Day: May 24, 2011

MATATO debating whether to continue New7Wonders campaign after cabinet’s withdrawal

The Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) is considering offering to support New7Wonders to promote the Maldives in the competition, following cabinet’s decision to withdraw the country’s entry.

Announcing the decision last Wednesday May 18, State Minister for Tourism Thoyyib Mohamed said the Maldives was withdrawing from the competition “because of the unexpected demands for large sums of money from the New7Wonders organisers. We no longer feel that continued participation is in the economic interests of the Maldives.”

Sponsorship packages and funding of New7Wonders’ ‘World Tour’ event would have cost the Maldives upwards of US$500,000, tourism authorities estimated, not including the millions of dollars in licensing arrangements solicited from local airlines and telecom providers.

In an opinion column for Minivan News this week, New7Wonders’ Head of Communication Eamonn Fitzgerald emphasised that Maldives was still in the competition, “because the authority to withdraw a participant from the campaign is a decision for New7Wonders alone, not for any government agency.”

Secretary General of MATATO, Maleeh Jamal, said the association had been in contact with New7Wonders and was considering working on the event in the government’s stead.

The studies offered by New7Wonders promised an “enormous return on investment”, Jamal suggested.

“I think US$500,000 for such an award would be quickly recovered. Although the money was a concern, we had a fair chance of winning,” he said. “A lot of competing destinations, such as Australia and South Africa, are taking this competition very seriously.”

Sri Lanka had recently spent millions of dollars bidding to host the Commonwealth Games, he noted, as well as hosting a film festival.

“I think a lot of these awards are, as a matter of fact, marketing tools. Not many people are going to go into detail as to whether the competition is democratic. What is important is how it can benefit the destination.”

Asked whether he predicted that MATATO would be able to negotiate a discount from New7Wonders following the government’s withdrawal, Jamal said the association had not yet discussed financial matters with the organisation.

“Some of our members have indicated that they would be willing to contribute financially and offer other support. The executive will meet and discuss it this week and decide whether to continue or discontinue,” he said.

Meanwhile Secretary General of the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI), Mohamed ‘Sim’ Ibrahim, said he had “no idea about New7Wonders, beyond that it has been going on for some time.”

“It sounds like a gimmick. I understood there was a lot of money involved,” he said.

“MATI will not support it financially. Like any other business people will have to judge if its worth it. We were never consulted on the matter and were never party to this – we like to keep away from things we don’t know about.“

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High Court and Judicial Administration claims protesters obstructed court work

The High Court and the Department of Judicial Administration have said that yesterday’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)-led protest calling for the arrest of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom had obstructed the work of the courts, and called on the armed forces not to allow protesters to gather near the court buildings.

In a press release the Department of Judicial Administration said protesting near the courts was banned according to relevant laws.

The Department said the constitution stated that no one should influence the work of judiciary and that everyone should respect the courts, and assist the court in all ways.

Meanwhile the High Court issued a press release stating that the work of the High Court was interrupted, and disturbed those summoned to the court as well as staff.

A pregnant woman who came to enter the court was squeezed between the steel gate of the High Court and the protesters and was hurt, the High Court claimed.

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MDP will use majority to cut allowances granted to former President Gayoom, says Moosa

Maldivian Democratic Party (MD) Parliamentary Group Leader and MP ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik has said that an MDP majority will cut allowances granted Maumoon Abdul Gayoom while the former president remains active in politics.

Moosa claimed that the opposition had used their majority to obstruct the government.

”All they did with their majority was increase the expenditure of the government to try an destabilise the economy, while granting allowances for Maumoon.” he said. ”The day that MDP has the full majority of 39 MPs in parliament, will be a day the judges and independent commissions will remember,” he said.

He recalled the day cabinet ministers were dismissed by the parliament after the opposition used its majority to refuse to approve the President’s ministerial appointments.

“That day MMA (Maldives Monetary Authority) Governor Fazeel Najeeb was far away clapping his hands, but I tell you now, when the parliament commences work it will the cabinet ministers who applaud.”

Moosa referred to the corruption allegations against the Deputy Speaker of Parliament and opposition coalition People’s Alliance (PA) MP Ahmed Nazim, claiming that ”Nazim cannot hide from the courts and sit in his chair anymore.”

Moosa said the MDP would give priority to passing the Criminal Procedure Bill, keeping the controversial Sunset Bill aside, and amend the Finance Bill.

Gayoom-faction MP Ahmed Nihan told Minivan News that MDP’s decision to cut the allowances of the former President it would not only harm Gayoom, but President Mohamed Nasheed as well.

”The allowances are granted according to Article 128 of the constitution, so protection and allowances for former Presidents should be granted,” Nihan said. ”That is something given for the hard work Presidents have done for the country and citizens during their time, and we also hope that President Nasheed will remain in the country to serve the people after his administration is over.”

Nihan speculated that the MDP was luring opposition MPs to join the party, seeking a parliamentary majority.

”All Maldivians know that Moosa has personal grudges against Maumoon,” he said. ”It is really an illness that he has, and he needs to find a cure.”

He alleged that Moosa had illegally obtained Rf21 million through a contract with the Thilafushi Corporation – a matter currently being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) – and questioned why “nobody talks about it today.”

”Moosa was once arrested and found guilty of corruption and imprisoned during Maumoon’s administration, but he wasn’t arrested for praying or reciting salawat, he was arrested on corruption charges for attempting to bribe MPs,” Nihan claimed.

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Nazim appears in court over corruption allegations, requests lawyer

Deputy Speaker of Parliament and MP of opposition coalition partner the People’s Alliance (PA), Ahmed Nazim, was today summoned to the Criminal Court for a hearing of a corruption case filed against him, with the Prosecutor General’s Office accusing him of gaining money through fraudulent transactions.

Criminal Court Judge Saeed Ibrahim granted Nazim’s request for seven days in which to seek a lawyer, after he was given the opportunity to respond to the accusations.

Judge Ibrahim said the trial would continue without notice if Nazim failed to produce a lawyer by the deadline.

The case is the second to be lodged against Nazim by the Prosecutor General’s office.

State Prosecutor Abdulla Rabiu alleged that Nazim, used the equipment and staff of Namira Engineering and Trading Private Limited of which he was the managing director to propose a bid in the name of a company called Tech Media Services, not registered in the Maldives.

At a press conference in August 2009, Chief Inspector Ismail Atheef said police had uncovered evidence that implicated Nazim, former Atolls Minister Abdulla Hameed and Eydhafushi MP Ahmed “Redwave” Saleem, former director of finance, in fraudulent transactions worth over Rf3,446,950 (US$270,000).

Police presented numerous quotations, agreements, tender documents, receipts, bank statements and forged cheques, claiming they proved that Nazim received hundreds of thousands of dollars in the scam.

A hard disk seized during a raid of Nazim’s office in May allegedly contained copies of forged documents and bogus letter heads.

Furthermore Nazim’s wife Zeenath Abdullah had abused her position as a manager of the Bank of Maldives’ Villingili branch to deposit proceeds of the fraudulent conspiracy, police alleged.

Hameed, also long-serving Speaker of the People’s Majlis, played a key role in the fraud by handing out bids without public announcements, making advance payments using cheques against the state asset and finance regulations, approving bid documents for unregistered companies and discriminatory treatment of bid applicants, police claimed.

In April this year, police confirmed a request from the Criminal Court to bring Hameed before a court in the Maldives, after a summons could not be delivered to him in a pending case.

Several hearings have been cancelled in the high-profile corruption case involving Hameed, who is the brother of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, after the court was unable to determine his whereabouts and deliver a summons.

Nazim was not responding to calls at time of press.

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Maldivian vessel held at Colombo port upon court order

A cargo vessel of Maldivian origin has reportedly been held by port authorities in Colombo, Sri Lanka, over claims the ship’s owners had not paid outstanding dues.

Haveeru has reported that the Sri Lanka Ports Authority has said that the vessel was detained last week following the issue of a court order concerning payments.

Shanthi Weerakoon, Director of Merchant Shipping for the local port authority, told the newspaper that ship detentions often occurred in cases where cargo companies were believed to have delayed payments to shipping agents or port officials. Weerakoon added that no timeframe had been set to release the ship at present depending on possible outstanding payments.

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MDP one vote behind combined opposition, as MP Raheem joins party

Former opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Abdulla Abdu Raheem has signed with the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) after resigning from his previous party earlier this week.

Raheem marked his signing at an MDP rally yesterday with a speech in which he called for the government to resolve the country’s currency crisis by “getting rid of Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) Governor, Fazeel Najeeb.”

”Instead of giving high priority to his responsibilities in that position, he gives priority to other things in life,” Raheem claimed.

Raheem’s joining the MDP follows in the footsteps of the former DRP Deputy Leader Ali Waheed, DRP Sports Wing head Hassan Shujau and deputy head Assad ‘Adubarey’ Ali, and leaves the MDP one vote behind the allied opposition parties.

With Raheem the MDP’s parliamentary group controls 35 votes, including MP ‘Redwave’ Saleem who has signed a coalition agreement to vote with the party.

The alliance of opposition parties, including the DRP, Jumhoree Party (JP), Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) and the People’s Alliance (PA) control 36 votes, although given the present hostility between Gayoom’s faction of the DRP and that of Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali, this tally is less than assured.

Neither the MDP or the opposition parties control a brute voting majority of 39 in the 77 member Majlis, a situation with the potential to give the balance of power to the six independents: Ismail Abdul Hameed, Ahmed ‘Sun’ Shiyam Mohamed, Ahmed Amir, Ibrahim Riza and Mohamed Zubair.

Independent MP Mohamed Nasheed predicted that closely-fought bills – such as the government’s proposed income tax on those earning over Rf 30,000 – could potentially be swung by the independent votes.

“Since the parliament is going to be nearly equally divided between government and opposition, come June my inclination is that in matters where a clear parliamentary majority of 39 votes is required, responsible decision making from the independents will be crucial,” Nasheed told Minivan News.

MDP MP Eva Abdulla said the party was starting the next session of parliament “with an entire legislative package to implement the government’s economic policy, including a number of amendments as well as new bills, mainly taxation. “

While a number of MPs had already expressed opposition to the income tax bill, “these bills have been widely discussed with stakeholders and we feel the opposition is coming by and large from those still adamant on defending their own vested financial interests,” she said. “This is what they have done in parliament for the last two years.”

“We are confident that with the new majority not only can we pursue the legislative requirements of the government’s economic policy more smoothly, but also reverse some of the laws they had previously disfigured,” she said.

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Dutch ambassador departs, Italian ambassador arrives

Ambassador of the Netherlands to the Maldives Leoni Cuelenaere is departing the Maldives while the new Ambassador of Italy accredited to the Maldives Fabrizio Pio Arpen Am presented his credentials to the President yesterday.

In a farewell meeting with Cuelenaere President Mohamed Nasheed expressed his gratitude for the work done by the Dutch Ambassador and highlighted major joint ventures between the government and the Maldives, including Royal Boskalis Westminster and Dutch Docklands. Cuelenaere in response praised Nasheed’s initiative to open up the Maldivian economy and strengthen democratic institutions.

Meanwhile, the new Italian Ambassador Fabrizio Pio Arpea presented his credentials to the President, and spoke about the proposed trip of 20 Italian students to the outpost of the University of Milano-Bicocca in the Maldives.

Arpea reiterated the importance of the ongoing business engagements between the two countries, especially in tourism – Italy is historically one of the Maldives’ strongest European markets.

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President teaches economics at Dharumavantha School

President Mohamed Nasheed presented a lecture on the government’s financial reforms to economic students at Dharumavantha School.

The President explained the need to make state revenue sustainable with the government’s new tax regime, and how the introduction of a goods and services tax, business profit tax and income tax would benefit the economy.

A video series of the lesson are available on the President’s Office website.

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DRP backs speedy investigation of infanticide cases

The opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) has backed police efforts to investigate and convict women suspected of infanticide, after the the corpses of two premature babies and one recently born infant were found in the capital.

“I call on the government to give equal importance to social issues as it does to political issues. Crime cannot be prevented by the simple existence of a law against it,” DRP MP Rozaina Adam said at a press conference yesterday.

“We see the government working at top gear to solve some problems, but nothing is done to solve these issues. We don’t even see government officials advocating against these crimes,” Haveeru reported Rozaina as saying.

Three women have been arrested in connection with the discarded infants.

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