Day: July 21, 2011

“El Al will be a Trojan horse for Maldives”: George Galloway

The commencement of flights by Israeli national airline El Al to the country will be “a Trojan horse for the Maldives,” warns controversial British politician George Galloway.

In a video message aired at the Adhaalath party national congress that concluded last night, the former MP said that he was “deeply shocked” by the government’s decision to authorise the operation of Israeli national carrier in the Maldives on December 13.

“At a time when Arab doors are closing on Israel as a result of the Arab revolution, the idea that the Maldives, an entirely Muslim country, would open the door for El Al, the Israeli national carrier, and bring the Israeli flag into their country, and bring the Mossad and all the attendants who will come with it, is just absurd to me,” said Galloway.

He added that Israeli flights would be “a Trojan horse for the Maldives.”

“You will be bringing Israel into your country at a time when most civilised people are trying to get Israel out of their country,” he continued.

“So I very much hope the people of the Maldives will rally behind the campaign to stop this infiltration of the country by this Zionist settler state. The blood of the Palestinian people for 63 or 64 years now is on this project and nobody should want to share in this blood.”

In April this year, the religious conservative Adhaalath party threatened to terminate its coalition agreement with the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) in protest if Israeli flights are allowed to commence flights to the country.

Transport Minister Adil Saleem however said in June that the airline would allow Maldivians to visit Masjid-al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, the third holiest site for Muslims.

Adil Saleem noted that 500 Maldivians had visited Israel this year and authorising El Al to operate flights to the country would provide a cheaper option for pilgrims.

Official figures meanwhile revealed that 433 Israeli tourists visited the Maldives in 2004, followed by 758 in 2005; 569 in 2006; 838 in 2007; 1307 in 2008; 1588 in 2009 and 1380 in 2010.

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MIRA “will not back down” over unpaid resort rents: Commissioner General of Taxation

The Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) “will not back down” or hesitate to take legal measures against resorts with outstanding rents and fines.

Commissioner General of Taxation Yazeed Mohamed told newspaper Haveeru today that “even if the Tourism Ministry does not take measures, MIRA will fulfill its legal responsibilities.”

MIRA is currently pursuing cases at the Civil Court against a number of tourist facilities to recover unpaid rents.

The Tourism Ministry last week warned 10 resorts with outstanding rents and fines to settle at least 25 percent of debts to the state by Wednesday this week, or face revoking or withholding of operating licenses.

Following deliberations by the cabinet, the ministry gave a 90-day notice as “a last warning” on July 12 for the tourist facilities to pay the overdue amounts in full.

However according to a press statement issued by the ministry yesterday, the government has decided not to enforce the threat of revoking licenses after the resorts appealed for leniency, citing global economic turmoil and difficulties in paying large sums in a short period.

According to the press statement, the decision was made after the tourist businesses provided a schedule for making the payments in installments over a course of time. Neither the proposed deadline nor the length of the extension was specified in the statement.

Commissioner General Yazeed meanwhile revealed that only three out of the 10 resorts had paid 25 percent of the outstanding rent and fines as of yesterday. The three resorts that complied after the Tourism Ministry’s “last warning” were Park Hyatt, Six Senses Laamu and Huvadhumafushi.

Haveeru reports that resorts with unpaid rent and fines include those owned by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ahmed Hamza and Economic Advisor to the President Ali Shiyam. Other resorts on the list include Zitali Resort and Spa, owned by Hamza’s brother Moosa Shiyam; Giraavaru Tourist Resort, owned by Abdul Rauf, M. Sun Rose; and resorts owned by Yacht Tours, whose chairman and former MP Abdulla Jabir is a candidate for the post of MDP chairperson.

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Parliament committees reconstituted with over half the session consumed

MPs have been selected for standing committees today following yesterday’s 61-3 vote to approve a compromise over the reworked composition agreed upon by parliamentary group (PG) leaders.

The three dissenting votes were cast by Independent MPs Ahmed Amir and Ahmed “Redwave” Saleem along with Nolhivaram MP Mohamed Nasheed of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

MPs of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party’s (DRP) Z-faction, Ahmed Mahlouf, Ilham Ahmed and Afrashim Ali, were notably chosen by the split main opposition party for the coveted ‘241’ Security Services Committee – the Z-DRP MPs disrupted last week’s sitting in protest of the previous compromise reached by PG leaders, which would have given the MDP a voting majority on the now-opposition controlled committee.

As a result of the drawn out dispute over committee composition – sparked by the defection of two opposition MPs to the ruling party in May – parliamentary committees have remained stalled since the current session began in June.

The second session of parliament this year is meanwhile due to end next month as Majlis breaks for recess at the end of August.

Apart from authority to summon state officials and conduct inquiries, parliamentary committees are tasked with reviewing and finalising legislation as well as evaluating the President’s nominees to the cabinet, independent institutions and foreign missions.

Four out of 14 bills proposed by the government as part of its economic reform package were sent to committee on Monday while debate on the rest is set to continue next week.

Among the economic reform legislation on the agenda today were proposed laws for business registration, real estate, inheritance, business partnerships and company rules as well as a bill to abolish the Foreign Investment Act of 1979.

Revised committee composition : –

1. Rules Committee – five seats for the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP); five seats for the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP); one seat for People’s Alliance (PA); Eydhafushi MP Ahmed “Redwave” Saleem as the Independent MP

2. Public Accounts Committee – five seats for MDP; four seats for DRP; one seat for PA; one seat for Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP)

3. Economics Committee – five seats for MDP; three seats for DRP; one seat for Jumhooree Party (JP); Meedhoo MP Ahmed “Sun Travel” Shiyam and Eydhafushi MP Ahmed “Redwave” Saleem as the Independent MPs

4. Social Affairs Committee – four seats for MDP; three seats for DRP; two seats for PA; one seat for JP; Velidhoo MP Ali Mohamed as the Independent MP

5. Independent Institutions Committee – five seats for MDP; four seats for DRP; one seat for PA; Kulhudhufushi South MP Mohamed Nasheed as the Independent MP

6. Government Oversight Committee – four seats for MDP; four seats for DRP; one seat PA; one seat for JP; one seat for DQP

7. National Development Committee – five seats for MDP; three seats for DRP; one seat for PA; Kudahuvadhoo MP Ahmed Amir and Kaashdihoo MP Ismail Abdul Hameed as the Independent MP

8. National Security Committee – five seats for MDP; three seats for DRP; one seat for PA; Dhuvafaru MP Mohamed Zubair and Guraidhoo MP Ibrahim Riza as the Independent MPs

9. General Affairs Committee – five seats for MDP; three seats for DRP; one seat for PA; Kudahuvadhoo MP Ahmed Amir and Dhuvafaru MP Mohamed Zubair

10. Petition Committee – five seats for MDP; three seats for DRP; one seat for PA; one seat for JP; Kaashidhoo MP Ismail Abdul Hameed as the Independent MP

11. Privileges Committee – five seats for MDP; three seats for DRP; one seat for PA; one seat for JP; Guraidhoo MP Ibrahim Riza as the Independent MP

12. Ethics Committee – five seats for MDP; four seats for DRP; one seat for PA; Velidhoo MP Ali Mohamed as the Independent MP

13. ‘241’ Security Services Committee * – five seats for MDP; three seats for DRP; one seat for PA; one seat for JP; one seat for DQP; Guraidhoo MP Ibrahim Riza and Kaashidhoo MP Ismail Abdul Hameed as the Independent MP

* Article 241 of the Constitution states, “A committee of the People’s Majlis shall be established to exercise continuing oversight of the operations of the security services. The committee shall include representation from all the different political parties within the People’s Majlis.” Unlike the other 12 standing committees, which has 11 seats, the 241 committee has 13 seats.

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High Court orders stay of Thulhaadhoo by-election

The High Court yesterday ordered a stay of the by-election announced by the Elections Commission (EC) for August 20 to replace dismissed Councillor Umaira Abubakur.

The appeal court ordered EC to postpone the by-election until the court ruled on the legality of her dismissal, which was contested by the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) on behalf of its councillor.

Umaira was dismissed for failing to attend ten consecutive council meetings while she was attending a training workshop for newly-elected councillors.

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Z-DRP opens new office for former President Gayoom

The opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party’s (DRP) Z-faction opened its new office in Male’ this morning for use by the party’s ‘Honorary Leader’ (Zaeem) former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Gayoom told press at the function that a number of people from Male’ and the atolls had requested meetings with him and invited party members and supporters to seek appointments at the new Z-DRP office.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Gayoom expressed gratitude to benefactors who arranged to pay rent as well as salaries for staff. The former president also thanked DRP Deputy Leader Ilham Ahmed and Umar Naseer for their efforts.

The Z-DRP office is located on Bodhuthakurufaanumagu a short distance from the official DRP office. The party marks its sixth anniversary today with separate events by the two factions led by the former president and his successor Ahmed Thasmeen Ali.

To kick off the activities of the new opposition coalition after breaking off from the main opposition DRP, the Z-faction announced a rally tonight at artificial beach, with former President Gayoom in attendance.

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Deputy Speaker Nazim appointed Opposition Parliamentary Group Leader

A new coalition of opposition MPs from the Peoples Alliance (PA), Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP)’s Z-Faction, Jumhoory Party (JP) and Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) last night appointed the new group’s leader, deputy leaders, spokesperson and whips.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament and PA MP Ahmed Nazim was chosen as the leader of the Opposition Parliamentary Group.

DQP MP Riyaz Rasheed and Z-DRP MP Ilham Ahmed were appointed as deputy leaders of the parliamentary group while Z-DRP MP Ahmed Mahlouf was appointed spokesperson.

Z-DRP MP Hamdhoo Hameed was appointed as the “government watch” and PA MP Abdula Azeez Jamal Abu Bakur, Z-Faction MP Ali Arif, MP Ahmed Nihan, MP Abdul Muhsin, MP Mohamed Rafeeq and independent MP Ibrahim Riza were appointed as whips.

Deputy Leader of DRP Ahmed ‘Mavota’ Shareef meanwhile told Minivan News that the current political situation of the Maldives was very fluid.

“Today everyone needs power and to get that power one might do anything, be it out of the law or within the law,” Shareef said.

Shareef predicted that according to the way things were going, DRP MP Ahmed Thasmeen Ali “will not lose the position of minority leader in parliament.”

“We do not support the policy of the government, that is why DRP is here, and we will only support people that support the policy of DRP.”

Announcing the decision to create the new opposition parliamentary group, MP Mahlouf said Thasmeen was also welcome to join the opposition parliamentary group.

Thasmeen did not respond to Minivan News at time of press.

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Alidhoo resort staff on strike over unpaid wages

Maldivian staff working at Alidhoo Resort in Haa Alifu Atoll have declared themselves on strike claiming that the management of the resort had not paid them salary for last month.

The resort is operated by Yacht Tours, owned by local businessman and former MP Abdulla Jabir.

“It is almost the end of this month and Ramadan is coming up – we have to send money to our families back on the islands and we are really broke,” said a staff member working in the resort.

He claimed allowances of the staffs working in the resort had not been paid for the last three months, including service charge and overtime.

“Last week we spoke with the management about our salaries and they said we will be paid today, and today they said they will pay us next Monday,” he said. “Now we are not very confident with this management so we have decided to continue this strike until they pay us.”

The management first told staff that the payments were delayed because the chairman of the company was not in the Maldives, he continued.

“When he came back, they said the banks were not giving money to the resorts – how can we believe them now?” the staff member said.

He claimed that expatriates working on the island had not received their salaries for the past three months.

“They want to join us in the strike but they fear that they might be fired and sent back to their countries,” he said, adding that the expats were supporting the strike although they were not physically involved.

Vice President of Tourism Employees Association of Maldives (TEAM) Mauroof Zakir told Minivan News that TEAM was not officially involved in the strike.

“TEAM has decided not to participate in any strike that is conducted without informing TEAM prior to the commencement of the strike,” Mauroof said. “However, we have given Alidhoo staff instructions.”

Mauroof said TEAM made the decision in a recent meeting because “whenever the strike reaches an uncontrollable status, that’s when the staff see TEAM, and when it reaches that situation it is very hard for us to solve the issues.”

Chairman of Yatch Tours Abdulla Jabir told Minivan News that the delay was caused because he was not in town.

“It will be arranged sometime today,” he said. “The payments were delayed because I was not here.”

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Expatriate worker dies of dengue

An expatriate worker has died of dengue haemorrhagic fever, after being infected on Konottaa in Gaaf Dhaal Atoll.

The 37 year-old Indian national died during treatment at Thinadhoo Regional Hospital.

“He died of dengue shock syndrome less than three hours into treatment,” hospital overseer Aminath Abdul Hakeem told Haveeru.

Five more workers from the island tested positive to the disease, and were treated at the hospital.

Meanwhile, a team from Thinadhoo was dispatched to destroy breeding grounds and fog the island, which is being developed as a resort.

Nine people have died of the mosquito-borne disease this year.

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