Category: News in Brief

Government to obtain medical supplies via UNOPS agreement

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) will procure medical supplies for the Maldives government, local media has reported.

The government of Maldives will spend MVR 67 million (US$4,370,544) to obtain pharmaceuticals and other medical equipment for state-run hospitals and health centres through UNOPS, Health Ministry Director General Dr Sheeza Ali has said.

“Getting pharmaceuticals and equipment through a UN-agency like UNOPS will ensure quality, as they only buy high-quality, best-value goods from suppliers that meet their standards,” Sheeza was quoted by local newspaper Haveeru as saying.

“An analysis we did before signing the agreement showed that the cost of obtaining pharmaceuticals and other equipment would decrease by 20-30 percent,” she added.

UNOPS will procure the medical goods through its extensive network of suppliers in four phases. The two year contract, signed April 15, 2013, requires the Maldives’ government to pay the UN agency on a twice yearly basis.

The current project will help to build the government’s procurement capacity to obtain medical supplies, according to Ali.

Once the UNOPS contract expires, the Maldives’ government will independently acquire medical goods, she added. Previously the government secured pharmaceuticals through individual suppliers.

The decision to contract with UNOPS was made by the cabinet, while the attorney general and Finance Ministry approved the project, according to Ali.

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Maldives targets hosting flagship WTA event in 2014 as part of event tourism ambitions

The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture has expressed interest in the Maldives hosting the World Travel Awards (WTA) main international event next year – a move said to reflect the destination’s aim of expanding into event-based tourism, reports Minivan News’ spin-off travel site, Dhonisaurus.

After hosting the Indian Ocean regional WTA ceremony at the Paradise Island Resort and Spa earlier this month, Deputy Tourism Minister Mohamed Maleeh Jamal has since confirmed that discussions had commenced on the Maldives potentially hosting the WTA’s flagship event in 2014.

The Maldives dominated this year’s WTA Indian Ocean ceremony held on may 12, with local operators and resort groups among the main winners on the night.=

Responding to the country’s award success, one senior tourism industry figure present at the ceremony this month raised concerns over the credibility of the wider WTA voting process – pointing to the high number of collaborators and sponsors for the Indian Ocean event that received accolades.

However, local authorities have maintained that this month’s ceremony will provide a major boost to the reputation of the Maldives resorts for meetings, incentives, conferencing and exhibitions (MICE) tourism in the long-term.

Deputy Minister Maleeh stressed authorities were already working to play up the destination’s potential to businesses travellers.

“We are quite clear on our aim of trying to attract MICE tourism here.  In this regard we have already been in touch with management companies.  The WTA has said it was happy with how the [Indian Ocean ceremony] went and we have already started discussing hosting the international event, hopefully this can be arranged,” he said.

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Government-owned company ceases Club Faru resort operations

The Maldives Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) decided to cease operating the Club Faru resort as of May 15 this year, according to local media.

In January, the Tourism Ministry took control of the resort from the site’s previous owners following the expiry of their lease agreement.  The ministry handed control of the resort to the government-owned MTDC until phase two of the Hulhumale’ reclamation project was completed.

MTDC Managing Director Mohamed Matheen told local media that the Tourism Ministry had been notified to take over resort’s operations.

“There are no tourists on the island right now. We stopped the operation of the island, and have been temporarily taking care of the island until a decision is made,” Matheen said.

The MTDC previously requested an extension from the Tourism Ministry to the time period during which the company could operate the resort.

“We wanted to operate the island until the reclamation of Hulhumale’ begins. Even though we let tourists come to the resort, our plan was to empty and hand over the island by giving one month’s notice,” said Matheen.

“But we still don’t know when the reclamation will begin. But we have to keep some staff there to monitor the island until the government takes over,” he added.

Currently, the number of staff on Club Faru has been reduced to “about twenty”, according to Matheen.

Discussions with two foreign companies regarding phase two of the Hulhumale’ reclamation project – which includes Club Faru resort – are ongoing, according to the Housing Development Corporation (HDC).  The HDC is in charge of the Hulhumale’ development.

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Police arrest 48 year-old man for allegedly molesting 10 year-old girl

A 48 year-old man from Hoadedhdhoo Island in Gaafu Dhaal Atoll has been arrested for allegedly abusing a 10 year-old girl over a year and a half, reports local media.

The child’s mother had began to suspect “something was wrong”, a source from the island told local media. The victim, a fourth grade student, then told her how the man had molested her.

The Hoadedhdhoo Island Council told local media the man had been arrested and was in police custody on Thinadhoo Island in Gaafu Dhaal Atoll. Police are currently investigating the case.

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50 companies fail to pay Business Profit Tax by April deadline: MIRA

A total of 50 eligible companies have failed to pay Business Profit Tax (BPT) to the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) by last month’s deadline, local media has reported.

Sun Online has reported that information shared by MIRA found that only 600 of a total of 650 companies eligible to pay BPT had paid the required funds by the deadline of April 30, 2013.

MIRA collected MVR 737,139,061 in BPT by the end of April 2013, according to the report. It received MVR 66,606,109 in BPT payments by April 2012.

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President calls on country to put “national stability” ahead of political affiliations

President Dr Mohamed Waheed has called on the people of the Maldives to put “national stability” ahead of political affiliations, local media has reported.

The president was quoted by newspaper Haveeru during a recent ceremony as claiming every citizen in the country presently faced the risk of being stabbed or harassed on the country’s streets.  He also pointed to unspecified “obstacles”  over implementing law and order in the country.

During the ceremony, which was held to meet with Thiladhunmathi Atoll residents, President Waheed also reportedly called for amendments to the constitution would be required to strengthen the Maldivian political system.

He added that with the abrupt changes seen in Maldivian politics as a result of the people, the public did not wish to “go back”, Haveeru reported.

The Maldives held its first ever multi-party democratic election in 2008.

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31 companies express interest in Hulhumale’ residential development

The Housing Development Corporation (HDC) has said 31 parties have expressed interest in developing residential complexes and row house units on the island of Hulhumale’, according to local media.

The HDC said the interested parties have been invited to submit their bids during a special meeting scheduled for next week – with the best seven proposals then being chosen, Sun Online has reported.

Under the bidding process, three of the seven overall plots of land are set aside to be developed as mixed-use residential complexes, with the remainder of plots being used for row housing.

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EU reiterates need for “peaceful, credible, transparent, and inclusive” presidential elections.

The European Union has issued a statement reiterating its strong support to democratic transition in the Maldives and stressing the importance of peaceful, credible, transparent, and inclusive presidential elections.

“It is essential to ensure that the outcome of these elections fully reflects the wishes of the Maldivian people, in order to safeguard the Maldives’ democratic institutions and to enable its next government to confront the serious political, institutional, economic, social and environmental challenges in the country. The EU has extended its full support in helping Maldives to achieve these aims,” the statement read.

The statement follows a visit by the EU Heads of Mission accredited to Maldives to Malé from May 13-15. During the visit, the diplomats met with the Maldivian president, Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Economic Development and Finance and Treasury as well as other government officials, the Elections Commission, political parties and civil society.

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SO officers arrest retired sergeant in Addu City

Special Operations (SO) police arrested a retired police sergeant in Addu City last night and released him upon learning that he was a former officer.

Jihad Abdulla told newspaper Haveeru today that he was seated on a motorbike having a cigarette in front of his house when a police officer approached and attempted to search him.

“I said why do you want to search me, I have not committed a crime,” he said, adding that he asked the officer to explain a reasonable cause for the frisking.

Jihad was then taken to the Hithadhoo police station in a police jeep. He noted that the officer-in-charge was inside the vehicle but did not inform him of the reason for his arrest.

“So I believe that SO officers do not know how to act during operations. They have to act in accordance with rules and regulations. But that is not how they behave,” he was quoted as saying.

Police officers used foul language after he was taken to the station, Jihad noted. The SO officers told him that they could search or arrest anyone.

Jihad was released after being searched. Some officers at the station knew that Jihad was a former sergeant.

He was honourably discharged from the force in October 2012.

Jihad said he was “saddened and ashamed” of the SO officers as a person who had served as a police officer for 21 years.

Addu City Mayor Abdulla Sodig said in a Facebook post today he had shared with the SO commander “the numerous cases of public complaints about the amateurish and outright rude behavior of the police towards the general public, and in many cases law-abiding citizens.”

“My appeals were dismissed as political statements, when in fact, it had adversely affected and shocked many citizens of Addu, including the honorably retired Sergeant Jihad Abdulla, who was known through out the police service during his 21 years of valuable service. Sgt Jihad Abdulla, like many before him were not intervened within a suspected environment of crime,” he continued.

“When veterans of the Maldives Police Service hang their head in shame having witnessed an open license to exhibit depravity and disregard for liberties and basic human rights guaranteed in our constitution by their fellow officers, it is a wake-up for everyone and especially the Commissioner of Police, CP Abdulla Riyaz, to acknowledge that there are serious problems that need to be addressed within its institution before it can functionally enforce law.”

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