Category: News in Brief

Piracy risk drives LPG price rise

The price of a 10 kilogram gas cylinder has increased by Rf 40 to Rf225, reports Haveeru.

Such cylinders are commonly used for cooking purposes in most Maldivian houses.

Chief Accountant at Maldive Gas Muneer Mohamed told Haveeru that the price increase was due to a spike in international prices, particularly Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) shipments from Saudi Aramco, a factor he related directly to increased shipping costs brought on by increasing threat of piracy in the Indian Ocean.

“The shipping costs have hiked by 25 percent and a gas tonne that earlier sold for US$900 in the international market has increased to US$940,” he told Haveeru.

Prices could drop in 3-4 months on the back of low demand during the European summer, he adeed.

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Analyst spies Maldivian room occupancy turnaround

Room occupancy within the Maldives was found to have risen by 17 percent last year compared to figures recorded in 2009, representing a solid turnaround from the “poor market conditions” of two years ago, data analyst STR Global has said.

Based on figures supplied by the Maldives’ Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, the analyst said that the number of tourist rooms being filled in the country last year was said to be down by only 0.7 percent on 2008, where conditions were not yet impacted by global economic uncertainty.

Demand from European tourist remained the key driver for market growth, with the STR Global findings claiming that 63.5 percent of tourist arrivals between January to November last year were from the region; the findings were based on official tourism figures.

According to the analyst, in terms of calculating the average daily rate – used to record sales of available room rates – increased occupancy numbers were not thought to have yet helped sales catch up on 2008 and 2009 levels.

In local currency terms, the average daily rate was found to be down by 17 percent on 2009 and 26.8 percent when compared to 2008.

However, STR Global Managing Director Elizabeth Randall, claimed that an apparent gradual slowdown in growing room supply in the country was expected to help strengthen demand.

“In the long run, this will give hoteliers the chance to improve rates,” she stated.

The findings were said to be based on the performance of 25 properties within the Maldives.

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Resort coffee shop destroyed in fire

A coffee shop on Eriyadhoo Resort in Kaafu Atoll was destroyed in a fire this morning, reports Haveeru.

A nearby pool room was also damaged in the blaze, which took hold at around 1:40am.

Resort staff extinguished the fire in two hours, at 3:30am. Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) firefighters arrived at 4:00am.

“It’s difficult to say the exact cost of the damage, but the whole coffee shop and the bar has been burnt to rubble,” the resort’s manager Mohamed Ijaz told Haveeru, estimating that the damage was around Rf 5 million (US$390,000).

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Parliament installs internet touch screens for MPs

The Maldivian parliament has installed touch-screens for the use of MPs, that display the agenda and relevant documents such as bills and the constitution.

The technology will allow MPs to browse the internet during sessions of parliament.

Secretary General Ahmed Mohamed told Haveeru that “it is one of our main objectives to utilize the latest technology on the parliament floor.”

“Despite the fact that the system has not been implemented up to our expectations, the members will be able to see a lot of documents even now. We will be developing the system,” he said.

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Supreme Court rules after High Court on council office relocations

The Supreme Court yesterday ruled against orders issued by Magistrate Courts in Maafushi and Nilandhoo that called for atoll councilors to move the premises of their secretariat offices back to their islands.

Haveeru reported that the decision of the Supreme Court followed the earlier verdict of the nation’s High Court backing temporary orders issued by local Magistrates in support of Kaafu Atoll councilors who opted to move their offices in Maafushi to Thulusdhoo without government approval. The High Court had also ruled in favour of council counterparts in Shaviyani Atoll, who wished to move their own office from Maafushi to Thulusdhoo.

In the ruling, judges were said to have ruled unanimously against the Maafushi and Nilandhoo Magistrates Court claiming that rulings that contradict previous judgments made at national courts of the same level were invalid.

According to the paper, judges added that the three levels of courts in the nation were a vital means of guaranteeing law and order and no court was allowed to intervene in the “special jurisdictions” of another legal institution at the same level.

The issue of relocating offices and the powers of local councils formed during local elections last month has proved to be a particularly divisive issue this week for the country’s politicians and courts, with the country’s police service also being drawn into the dispute.

Correction: The article has been amended from its original form that incorrectly stated that the Supreme Court had ruled against the High Court. Minivan News apologises for the error.

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Maldivian takes office as SAARC secretary-general

Maldivian Fathimath Dhiyana Saeed has this week taken office as secretary-general for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) becoming the first woman to hold the post.

Saeed succeeded India’s Sheel Kant Sharma in the post on Tuesday, claiming that she aimed to help SAARC expand its influence during her tenure among its member states that include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, as well as the Maldives.

According to SAARC, the secretary-general post is appointed by the orgnanisation’s Council of Ministers based on a nomination from a different individual member state every three years on the basis of alphabetic order.

Saeed, who had been serving as the Maldivian Envoy for South Asia was put forward by her national government.

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STO claims airport fuel contract under one year deal

GMR Male’ International Airport Limited (GMIAL) has announced that the Maldives State Trading Organization (STO) will begin supplying fuel to its operations from the beginning of April under the terms of a one-year contract.

The company has claimed that STO beat off competition from a host of international bidders to win the contract that will commence from 1 April 2011. The contract is expected to amount to a total value of US$140m over its twelve month lifespan – reflecting the supply of about 1.1 million barrels of fuel.

GMIAL said in a statement that the success of STO’s bid was based on both technical and economic factors such as the capability to supply both Jet A-1 fuel and Marine Gas Oil (MGO) as well providing testing facilities and the lowest financial premiums.

Andrew Harrison, CEO of GMIAL, said the decision was a key step in working to try and set the airport up as a world class facility and reduce any interruptions to transport services, while also offering direct economic benefits to the local economy.

“This contract will bring commercial revenue in form of US Dollar receipts to a Maldivian company, which will be a valuable benefit in terms of foreign exchange trading,” he stated.

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Munawar claims president is hindering, not helping, political reform

Former Attorney General and one time head of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Dr Mohamed Munawar has denounced his successor and current national President Mohamed Nasheed for holding back important reforms he says are needed in the country.

Miadhu reported that Munawar last night called for the end of Nasheed’s tenure during the first meeting at Dhaarubaaruge of the newly formed political party, the Maldives Reform Movement (MRM), which he currently leads.

Munawar claimed that in order to bring unspecified reforms to the country, it was important to ensure that the president did not remain in office until the 2013 general election when his position is officially set to be contested.

According to the paper, the MRM leader was especially critical at what he saw as a lack of respect by the government for the rule of law and its failure to uphold constitutional rights.

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Piracy discussed during president’s India visit

Piracy within Indian and Maldivian waters was amongst the issues discussed by President Mohamed Nasheed during a three day visit to the country last week, according to local press reports.

India-based newspaper the Economic Times reported that Nasheed held discussions with local External Affairs Minister Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna over issues such as trade, as well as methods to extend anti-piracy measures between the two countries to boost security within the Indian Ocean.

The report added that counter-terrorism issues and climate change were also touched upon in the talks with regards to mutual assistance between the two countries in the future.

The president returned from the India visit on Sunday (27 February).

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