Day: August 3, 2011

India to extend cooperation with Maldives, says External Affairs Minister

India’s External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna has said India will shortly embark on extensive renovation work of Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in Male’, as well as construct a Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Studies by 2013.

Other major projects being considered by the Indian government include  the establishment of a Development Finance Institution in Maldives, promotion of the Maldives as a filming destination, and creating the infrastructure for an IT village, reported South Asian news agency ANI.

“The bilateral cooperation between India and Maldives is on a high trajectory in recent times with both sides embarking on comprehensive, forward looking, pragmatic and mutually beneficial initiatives and projects. We have been working together on increasing connectivity and closer economic integration,” Krishna said.

President Mohamed Nasheed has invited Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to visit the Maldives in November 2011.

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DhiTV loses court battle for terrestrial broadcasting license

The Civil Court has ruled that the agreement made between the government and Broadcasting Maldives Pvt Ltd, the company that runs DhiTV – mentions only cable and satellite broadcasting and nothing about terrestrial broadcasting frequency.

The company had gone to court claiming the government was obligated to give them a terrestrial broadcasting frequency. DhiTV, an opposition-aligned network, currently broadcasts over cable and satellite.

Ruling on the case, Judge Maryam Nihayath said that cable, satellite and terrestrial broadcasting were three different types of broadcasting and the granting of permission for cable and satellite broadcasting did not mean that terrestrial broadcasting had to be permitted as well.

Nihayath also said the agreement made between the government and Broadcasting Maldives Pvt Ltd did not indicate that the company had been granted permission for terrestrial broadcasting, and that the rights mentioned in the agreement concerned only satellite and cable broadcasting.

Broadcasting Maldives Pvt Ltd claimed that the company needed terrestrial broadcasting permission to make the best use of the license issued by the government, and requested that the court order the state to grant permission for terrestrial broadcasting.

Concluding the verdict, Judge Nihayath said there were no grounds for the government to issue a terrestrial broadcasting frequency to Broadcasting Maldives Pvt Ltd.

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