the Maldives had requested an official visit.

Regarding the safety of Indian investment in the Maldives, Waheed said that it was common for commercial deals to encounter difficulties and that the country was committed to honouring all deals – “they will remain”, he said.

President Waheed has also claimed in Indian media that his government is a continuation of that of former President Mohamed Nasheed.

IBN-CNN today reported that Waheed had discussed with the governor and chief minister of Maharashtra state. the possibility of Indian companies assisting the Maldives’ in addressing its power deficiencies.

Waheed was asked about India’s stance on the dispute between his supporters and those supporting former president Nasheed.

“India is the world’s largest democracy. I can understand its concern for other democracies. The Maldives is a success story, it’s just that we are very early on in our path to democracy.”

He added that a new system, consisting of elements of a presidential system mixed with elements of a parliamentary democracy, will not always work as smoothly as people would like straight away and will need “refining” and “polishing”.

Asked about the comment attributed to State Minister for Foreign Affairs Dunya Maumoon regarding Indian interference in Maldivian domestic affairs, Waheed said he felt that the comment had been taken out of context.

The interviewer concluded the interview by asking for Waheed’s response to rumours that former President Maumoon Gayoom was influencing his government’s policy.

Waheed explained that Gayoom was still head of a large political party and so, as part of a political process, could not be discounted. He also explained that many parties were represented in his cabinet.

“It is not entirely fair to assume that Gayoom has too much influence in this government,” Waheed claimed.

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Commonwealth “intimidating”, “punishing” Maldives without mandate, Waheed tells diplomats

While the Commonwealth’s Special Envoy Sir Donald McKinnon meets with a team of government figures in Male’, local media reports that President Dr Mohamed Waheed has told a gathering of diplomats in India that the Commonwealth is being unduly influenced by opposition politicians in the Maldives, and that it is acting beyond its remit.

Speaking at the Taj Palace Hotel in New Delhi during his five day official visit to India, Dr Waheed reportedly told the room that the Commonwealth’s Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) had followed the lead of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) in attempting to intimidate the government.

Meanwhile, the Commonwealth’s Donald McKinnon arrived in Male’ yesterday with proposals to double the current size of President Waheed’s Commission of National Enquiry (CNI) to include two representatives favourable to former President Nasheed as well as a Commonwealth judge.

This suggestion comes as the deadline given by CMAG for improved independence and impartiality draws near. President’s spokesman Abbas Adil Riza told Minivan News that the discussions between the government team and McKinnon were expected to finish tonight.

There have also been calls from the MDP and civil society groups for international involvement with the investigations.

Abbas said that the make-up of the team involved in discussions with Donald McKinnon was confidential, although Haveeru has reported the team to include the Attorney General Azima Shukoor, Minister of Home Affairs Mohamed Jameel Ahmed, Minister for Gender Dhiyanna Saeed, Minister of Defense Mohamed Nazim, and Special Advisor to the President Dr. Hassan Saeed.

Speaking to the press after a meeting with the Special Envoy yesterday, International Spokesman for the MDP Hamed Abdul Ghafoor summarised his party’s concern over the CNI as it stands: “The people we are accusing of overthrowing the government in a coup d’état can’t be the same as the people investigating it”.

Abbas revealed that representatives from the government aligned Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and the Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP) had also been present. The spokesmen for these parties were unavailable for comment at the time of press.

Waheed is said to have reiterated the governing coalition’s previous criticism of CMAG’s assessment, telling those present in New Delhi that CMAG had acted just as the MDP had done, criticising the workings of the CNI without having taken the time to properly study its methods.

Shortly after President Waheed created the CNI to investigate the events surrounding February’s transfer of power, the MDP refused to cooperate with the investigation.

Today’s speech marks the first time that Waheed himself has spoken out against the Commonwealth.

During the speech Waheed is said to have repeated an argument first made by former President Maumoon Gayoom last month, in which the utility of Commonwealth membership appeared to be questioned.

“We used to believe that the Commonwealth was the champion of the smaller nations that extended assistance in every way possible. But to the contrary we witnessed the grouping inclined towards Nasheed, head towards punishing us,” Haveeru reports Waheed as saying.

Last month, Gayoom, now head of the PPM, said that the priorities of the Commonwealth regarding small nations had changed in recent years. He went on to urge a “rethink” of the Maldives’ membership.

Gayoom’s statement was soon followed by the submission of a bill in the Majlis from government aligned MPs calling for the country’s withdrawal from the Commonwealth.

President Waheed also told the assembled diplomats that CMAG was acting without a mandate, citing the criteria under which a CMAG investigation can be initiated. These conditions had not occurred, he argued, in the Maldives.

The Maldives Permanent Representative to the European Union (EU), Ali Hussain Didi, delivered the same argument in a speech to the EU Parliamentary Group on April 24.

Despite his clear disappointment with the 54 nation group, Waheed said that he would not back the proposals to withdraw from the Commonwealth and expected the bill to be dismissed as soon as the Majlis returned from its current recess.

He is also reported to have told the group of ambassadors that the proposal to re-formulate the commission had already been accepted, with the ongoing meetings being held only to formulate the exact details of the changes.

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President Waheed appeals for Indian tourism, investment, financial support

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan’s visit to India continues to garner international media attention today. During the last 24 hours, Dr Waheed has given interviews to NDTV, CNN-IBN, Times Now, New York Radio, Times of India, Hindustan Times, and UK’s The Daily Telegraph, according to the President’s Office.

Waheed has already met with the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the President Pratibha Patil, and the Minister for External Affairs S.M. Krishna. He is reported to be meeting with Indian business leaders before the end of his visit tomorrow.

The UK’s Daily Telegraph led with the headline “Maldives president reneges on deal for early elections.” The article states that President Waheed had agreed to open discussions on early elections upon taking office, on the proviso that peace return to the islands after the unrest of February 8, and that the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) stop its protests.

All-party talks, albeit unsuccessful ones, have been continuing in the face of general recalcitrance from government and opposition parties alike. These talks were given initial impetus by Dr Waheed’s all party roadmap document, compiled with Indian diplomatic assistance.

Meanwhile, the MDP has continued its protests which have been largely peaceful after more violence flared during the opening of the people’s Majlis on March 19.

Waheed has repeatedly stated that bringing the presidential elections forward any further than the three months mandated in the constitution is beyond his remit. A constitutional amendment must be passed in the Majlis, with a two thirds majority needed, to avoid two elections within 18 months.

Waheed suggested to the Daily Telegraph that two elections would be prohibitively expensive given the country’s current financial situation.

The Hindustan Times spoke with Waheed about his economic aims during the visit, highlighting the Maldives’ US$2 billion deficit.

Waheed told the publication that the Indian PM had been “generous” and that he was “optimistic about technical and financial support.”

Business Line discussed investment in greater detail with the President, who is set to meet with Mukesh Ambani of India’s largest private sector conglomerate, Reliance Industries.

Waheed talked of the possibility of leasing islands to IT companies along the same lines as they are currently leased for tourism. He also mentioned the need for more Indian based tourism in the Maldives.

“Not enough Indian tourists are coming to the Maldives and that is a matter of concern for us. I am sure it is also a matter of concern for India, particularly when you realise that there are so many Chinese tourists who are coming to the Maldives now,” said Waheed.

Waheed also told Business Line that he would be meeting with the Tata group to discuss its plans for housing projects in the Maldives, saying: “We want these projects to proceed as quickly as possible”.

Reports in the Thai media earlier this month suggested that the real estate company involved in the urban development of Hulhumale’, the Maldives largest such project, was withdrawing from the project owing to financial losses incurred.

The Times of India also led with an economic angle after interviewing Waheed, running with the headline: “Maldives president Waheed looks to India to repair floundering economy”.

“I have requested cooperation to help us craft better economic policies. I have also asked for support for Maldives’ tight budgetary situation and I have been assured by PM Manmohan Singh that Maldives will receive this support,” Waheed told the newspaper.

The issue of the GMR airport deal was raised after the government actions regarding the deal appear to contradict its words regarding the safety of Indian investment in the Maldives.

The UK’s Daily Mail focused on the relationship between the former President Mohamed Nasheed and his successor.

Waheed told the UK paper, “We are not pursuing politics of revenge. I want economic diplomacy to override all concerns surrounding us.”

Continuing on this economic theme, Waheed said: ”Big business will bring jobs, keep the youth engage and silence critics. Indians must head towards Maldives.”

He added that India’s growing presence could only be facilitated by direct flight between Male’ and New Delhi.

The Indian Express reported Waheed’s confidence/hope that the Indian government would not be unduly influenced by his predecessor Mohamed Nasheed who undertook his own media offensive in India last month.

“India is not crazy… somebody making demands just because he is popular is not going to find response. India’s response is calculated. It is well informed and therefore, there is nothing for me to be worried about,” Waheed told the Press Trust of India.

These remarks were said to have come in response to the Express’s questions over the comments of State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dunya Maumoon, given to the PTI on the eve of the trip.

Dunya, who has travelled as part of the Maldivian delegation, said: “I believe that India would respect our sovereignty and really does not play a role in the internal politics of the country”. She is the daughter of former President Maumoon Gayoom.

The remainder of the Indian Express interview concerned a rebuttal of Naheed’s allegations that former President Gayoom was behind the recent political upheavals.

“He (Nasheed) has been making all kinds of allegation, some outrageous also, even relating to India officials. I think, he is out of his mind too frequently.”

The Gayoom issue also appeared during the interview with the Times of India, prompting the following response:

“I don’t have to rely on President Gayoom. I am grateful that his party supports me. His party is one among six other parties and they have a proportional place in the cabinet. Together, our coalition has the majority in parliament, but we are different parties with competing agendas. We are together because circumstances require us to work together to stabilize the situation in Maldives and move towards elections next year.”

Senior figures from within the Nasheed administration recently went on record for the Indian media, questioning the role played by the Indian High Commissioner to the Maldives Dnyaneshwar M. Mulay in February’s controversial handover of power.

Nasheed himself was careful not to go on record regarding the role of the Indian High Commissioner, deferring instead to the interim chairman of the MDP Moosa ‘Reeko’ Manik.

The comments Nasheed made during his visit concerning the issue of radical islam in the Maldives continued to persist: “This issue kept coming up in my meetings in India,” he told the Times of India.

Waheed told the Daily Mail that, although the country was not immune from such problems: “We practise a moderate form of Islam.”

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New government a continuation of Nasheed’s: President Waheed

“My government is a continuation of the previous one under President Nasheed and there should be no doubt on this score,” President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan said during a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, reports The Times of India.

Finer details of this meeting are thin on the ground and have led to allegations of  media misinterpretation, prompting correction by State Minister of Foreign Affairs Dunya Maumoon today.

President Waheed’s comments appear at odds with a speech he gave in Kulhudhufushi a week ago, in which he described Nasheed as “a liar lacking in any sincerity”.

Waheed accused Nasheed of becoming a corrupt and authoritarian leader during his presidency who hijacked the Majlis and attempted to destroy the judiciary.

Since assuming the presidency following Nasheed’s resignation, Waheed has appointed an entirely new cabinet after the previous post-holders were asked to resign as well as creating two new ministries.

Just before leaving for India, President Waheed also vetoed three bills submitted to parliament by Nasheed’s government concerning corporate tax reform, including the Business Registration Bill, passed on 23 April 2012, the Corporate Profit Tax Bill passed on 24 April 2012, and the Sole Trader Bill passed on 25 April 2012.

According to the President’s Office, the bills were returned on the legal advice of Attorney General Azima Shukoor, previously the lawyer of former President Maumoon Gayoom.

The new government has also repealed or reviewed many of the initiatives and policies started under Nasheed, often citing poor planning or corrupt practices.

The government has sought to dispel what it considers “untrue perceptions” planted during the visit to India by former President Mohamed Nasheed last month.

However The Hindu on Friday argued that “the most important agenda will be the political issues that have been flagged by Mr Nasheed during his visit to New Delhi.”

During his trip, Nasheed spoke widely on the need for early elections as well as the potential for radical Islam to emerge within the Indian Ocean nation.

Media interpretations

With only scant details emerging from Dr Waheed’s meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, media outlets have provided differing interpretations of what the most substantive issues of these talks were.

India Today chose to focus on the issues raised by Nasheed in its summary of the meeting.

“India has asked Maldivian President Mohamed Waheed to hold early elections. He was also directed to rein in fundamentalist forces gaining ground in the island nation,” said India Today.

“Waheed… was told to pay heed to all ‘shades of opinions’ and hold elections before the scheduled polls in October 2013,” the paper continued.

The Hindu said: “[Waheed] is a political lightweight, who will be unable to categorically assure New Delhi on issues that are high on the agenda.”

“The Waheed government has neither shown the urgency, nor the persistence to engage all shades of opinion to arrive an early election date,” the paper reported, noting that the possibility of an early election “appears remote”.

The paper suggested that the real powerbrokers in the Maldives were people not present with the Maldivian delegation, alleging that former President Maumoon Gayoom was one such figure, who preferred 2013 to be the election year.

Gayoom’s daughter, Dunya Maumoon, is part of the delegation, currently serving as State Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Dunya was today anxious to correct any media interpretation that the discussions included agreement on elections before 2013.

“He said that an early election will be held within what is allowed in the constitution, but that the matter is not in his hands given that the constitution stipulates a Presidential election can only be held in 2013,” Dunya told local newspaper Haveeru.

The Gulf Times coverage of the meeting noted that early elections were discussed between the two statesman, before adding that “consensus was elusive” in the Maldives in this respect.

The Indian Express said, “the assessment here is that the parties in the Maldives need to have another round of discussions on the question of early elections,” before the article detailed the constitutional amendment that early polls would require.

The meeting also received coverage in the United States, with the New York’s Daily News reporting that Waheed talked with Singh about the possibility of constitutional amendment that would facilitate early polls.

The newspaper also highlighted the inclusion in the talks of investment opportunities as Waheed told Singh of the Maldives’ desire for further Indian investment as well as assuring him of the “continued adherence” to all agreements between the two countries.

The most high profile deal involving Indian investment in the Maldives is the GMR deal, details of which the government has challenged.

The Indian infrastructure giant signed a 25 year concession agreement with former President Mohamed Nasheed’s government to upgrade and manage Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA). Under the concession agreement, a US$25 charge was to be levied on all outgoing passengers to part-fund the US$400 million upgrade.

However, while in opposition the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) which today forms part of Waheed’s national unity government, led by Dr Hassan Saeed, now President Dr Mohamed Waheed’s special advisor, filed a successful case in the Civil Court in December 2011 to block the payment of the charge, on the grounds that it was effectively a tax not approved by parliament.

In a bid to try and resolve the issue last week, GMR provided several possible solutions to address concerns about the ADC, by offering exempting Maldivian passport holders from paying the charge.

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President Waheed meets Indian PM during official visit

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan continues his five-day official visit to India today upon the invitation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The Hindustan Times reports that the President has met with Prime Minister Singh, discussing the potential for early elections amongst other things. The same paper has also reported that Waheed will meet with President Pratibha Patil tonight.

Dr Waheed is travelling with a delegation that includes the Maldives’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Abdul Samad Adbullah, Minister of Finance Dr Abdullah Jihad, and Minister of Housing and Environment Dr Mohamed Muiz, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dhunya Maumoon, as well as the First Lady Madam Ilham Hussain.

The visit marks the first overseas trip for the President since he moved into the President’s Office on February 8. Before his departure from Ibrahim Nasir International Airport yesterday, Waheed said that the primary aim was to strengthen existing bilateral relations.

He claimed that the situation in the country was calming down after the unrest that had immediately followed the transfer of power.

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), however continues to conduct regular protests challenging the legitimacy of the current government and demanding fresh presidential elections.

On Friday evening Waheed met with Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai and briefed him on the current political situation in the Maldives.

Reporting on this meeting, the President’s Office said: “The Foreign Secretary said that India hopes to find a ‘Maldives solution’ for the situation. He further stated that India would always hope to see a peaceful and stable Maldives, and would provide its fullest cooperation and assistance in achieving such an environment in the Maldives.”

In an interview with the Press Trust of India (PTI), reported by Daily News and Analysis, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Dunya Maumoon – and daughter of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom – said that Waheed will work to dispel “untrue perceptions” given by former President Mohamed Nasheed, who visited India last month.

“Maldivian Presidents have always made their first trip abroad to India. And President Waheed is coming to India to… brief them directly about the political situation in Maldives,” Dunya is reported to have told PTI.

“I believe that India would respect our sovereignty and really does not play a role in the internal politics of the country which is why I find President’s Nasheed’s comments unacceptable”, she continued.

Former President Nasheed visited India last month, and also met with Prime Minister Singh. During his visit, Nasheed attempted to rally support amongst politicians, think tanks, and industry leaders, for early elections.

Nasheed told the Times of India: “We want more Indian assistance in bringing democracy back.”

Regarding the accusations of coup-conspiracy levelled against her father, former President Gayoom, Dunya said that Nasheed’s politics had always centred on attacking her father, claiming: “I believe he is using the same kind of argument to try and gain the support of his people”.

The presence of Finance Minister Jihad in the delegation was explained by President’s Spokesman Abbas Adil Riza, who told Minivan News that lobbying for the extension of long-term financial support through various aid mechanisms would form part of the group’s agenda.

The Finance Ministry this week revealed that the government’s budget deficit would reach 27 percent of GDP this year, following a 24 percent increase in government expenditure.

The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) mission chief in the Maldives, Jonathan Dunn, recently told Minivan News that, other than cutting expenditure and boosting revenue, obtaining foreign loans would be among the few options left to avoid the far more risky option of printing money.

Representatives of Waheed’s government have already travelled to India on official visits, with both Foreign Minister Dr Samad and Defense Minister Mohamed Nazim having visited in early April.

Since the unrest began, bilateral ties appear outwardly to have been unaffected. In March, India offered to replace police vehicles that flared in the unrest following the resignation of former President Mohamed Nasheed and joint naval exercises have been conducted between the two nations, alongside Sri Lanka, in April.

The Indian Foreign Secretary Mathai played a leading role in the initiation of the ‘all party roadmap’ talks which were intended to expedite the reconciliation of opposing political factions within the Maldives.

Indian brokerage of these talks, which included a commitment to early elections, came only days after India initially recognised the new government. Former President Nasheed later told Time magazine that he had been “shocked” by the speed of this decision.

The deadline set by the Commonwealth’s human rights watchdog, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), by which it hopes to see improvements in the impartiality and independence of the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) passes next week.

“Further and stronger” measures against the Maldives have been threatened if the CNI, charged with investigating the events surrounding the presidential changeover, is not adequately reformed.

India is a member of the Commonwealth but does not currently sit on the eight member CMAG board of foreign ministers.

During the meeting with Nasheed last month, the MDP reported Prime Minister Singh as having great faith that the Indian-sponsored all-party talks between Maldivian political parties were the key to a resolution.

Unfortunately, these talks have continued to stall and are currently on hold while the Elections Commission investigates the recent change in leadership within the MDP.

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Thai real-estate developer to withdraw from Hulhumale’ housing project

Thai newspaper The Nation has reported that Pruksa, Thailand’s largest real-estate developer, is withdrawing its investment in the Maldives after suffering a US$3.2 million loss.

In an interview last week with Pruksa CEO Thongma Vijitpongpun, The Nation reported that the company was pulling out of the Maldives after making losses of Bt (Thai Baht) 100million.

In 2010, Pruksa formed a joint venture agreement with the Housing Development Corporation (HDC), formerly the Hulhumale’ Development Corporation, to build over 1000 houses in Hulhumale’. That company, Pruksa-HDC Housing Pvt Ltd, began construction of the first phase of the project, consisting of around 180 units, in August 2010.

Mohamed Sharah, the Assistant Director of Corporate Affairs, Marketing and Business Development, was unable to confirm whether the company had withdrawn from the agreement. Sharah also acts as Pruksa’s Company Secretary in the Maldives.

“We have not been informed [of the decision], the work on the first phase still continues and will be completed by July,” said Sharah.

The first phase, explained Sharah, consisted of nine blocks containing 180 apartments, six of which have been completed, with four already having been handed over to customers. The first phase is scheduled for completion by July.

There were some initial problems with the quality of construction work on the first two of these buildings which caused some delays to the project while work was redone to the standards required by the quality control officer.

The 180 units were pre-sold in Maldivian rufiyaa before construction. In a previous interview with The Nation, a representative from Pruksa anticipated a profitable venture.

“We started to pre-book our project in the Maldives last month for the first phase of 180 units. Demand is for more than that amount and as a result we believe our presales in the Maldives will exceed our estimate,” the company’s Chief Business Officer was reported as saying in June 2010.

However, Sharah explained that this policy had “caused significant losses” for the company due to problems with the local currency.

“They have faced devolution of the currency and a shortage of dollars in the Maldives,” he added.

The price of rufiya at the time when most of the units were sold was pegged at Rf12.85 to the US dollar. However, in April 2011, the government made the decision to introduce a managed floatation of the currency. This decision allowed the rufiya to be traded within a 20percent margin of its previous rate. The result has been the devaluation of the currency to a rate of 15.42 to the US dollar – which still remains next to unexchangable outside the blackmarket, where rates can top Rf 17-18 to the dollar.

That problem is likely to continue after the government’s budget deficit was predicted to reach 27 percent of the country’s GDP in 2012, according to figures recently released by the Majlis Finance Committee.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s head of mission to the Maldives, Jonathan Dunn, recently told Minivan News: “As long as the government continues to inject substantial amounts of new spending into the economy, the foreign exchange situation in the country will not be resolved.”

The net result of Pruksa’s exposure to rufiya may account for the US$3.2 million losses the company CEO reported to The Nation.

HDC told Minivan News that 90 percent of the units were sold using the pre-booking system. The initial value of the apartments was reported to have been between Rf0.9million and Rf1.6 million.

The change in exchange rates in the period following these sales means that between US$1.8million and US$3.3million from Pruksa’s projected income may have been lost from the sale of these units alone.

During the same interview in The Nation, the CEO explained that the company was restructuring to a more profitable model, in part due to the losses suffered during last year’s flooding which afflicted much of Thailand.

However, it was mentioned that the company was considering expansion into the ASEAN nations of Malaysia, Indonesia and the Phillipines. The CEO also announced that projects in Vietnam and India, temporarily suspended in the first half of this year, would continue.

A representative of Pruksa in the company’s Bangkok office was unable to confirm the cessation of the company’s dealing in the Maldives. He did confirm that a representative of the company would be visiting the Maldives later this month, at which time more details would be made available.

The spokesperson was able to confirm that the most of the apartment sales took place 18 months ago and were transacted in rufiya.

“There were some problems with that,” the spokesman noted.

The Hulhumale’ project is regarded as the most ambitious urban development project in the history of the country. The reclamation of land and the internal migration of Maldivians to the island, which lies adjacent to the capital Male’, is seen as vital in the country’s long term plans for economic development of the nation and for the easing of congestion in the capital city.

“If Pruksa withdraws, the HDC will have to find new investment,” said Sharah.

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Cabinet confirms decision to take over second MDP protest site at Usfasgandu

The new Maldives’ cabinet has announced its decision to hand over the Usfasgandu area to the Ministry of Housing and Environment.

The area is currently being used for protests by the ousted Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), after the party’s site near the tsunami monument was forcibly dismantled by police and military on March 19.

In a statement, the President’s Office said that during discussions concerning “the breach of agreement by the Male’ City Council (MCC) in utilising the land plots and other properties handed over to the City Council by the Ministry of Housing and Environment,” the cabinet had decided “to entrust the Minister of Housing and Environment with the authority to reclaim the properties from the City Council when required.”

Speaking with Mayor Ali Manik at the protest site, Minivan News was told that the government forces would arrive on May 14. Manik said he had received a letter from the Housing Ministry informing them of this plan at 1:30pm today.

Asked about the decision, Minister for Housing and Environment Dr Mohamed Muiz said that he was “not in a position to talk about that.”

The Housing Ministry informed the MCC one month ago that it intended to take control of the Usfasgandu area if the MDP activities did not cease.

During the same week in April the Housing Ministry was involved in a further dispute with the MCC after the re-allocation Dharubaaruge staff members from the MCC to the Housing Ministry.

This action prompted the council to lock the doors to the centre and send staff home. This action was subsequently described by Muiz as “unlawful” before policemen arrived to reopen the facility.

The following week the Housing Ministry informed the MCC by letter that it had less than 24 hours to remove its employees from the Huravee building in order to accommodate new government ministries.

Deputy Mayor of the Council Ahmed Falah maintains that MCC will refuse to accept these decisions and these disputes must be settled in the courts.

When asked about the current situation in the Huravee building, Falah said things were continuing “as normal. Still we are in there.”

The MDP’s international spokesman and Secretary General of the party’s parliamentary group Hamid Abdul Ghafoor, interpreted these actions as an attack on both freedom of expression and the decentralisation policies of the previous government.

“The coup administration is breaking up the decentralisation concept. The President’s Office is controlling everything – even down to the playgrounds on the islands. They are bringing back Gayoom’s policies of centralisation” said Ghafoor.

Ghafoor questioned the wisdom of the acquiescence of government-aligned parties in the face of such policies.

“They are also curtailing freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. The Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) and the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) perhaps do not have a good concept of their basic human rights. Do their members consider what will happen to their freedom of expression? Their grassroots supporters may realise this too late,” Ghafoor continued.

The area behind the Dharubaaruge convention centre has been utilised by the now-opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) since security forces ejected them from their camp at the nearby tsunami monument on March 19.

Dubbed ‘justice square’, the camp in the Lonuziyaaraih Kolhu area, had become the hub for opposition demonstrations since the contentious transfer of presidential power on February 7.

The government’s allegations that these activities were of questionable legality prompted its dismantling of the camp and the subsequent court case brought by the MDP leadership.

The dismantling of the camp came at the end of a day on which MDP led protests at the reopening of the People’s Majlis had turned violent.

Multiple casualties were reported from both protesters and security forces. The headquarters of Villa Television (VTV), owned by leader of the government aligned Jumhoree Party (JP) Ibrahim Gasim, sustained significant damage.

The court case, the first incarnation of which was dismissed on a technicality, continues with the issue of land usage forming the backbone of the state’s defense.

The government has argued that the leasing of such public spaces for political activities violates the terms which govern the MCC’s stewardship of such areas.

Hassan Latheef, a member of the MDP’s legal team working on this court case, scheduled to resume on May 13, said that the government had “no grounds” to take the land from the MCC in either the case of Usfasgandu, nor that concerning Rahlugandu.

When asked about the government’s position on the use of council land for political purposes, Latheef argued that there was nothing in the decentralisation act that prohibits this.

“I do understand that anything is acceptable and expected in a police state. The country is being taken from the people by a few coup leaders. The Maldives is now a police state,” Latheef contended.

Blocking the steps leading to the raised area used for the MDP’s gatherings at Usfasgandu, a sign read: “No court order, don’t take this place.”

The original ‘justice square’ camp was leased to the MDP by Male City Council (MCC), itself established through the 2010 decentralisation act under the governance of former President Mohamed Nasheed.

In a clear refutation of this argument, the MCC made the decision to lease the Usfasgandu area to the MDP for a three month period within days of the party’s ejection from the tsunami monument area.

The MDP was widely supported by urban populations of the Maldives in last year’s local council elections, securing 100 percent of the council seats in Addu City in the south and Kulhudhufushi in the north, and nine of the 11 seats in the capital Male’.

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‘Mosquito Lady’ and local community combine to deter unwanted guests on Kuda Huraa

Pest control consultant Trudy Rilling-Collins, better known as the ‘Mosquito Lady’ has been working closely with Four Seasons Kuda Huraa resort and the local community of neighbouring Boda Huraa to introduce sustainable and environmentally friendly mosquito control procedures.

As the South-West monsoon season reaches the Maldives, wetter weather will bring rain to replenish the water tanks that provide safe drinking water for the people of the islands. But it is not just the human population who will be glad to see the clouds rolling overhead.

The increased rainfall is also particularly appealing to the country’s mosquito population, which will take full advantage of any available water in which they can lay their eggs. Any stagnant body of water will be most appreciated by Aedes aegypti and her cousin Aedes albopictus, the mosquito species that carry the dengue virus which has been afflicting Maldivians in increasing numbers in recent years.

Aedes aegypti will utilise any water available in which to lay her eggs. She will live for only one month, but in that time her larvae will take full advantage of any accommodating bucket, well, puddle, blocked drain or water tank.

She will sustain herself during this period by feeding exclusively on human blood, unlike her cousin who will happily feed off any red-blooded creature.

Aedes aegypti is a particular fan of mid-market tourism, preferring to find accommodation in close proximity to the local community. Eager to ingratiate herself with her human food supply, she can visit up to five people per blood meal, potentially passing the dengue virus to all she acquaints herself with.

She will be able to lay four lots of eggs in her lifetime which is more than long enough to see her young grow into fully grown biting adults, a process that takes only one week.

Fully booked

One place where Aedes aegypti and her kin will not receive a hospitable welcome this year, however, is on the resort island of Kuda Huraa in North Male’ Atoll and the inhabited island of Bodu Huraa next door.

The resort has this year enlisted the help of Trudy Rilling-Collins, otherwise known as ‘Mosquito Lady’, to ensure that its hospitality extends only to the human guests.

Trudy runs her own consultancy, specialising in environmentally responsible pest control, and has been working closely with Four Seasons Kuda Huraa and the Bodu Huraa community to ensure that there are no vacancies for dengue spreading visitors.

The resort on Kuda Huraa and the local community share a symbiotic relationship. The resort provides around 13 percent of the registered population in Bodu Huraa with jobs and has provided vital infrastructure to the local population.

The town’s sewerage system was provided by Four Seasons and the company has even assisted in providing fresh water to Bodu Huraa during the current dry season.

This close relationship is not lost on the mosquitos, who can easily travel the short distance between the islands, to feed happily from tourists and locals alike.

Trudy studied the biological control of insects and became disillusioned with the extensive use of harmful pesticides in what she sees as often futile attempts to control pests.

The use of pesticides in a diesel fuel carrier, referred to as fogging, is widely practised in the Maldives and throughout the tropical regions, although Four Seasons Kuda Huraa, which also pays for mosquito control in the two islands, has not fogged since Trudy’s arrival in April.

“The neurotoxins present in pesticides used for fogging on the islands have the same effects on humans that they have on the insects, it just takes far higher doses to affect humans,” said Trudy.

“Fogging kills only a small percentage of adults, five to ten percent if you’re lucky, and over time results in increased resistance,” she added.

Trudy believes that the key to mosquito control lies in making the area inhospitable to the pests: “80-90 percent of the problem can be sorted by eliminating standing water where mosquitoes breed.”

The effects of these chemicals are also harmful to the local environment, a particular concern for SEAMARC, a Maldivian an environmental consultancy that works closely with Four Seasons.

Alban Viaud, a marine biologist on Kuda Huraa, explained that the fogging chemicals which are quickly washed into the ocean are harmful to marine health: “Only a few parts per million can kill fish.”

Trudy has been working closely with the resort, the local council, schools and the community to implement a sustainable, effective and environmentally friendly way to keep mosquito numbers down.

Strength in numbers

After having visited the islands, there is a strong understanding emerging that, rather than chemicals, it is the community that is the strongest weapon in making Aedes aegypti feel unwelcome.

Measures have been taken to clear breeding grounds during Trudy’s time on Bodu Huraa. She has worked with the islanders to identify and eliminate as many breeding grounds as possible.

Of particular concern were the islands old septic tanks, long since replaced by the sewerage system supplied by the resort, but still capable of retaining water through gaps in the paving slabs. After water collects in such areas, Aedes aegypti is sure to follow.

Covering these gaps with concrete eliminates the tanks as another potential holiday home for the mosquitoes.

A similar, and innovative, method to prevent mosquitoes checking in to household water tanks was in full swing when Minivan News visited Boda Huraa.

Ringed hoses, filled with sand were being constructed in order to secure a fine mesh over the top of the water tanks, allowing access to rainwater but not to mosquitoes.

In the shade of the local council building, three resort employees could be found steadily working on the project. With around 250 tanks on the island, the team had a long way to go but seemed enthusiastic.

One of the men working on the rings was resort employee Rafeeq, who has been assigned the vital task of checking, sampling and clearing potential breeding areas. The job will require four hours of Rafeeq’s time every day, for six days every week.

The town’s households have been surveyed and divided into eight zones, meaning that each house should be checked three times in each one month cycle.

Around the corner, another simple and sustainable method was being used for removing larvae from water supplies. Fish are a far more welcome guest in the ground wells. No room service is required as they feed largely off any larvae they can find in water, which the townsfolk no longer use for drinking. One type of fish often found in the wells can eat up to 40 mosquitoes in three minutes.

Community action

“Energy and action are key components  the success of this project. I try to push for simple sustainable solutions,” said Trudy.

“But it takes someone on the ground to create action,” she added.

A vital part of her mission in Bodu Huraa has been to raise awareness and create enthusiasm for the eradication scheme. This has involved numerous presentations given to all sections of the community, from the employees at the resort to the children in the local school.

Shafyga Arif, the island’s Community Health Officer noted that there had been a big reduction in the mosquito population since the scheme had begun.

She also noted that the community would be important in keeping numbers low, with leaders appointed within each of the project’s eight zones. “They have to do it themselves. Each person should take responsibility. People had some previous awareness but didn’t care before,” said Shafyga, who has herself pledged nine hours of her working week to the project.

Back at the council building, the Island’s Council President Abdel Rahman Saleh explained that a local task force comprising fifty members of the local community had been formed to work on the scheme.

The task force members are working on a volunteer basis as there is no space in the council’s current budget for the scheme. Saleh said that he had requested more funds for such projects for next year.

“The task force will work. The government requested that we continue the project for twelve weeks, but we intend to continue it forever,” he added.

The appreciation of the health and environmental benefits of these sustainable methods appeared to be widespread as Trudy neared the end of her time on the islands.

Of equal importance was the realisation that the fight against the mosquitoes will only be as strong as its weakest link, and that the resort, the local government and the community must continue to patrol and eradicate potential breeding sites.

With the entire community working together and remaining vigilant, it is hoped that Kuda Huraa and Bodu Huraa will be receiving poor reviews from Aedes aegypti for the foreseeable future.

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