Day: July 4, 2011

Police stop over-capacity atoll ferry

Police stopped an atoll ferry from leaving Gaaf Alif Dhaandhoo today with passengers numbers above the legal capacity.

Sun Online reports that Gaaf Alif Atoll Councillor Abdu Salaam was on board at the time. Salaam said that when police counted there were approximately 30 passengers above the 50-person limit.

The councillor explained that the lack of capacity was a recurring problem.

Under the government’s public-private partnership (PPP) policy, the ferry service in the atoll is provided by a private company called Drimex.

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Gasim undecided on coalition with DRP

MP Gasim Ibrahim, leader of the Jumhooree Party (JP), is reportedly undecided over signing a coalition agreement with the main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP).

The DRP council – not including members of the breakaway Z-DRP faction – unanimously approved entering into a formal coalition with the JP at a meeting last night.

The former presidential candidate told Sun Online that the JP was “not a promiscuous woman” to form a coalition with DRP for the sole reason of resolving the ongoing dispute over control of committees.

He added that the party should consider which faction of the splintered DRP to ally itself with.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Z-DRP MP Ahmed Mahlouf said that the ‘Gayoom faction’ would support Gasim as the leader of the joint opposition coalition instead of DRP Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali.

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No-confidence motion against Male’ Mayor temporarily withdrawn

A no-confidence motion against Male’ City Mayor “Sarangu” Adam Manik tabled in the agenda for today’s city council meeting has been withdrawn.

Haveeru has reported that West Maafanu Councillor Mohamed Falah withdrew his motion as a replacement for Adam Manik, Hulhu-Henveiru Councillor “Maizan” Ali Manik (Alibe), was currently overseas in Japan for an Athletics Association trip.

One of two opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) councillors on the 11-member city council, Ibrahim Shujau, explained that Falah did not want the position to remain vacant until Alibe returned on 12 July

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Parliament deadlock continues

Parliament remains deadlocked as the dispute over the composition of committees continues to disrupt proceedings, forcing Speaker Abdulla Shahid to cancel a third consecutive sitting in the face of vociferous protests by MPs of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

The Speaker adjourned today’s sitting five minutes after it began when MDP MPs loudly objected to his decision to overrule a point of order raised by MP Ahmed Sameer, who argued that the issue of parliamentary committees should not have been tabled in today’s agenda.

While Shahid said that parliament would reconvene later in the day, the sitting was eventually cancelled shortly after 3pm to allow the parties to reach a compromise.

MP Ibrahim ‘Ibu’ Mohamed Solih, parliamentary group (PG) leader of the MDP, had told Minivan News yesterday that the party would object to the agenda item.

Ibu Solih argued that the rules of procedure clearly specified that the composition of committees should reflect the number of MPs each party had in parliament.

“The rules clearly state that MDP should get five seats, and if DRP forms a coalition with the Jumhooree Party, they should get five seats, too,” he explained. “There is no need to take a vote on something that is determined in the rules.”

At an impromptu meeting last night, the main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party’s (DRP) council approved plans to enter into a formal coalition with the Jumhooree Party, which if signed would bring the allied opposition parties’ representation in line with the MDP at 34 MPs each.

According to parliamentary rules on proportional representation in committees, both sides would be entitled to five seats out of the 11 in each of the 12 parliamentary committees. However this leaves the 11th seat to be filled by one of the remaining eight Independents.

With the ruling and opposition parties evenly matched with five seats each, the support of an Independent MP would be needed to decide which side held a controlling majority on each committee.

Raising his point of order today, MDP MP Sameer said that the rules of procedure dictate the Speaker should decide, through consultation, which Independent MP would sit on which committee.

The dispute is set to continue when parliament resumes tomorrow.

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Addu council looking beyond single island resort model for mid-market push

Addu City Council has announced plans to kick-start a project aimed at attracting mid-market tourism to the region in a change of policy from the country’s established one resort per island policy.

Following in the footsteps of developments on the island of Gan in Laamu Atoll, Addu City authorities have said they will develop areas of the city as a Asseyri (Beachside) Project.

The project represents a tourism development plan by which guest accommodation, alongside recreation and entertainment facilities, will be developed in a specific area with each commercial component being rented out to different parties. The system differs from the country’s established tourism model that has generally been based on a single enterprise operating a resort property exclusively on a designated island.

The announcement of the Addu City project follows a cabinet decision made earlier this year to create an integrated tourism development policy.

“We have identified the areas we want to develop for the Asseyri project, and we have sent the proposals to the Tourism Ministry for approval,” says Abdullah Sodiq, Mayor of Addu City.

The two areas ear-marked for development under this project are the Maafishi Area of Hulhumeedhoo Island and the start of the Hankede area, Hithadhoo.

Diversification

Moving away from the existing one island, one hotel tourism product, an Asseyri project aims to open up venues to allow larger numbers of local entrepreneurs to participate in the Maldives’ lucrative tourism sector.

The project will also open up doors for budget and mid-market tourists to visit Maldives, diversifying the Maldivian tourism product, according to developers.

A pilot Asseyri project was launched by the Tourism Minister Dr Mariyam Zulfa in Gan in March. According to the proposed plans, two 300 bed hotels, 69 guest houses, as well as a number of restaurants, spas and sports/recreational facilities will be developed on the 25 hectares of land located on the western beach side of the island.

In trying to emulate the Gan project, Mayor Sodiq said “the Addu Assyeri project will also be a multi-owner project; with lodgings and other facilities like restaurants, spas and sports areas each being owned by a different enterprises.”

The proposals for the Addu project have now reportedly been drawn up and sent to the ministry for approval.

“The tourism ministry shared with us the details of their ongoing project at Gan and has been very supportive of our maiden venture into this area,” Sodiq said.

Addu City Council hopes the project will give a boost to the local economy by creating more job opportunities and helping with aims to increase the GDP of Addu Atoll within the next three years. It will also attract more visitors to the city which is already home to properties like Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa.

Finding developers

Tourism authorities in the country have also pledged to try and assist the Addu City beach-side developments.

“We are holding discussions with Addu City Council to plan their Asseyri project,” says Moosa Zameer Hassan, Deputy Director General at the Planning Department of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.

Hassan added that the Tourism Ministry was currently working to change its approach to the Gan Asseyri project after evaluating project proposals that were submitted ahead of a June deadline.

“We received two proposals, one from a local company to do the water and sanitation component of [the project], the other from a foreign company to develop the hotel component. At present we are negotiating with both parties,” Hassan said. The initial idea for the project was to try and find a party interested in the total development of the whole area and to lease out the different components of it afterwards, though tourism authorities are now reviewing this.

“The area is very big that might be the reason [for the review]. So now we are going to put out a tender for the development of hotels and guest houses, and hold discussions with the local council for them to rent out the land plots for other components of the project like restaurants, spas, recreational facilities and such,” Hassan claimed.

Aslam Moosa, a representative for Gan Island Council said he and his fellow members had been kept in the dark regarding the project.

“Yes, I have seen the area marked on the map, and heard the announcement for the proposals, but nobody has held discussions with us on the project,” he added. Moosa claimed that the council was presently only involved in the development of a 300 bed hotel by an Indian Company in Gan.

Hassan confirmed that discussions have not been held since local councils were elected. in February. “But we hope to hold discussions with them and to be able to rent out plots of land within two months,” he said.

While the tender for hotels would be open to foreign parties, bidding for running guest houses will be only for locals, Hassan stressed.

“Guest houses have always been protected investments just for locals. By law, the Tourism Ministry’s involvement is vital as guest houses and hotels can only be leased by them. The ministry does not envisage giving priority to residents of the Atolls involved,” he said. “Bidding for guest accommodation will be a process open to all Maldivians. Though local councils can decide if they will prioritise residents of their island in the bidding for involvement in other components of the project.”

Meanwhile, Addu City Council has said it is finishing up the administrative work for the Asseyri project and would soon be drawing up the final plans.

“We are very confident that our proposed plan will be approved by the ministry. It will be well regulated, we will assign land areas and have a limit on the height of the buildings.”

The tentative date to complete the tender for the Addu Asseyri project is by September. However, Sodig says actual physical work on the project will be put off until December, to enable the scheduled 17th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit to go without any hitches.

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“No grounds” for “unacceptable dismissal” of DRP councillor: MP Rozaina

The main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) has strongly condemned the dismissal of Baa Thulhadhoo Councillor Umaira Abubakr yesterday, accusing four councillors of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) of conducting emergency meetings in her absence in a deliberate attempt to remove her from the post.

Article 119(b) of the Decentralisation Act states that a councillor can be removed if he or she misses seven consecutive meetings “without offering a valid reason that is acceptable to the council.” Umaira did not attend ten meetings which took place while she was ostensibly participating in a workshop in Bandos Island Resort.

If the council’s decision to dismiss her stands, Umaira Abubakr, the sole representative of the DRP on the five-member council, will become the first councillor to be removed from her post since the election of local councils in February.

Speaking at a press conference today, DRP MP Rozaina Adam alleged that the four MDP councillors actively plotted to dismiss Umaira from the council.

“There are a number of things that prove that she was dismissed without any grounds and that this was planned by them,” she explained. “Up until May, the Thulhaadhoo council held 23 meetings. However during the period when Umaira went to the workshop, they held ten meetings, four of which were normal meetings but the other six were held as emergency meetings.”

She added that the emergency meetings were conducted to decide trivial matters. “For example, an emergency meeting was held for the sake of changing the days where normal meetings take place.”

Umaira missed the meetings as she was attending a workshop for councillors in Bandos, said Rozaina, claiming that the atoll council had informed the island council of her intent to participate while Chair Ahmed Rasheed had granted permission.

“Moreover, other councillors [who attended the workshop] did not inform their councils in writing before leaving nor did the chair ask Umaira to do so,” she said.

The DRP MP for Thulusdhoo claimed that Umaira was not given notice for meetings nor sent agendas two days in advance as stipulated by article 115(a).

Umaira has since lodged a complaint at the atoll council. Rozaina vowed that the DRP would appeal at the High Court if the atoll council upholds the decision.

Thulhaadhoo Council Chair Ahmed Rasheed told Minivan News today that the decision to dismiss Umaira was taken after consultation with the Local Government Authority (LGA) and based on legal counsel from the Attorney General’s Office.

“She did not inform in writing as she was required by law either before she left or during her holiday,” he insisted.

While confirming that six of the ten meetings in question were emergency sessions, Rasheed however denied the DRP allegation of a deliberate attempt to dismiss Umaira.

Rasheed further denied Rozaina’s claim that police were called in this morning when Umaira came in to the office: “I saw two police officers at the office but we didn’t call them or ask them to remove her.”

On the emergency meetings and their purpose, Rasheed said that he could not recall the agendas.

“It is not up to Rozaina to decide when we should hold meetings,” he said.

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