Day: July 28, 2010

Technological advances likely to lower air-conditioning costs: Economist

Advances in air-conditioning design, and use of solar power, will mean cheaper cooling systems for buildings, according to a report in the Economist.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Colorado is developing technology known as “desiccant-evaporative cooling” which requires little power because the hot water can be obtained from solar panels.

The process may consume only about a fifth of the energy of conventional air-conditioners, says Ron Judkoff of NREL.

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Parties conduct peace talks behind closed doors

The opposition joint coalition and the government yesterday decided not to disclose any information to the media regarding the second round of peace talks, in an effort to calm tensions “and give the talks the best chance of succeeding”, according to one member.

A Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP said that during yesterday’s meeting all the parties had agreed not to reveal any details of the ongoing discussions.

“We will issue a joint statement. Now the administrative work of the statement is on going,” he said. A third meeting is scheduled for Saturday.

Chairperson of MDP and MP Mariya Didi, who is also representing the government in the peace talks, said it was “in the best interests of the country” to conduct the meetings behind closed doors.

Spokesperson for the MDP Ahmed Haleem said he would not wish to comment on the peace talks.

Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MPs Ahmed Nihan, Deputy leader Umar Naseer and Peoples Alliance leader Abdulla Yamin did not respond to Minivan News at time of press.

Meanwhile, President Nasheed welcomed the ongoing all-party talks, which aim to break the present political deadlock in the country between the executive and legislature.

“I very much welcome the discussions and I am optimistic that the parties will reach a productive outcome,” the President said in a statement.“There are people in all parties who are rational, reasonable and respectable and who would like this country to succeed.”

“I believe it is time for the voices of reason and compromise to step forward and leave behind those who hanker for a return to the authoritarian past,” he added.

The relative ceasefire of angry rhetoric between the parties will likely lead to a focus on the judicial reform process, with crowds gathering today outside the  Judicial Service Commission (JSC) demanding action be taken against corrupt judges.

Haleem said the crowd did not only consist of MDP supporters, “but normal people who belong to different political parties”.

“The judges are working against the spirit of the constitution,” he alleged. “They can’t say, ‘We are taking an oath and this is for 70 years’. If that is the case, the president can also take an oath for lifetime.”

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The Maldives may drift back into dictatorship

The Maldives is in danger of drifting back into dictatorship, writes Al-Jazeera journalist Mark Seddon on website ‘Big Think’.

“The Maldives is not only the World’s newest democracy—it is one of the World’s most fragile democracies. In recent weeks, the rule of the democratically elected President Nasheed began to look a little shaky, as elements of the old Gayoom regime coagulated under a grubby coalition of MPs and corrupt judicial figures to try and force him out.

“What had infuriated them more than anything else was the seriousness behind the intent of the Maldives to recover huge stolen assets—some $400 million, in fact, that now resides in foreign bank accounts. This grand larceny does not include the wealth already squandered on luxury yachts, palaces and all of the paraphernalia associated with bog standard dictators. It was enough to alarm Gayoom, and his close supporters and family, who it is alleged have paid off enough Opposition MPs to make the Maldives more or less un-governable.”

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Independence Day celebrations: Nasheed vows to continue fight against corruption

The Maldives celebrated its 45th Independence Day on July 26th and 27th.

Following a special prayer conducted after the dawn prayer, President Mohamed Nasheed inaugurated and launched different government offices and institutions in Male’.

Flag Hoisting Ceremony

Following the dawn prayer, a flag hoisting ceremony was held at Jumhoory Maidhaan where the large national flag is located. Students at senior posts of different schools, the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and police attended the ceremony.

Addressing the nation, President Nasheed promised to fulfill the mandate given him by the people to consolidate democracy and create the foundations of good governance in the Maldives.

Nasheed said the government would remain resolute in freeing the country from “the bondage of corruption”.

“As the flag of independence flies high, it is a greater national duty to free the country from suspicions in the hearts of the people that bribery and corruption have taken root in the legislature and the judiciary,” he said.

“Unlike previous regime changes, the replacement of government in 2008 did not completely end the power of those connected to the previous regime,” Nasheed said.

The same officials who worked in the previous regime remain active in the executive, courts, and other institutions, he said.

“If [after the presidential elections in 2008] any change came to the bond that existed between the previous leadership and the executive and the judicial branches over those 30 long years, such change was only small,” Nasheed said.

He said he did not want to accept that the government’s power lay in the use the force: “of guns, shackles, and the pillory.”

“The government’s power that we believe in is that of serving the people,” said the President.

Describing the reasons for the current political impasse, the President said “because of the restraint shown…against the influence from officials of previous government, their hopes for coming back to power have flared up.”

“As their pace to come back to power quickened, the constitutional framework was becoming unsettled, disrupting the provision of basic services to the people.”

The President said that to find a long term solution to the political impasse, it was essential to strengthen the constitution as it presently “does not allow an effective presidential system.”

“To my mind, if we want to find a [long term] solution to the current problems, we must amend some articles in the constitution.”

The President reiterated that he was “ready to give way for any elections required in order to bring about those amendments.”

“At no point will I hesitate to face the people and learn what they desire.”

Velaanage inauguration

State Dignitary Ibrahim Rasheed inaugurated Velaanaage, the office complex built on the housing compound of the residence of the Velaanaage family who had rendered invaluable services to the Maldives.

Ibrahim Nasir, the first President of the Second Republic of the Maldives, lived in Velaanaage.

Ibrahim Rasheed addressing the people, said the Maldives continue to receive the valuable services from members of Velaanaage family.

At the ceremony, President Mohamed Nasheed donated a historic shield to President Nasir’s Memorial Room in Velaanaage. The shield was sent to President Ibrahim Nasir on his inauguration as the first President of the Second Republic of the Maldives in November 1968 by President Lyndon B. Johnson of USA.

Fifteen years ago, President Nasir gave the shield to his youngest son Ismail Nasir, who later presented it to President Nasheed. He also spoke on the importance of the Memorial Room which will display manuscripts and some other memorabilia belonging to President Nasir and his family.

In his remarks at the ceremony, President Nasheed said the Velaanaage family was one of the oldest families in the Maldives.

Inauguration of Iskandhar Building

Vice president Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik inaugurated the Maldives Police Service Iskandharu Building, a building to house the police forensic department and containing modern technologies for the forensic investigation of crimes.

Dr Waheed said that ensuring the rule of law and protecting the rights of the people were the primary duties of police.

He said that while the key to people’s happiness and society’s strength lay in their confidence in justice and the rule of law and justice, it was a responsibility of police to ensure the rule of law in the country.

In his remarks at the ceremony held at Iskandharu Koshi, to inaugurate the building, Commissioner of Police Ahmed Faseeh said the building would ease the difficulties faced by lack of space and thus help improve the quality of services to the people.

Inauguration of National Museum

President Mohamed Nasheed inaugurated the new National Museum, which was built with the assistance of the Chinese government’s aid program, ‘China Aid’.

Speaking at the ceremony, Nasheed said the Maldives has a long history, with a written history of more than 1,000 years.

Nasheed said the lessons from history “teach us to respect and uphold human rights.” He said that Maldivians, today, would no longer tolerate any form of abuse or torture.

He thanked everyone involved in the Museum project.

“I would especially like to thank Chinese President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao, the government and the people of China,” he said.

Parade and Guard of Honor

President Mohamed Nasheed and Madam Laila Ali attended a parade and route march held to celebrate the Independence Day.

Upon their arrival at Jumhooree Maidhaan, the President and the First Lady were greeted by Minister of Home Affairs Mohamed Shihab and his wife Aminath Shimla.

The President was received a Presidential Salute, after which the brass band of the MNDF played the National Anthem. The Armed Forces Guard then trooped past the Presidential Stand.

Music Show

In the celebration of the independence day a music show was held at the main stage at Alimas Carnival in Male. Famous actor ‘Chilhiya’ Moosa Manik presented the show. Old traditional songs were performed at the show by different artists. More than 50 people attended to watch the show.

A special function by the President and First lady was held at Dharubaaruge last night. Senior government officials, independent commissions and diplomats attended the function.

Rain cancelled other events

On July 27, other events scheduled for Independence Day were cancelled due to bad weather. The parade of the Maldives National Cadet Corps and bands of students scheduled to be held yesterday evening were also cancelled, along with the other events.

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Emirates launches daily flights from Malé to Colombo

Dubai-based airline Emirates will launch daily flights between Malé and Colombo from August 1, increasing the service to 19 flights a week.

The upgraded schedule makes Emirates one of the most active international carriers servicing the country, along with Sri Lankan Airlines.

Emirates has served the Maldives since April 1987, and also operates 14 flights a week from Malé to Dubai, connecting the Maldives to the rest of the world through the international air transit hub.

The airline’s Senior Vice President Commercial Operations West Asia & Indian Ocean, Majid Al Mualla, said the decision to upgrade the service was made because of the revival of tourism and associated economies in the region.

“There is increasing demand for seats on the Malé-Colombo sector, and Emirates is happy to be in a position to respond quickly to the emerging demand,” he said.

“The additional frequencies to and from Colombo will be welcomed by Maldivians and expatriates alike, as will the convenient departure times from the two cities.

Emirates flights EK652 and EK 654 will depart Malé at 16:30 and arrive in Colombo at 18:30. On Wednesdays and Fridays, EK654 will continue on to Dubai from Colombo.

The return flight EK653 – operating on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday – will depart Colombo at 21:35 and arrive in Malé at 22:35.

These flights will be served by Emirates’ Airbus A330-200 aircraft in a three-class configuration, with 12 seats in First Class, 42 seats in Business Class and 183 seats in Economy Class.

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Comment: An identity for Maldivians

On the morning of the Maldives’ 45th Independence Day celebrations, President Mohamed Nasheed finally unveiled the new National Museum – a swanky, modern, grey building with high ceilings and polished interiors, that has been teasing the public for a few weeks now during the final stages of its construction.

The inauguration was greeted with much fanfare, and vows were made by both the President and the State Minister for Arts and Culture to preserve and promote Maldivian cultural heritage.

However, the reactions from commentators on many news websites to the opening were quite puzzling in their negativity and cynicism.

Or maybe not.

Despite the buzz surrounding the newly-inaugurated building, Maldivians have already had a National Museum since the middle of the last century; a tiny, old section of the former palace that former President Nasir had benevolently left standing.

Dusty, crumbling, and largely ignored by the general Maldivian public, the old museum had harbored the last surviving treasures of the long, unbroken chain of ancient Dhivehi civilization; the swords of the Sultans, ancient loamaafaanu copperplate grants, exquisite medieval lacquer-work, extinct scripts, and beautifully carved coral-stone sculptures of the Buddha that triumphantly showcased the skilled craftsmanship of our ancestors from centuries ago.

Yet somehow, the President had to remind the gathered citizens at the inauguration that Dhivehin have inhabited these ancient islands since 2000BC.

It seems ironic that despite being one of the very few countries in the world with such an ancient recorded history, we Maldivians show a strange disconnect from our cultural roots, and a feigned ignorance of our past.

Many Maldivians seek to satisfy themselves that their language, customs and cultural traits are of recent origin and, intriguingly enough, choose to whitewash whole portions of their history.

For instance, there are Maldivians who display a marked hostility for – and seek to disown – the entire culturally-vibrant Buddhist era of our past!

These attempts to sever the umbilical cord with the past have left Maldivians a culturally restless people, uncertain of their place in history.

It is hardly surprising then, that the swanky new museum has been built, not by Dhivehin as a monument to their proud heritage – but by enterprising foreigners.

It is perhaps befitting such a culturally aloof people that the new botanical gardens, being built on the very site where the former Sultan’s palace once stood, is also the product of foreign labor and initiative.

Interestingly, some of the most enlightening anthropological studies of the Maldivian people, our history, arts, poetry, folktales and traditions have also been carried out by foreign chroniclers like Pyrard, Bell and Maloney.

It would hardly matter to most Maldivians that the plaque outside the gate to the newest monument to Dhivehi culture reads, in bright red letters, ‘China Aid’.

Today, more than ever, there is a greater need to overcome this historical apathy of Dhivehin towards history itself.

The Maldives stands at a unique crossroads as a young, budding democracy about to seek its destiny and carve a niche for itself.

Maldivians have long been plagued by an identity crisis after decades of unfettered Westernization followed by rapid Arabisation. The moment is ripe for the newly assertive Maldivian public to permanently erase this.

If we take this moment to infuse ourselves with a strong national identity and cultural pride, we could overcome some of the most divisive issues burning our society today – the drugs epidemic and religious fundamentalism.

The opening of the new National Museum should hopefully provide the required spark to ignite a long overdue cultural revival in the Maldives, and a reawakening of Maldivians to embrace the Dhivehi identity that unites all mahl people.

If Dhivehin do not jump at this opportunity to rediscover our culture, and revel in our sense of common identity and inherited values (in much the same way our neighbors like India, Sri Lanka and Bhutan do) – then it would seem a rather wasteful expenditure by the Chinese government for an ancient people who have willingly betrayed their own culture!

In the words of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi:

“You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.”

All comment pieces are the sole view of the author and do not reflect the editorial policy of Minivan News. If you would like to write an opinion piece, please send proposals to [email protected]

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