Category: News in Brief

Maldives opposition parties allege corruption in Male International Airport privatisation deal

Corruption is rife in Male International Airport privatisation process, according to the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), the Peoples Alliance (PA), the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) and the Jumhooree Party (JP). The opposition parties have signed an agreement to work against the privatisation process.

The government’s haste in the bidding process, at a time when there is a bill pending in the Majlis which would regularise the process of selling public assets, is troubling and a case would be lodged with the anti-corruption commission, say the president of DQP, Dr. Hassan Saeed and the president of People’s Alliance, Abdulla Yameen.

Saeed also noted that the move comes at a time when public confidence in the government is at rock-bottom. The airport should be developed by the Maldives Airports Company (MAC), according to Saeed, and if the same provisions which the government is allowing for GMR were allowed for MAC, it would be able to develop the airport.

They also said that a Majlis amendment is necessary to raise the airport service charge from US$18 to US$25, which the government has promised to GMR.

Experts have said that privatisation of US airports was one reason which led to 9/11 attacks in US, said Yameen, and privatisation could cause loss of revenues to companies which operate through the airport, such as Island Aviation Services. GMR’s fuel charges, airport tax and charges for flights landing at the airport could cause tourist arrivals to decline, he said.

Because of the financial and economic crisis, this is not the best time to sell an asset like the airport, Yameen said, and in the bidding process, highest marks should not be given to the company which pays the largest amount upfront, but to the company which gives the most throughout the lease period.

The government has never requested money for the airport development from the Majlis, Yameen said.

GMR should consider the views of the people and the opposition parties before making a final decision, said Dr Hassan Saeed in response to a question from Miadhu Daily. “Even if they sign the agreement, and even if they take over management of the airport, we will do whatever we can to cancel the agreement. We will go to Court, and I have a guarantee that we can win this case.”

Haveeru Online reports the Bangalore-based GMR has proposed to pay US$78 million (almost Rf1 billion) upfront to the Maldivian government, one percent of the total profit in the first year (until 2014) and 10% of total profit from 2015 to 2035. The company also agreed to pay 15% of fuel trade revenues in the first four years and 27% from 2015 to 2035.

President Nasheed has said that with privatisation, “the government will be able to save over US$300 million in investments.” The government had launched the airport tender process in October 2009. The President said the International Financial Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group, worked with the government throughout the process, and he was “confident the tender process was transparent and ensured there was no room for corruption.”

The GMR group is named after its founder G. M. Rao, and Kiran K Gandhi is chairman of its airports division.

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High Court concludes hearings into Public Service salaries dispute

The High Court has concluded hearings in the appeal case involving the finance ministry’s order to government offices to prepare salary sheets in accordance with reduced salaries scales, after the civil service commission (CSC) announced the restoration of wages, Haveeru reports.

The Civil Court earlier ruled that the ministry did not have authority to make the order.

Solicitor General Abdulla Muiz spoke on behalf of finance ministry before Judge Ali Hameed on Thursday, saying that the Majlis had not decided to restore civil service wages and no separate budget was allocated for it. Instead, the Majlis decision was to allow the ministry and the commission to work in agreement, he said.

Representing CSC, former communications minister Dr Abdulla Jameel responded that it was against article 96(c) of the constitution not to give the money allocated for civil service wages. The article was included in the constitution because the former government had not kept up with the budget, he claimed. The commission’s independence would not be maintained, said Dr Jameel, if it was required to act on recommendations.

Judge Hameed concluded the hearing and said an additional hearing would only be held if the court finds something that should be clarified.

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World Bank grants over Rf160,000 to two Maldivian NGOs

The World Bank has granted more than Rf160,000 to two local NGOs for social projects, according to Haveeru Online.

The bank granted US$12,500 (Rf160,625) from its Civil Society Fund to the Live and Learn Environmental Education and the Maldives NGO Federation, during a function held at the Holiday Inn, Male, on Wednesday.

The Live and Learn grant will be used for a project to manufacture chilli sauce from locally grown chillies, and the NGO Federation grant will develop two video units in Fuvahmulah (Gnaviyani) and Addu (Seenu) atolls.

Executive Director of World Bank Group Dr Mirza Hassan said the bank’s aim was to foster a close relationship with Maldivian civil society. “This is the first time such aid has been provided to Maldivian NGOs. It has been decided to provide such aid to other local NGOs as well,” said Dr Hassan.

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Islamic ministry concerned about some aspects of DRP’s amendments to Religious Unity Act

Making the Shafi sect the basis of Islam in Maldives is unIslamic, says the ministry of Islamic Affairs in a statement on the proposed DRP amendments to the Religious Unity Act in the Majlis.

The ministry’s scholars claim Islam is a religion which allows Imams to chose from the styles of various sects, for example in the selection of praying rituals.

Neither the Koran nor the Sunnah of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) encourage a particular sect, and such an issue cannot be written into law, says the ministry.

The ministry welcomes the draft amendments to the Act, however, there are some elements about which its scholars expressed concern, according to a Miadhu Daily report, and the ministry calls on MPs to amend the draft proposals in committee.

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Former President Maumoon Gayyoom lodges defamation case against Miadhu Daily editor

Former President, Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom has lodged a defamation case against the managing editor of Miadhu Daily, Abdul Latheef, after the news company reported a New York Times article alleging corruption during Gayyoom’s 30 year regime.

A Miadhu Daily report published today says Abdul Latheef is being sued for misleading the public about Gayyoom’s presidency, according to the former president’s lawyer Mohamed Waheed Ibrahim.

Miadhu Daily reports Waheed saying that an article in the June 13 edition of Miadhu Daily, written by Ali Fahudhu, prompted Gayyoom to take legal action against the newspaper.

Gayyoom wishes to receive financial compensation for defamation of his character, reports Miadhu Daily.

Miadhu Daily claims it has not published any information not included in the New York Times article, and the Miadhu report referenced the original report. Miadhu Daily says it views the New York Times as an international media news source, which it used because the information was relevant to the Maldives.

Miadhu Daily reports that Waheed said Gayyoom’s legal team is investigating if the former president can take legal action against Gayyoom’s former cabinet minister, Ahmed Abdulla, who is CEO of Miadhu Daily, and the team is also preparing a case against the New York Times.

The New York Times article said the current Maldivian government is working to reclaim US$ 400 million allegedly stolen from public coffers during Gayyoom’s administration.

The former president has also lodged a defamation case against Ali Hashim, the current finance minister, after he was quoted in the New York Times report saying that if the allegedly looted money could be reclaimed, the current government would not need the foreign aid it is seeking today.

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Maldives signs agreement with University of Milano-Bicocca for scientific and academic programs at Magoodhoo, Faafu atoll

The government has signed a ‘memorandum of understanding’ (MoU) agreement with the University of Milano-Bicocca to implement scientific and
academic programs at an outpost of the university in Magoodhoo island, Faafu atoll.

With the agreement coming into effect the university will:
– Cover expenses related to research at the outpost;
– Provide all research equipment, instrumentation and other materials;
– Provide subsidised tuition fees for local students;
– Arrange two scholarships from various funding institutions.

For local students studying at the university:
– the university will organise Italian language classes for primary and secondary students at the island on a no fee basis.

At the agreement ceremony, President Nasheed and delegates from the university discussed how to make the outpost more effective, and how to implement the university programmes on the island as soon as possible.

The agreement was signed on behalf of the government by the minister of state for foreign affairs Ahmed Naseem, and on behalf of the university, rector Marcello Fontanesi.

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Qatar further expands routes across Europe and Asia

Qatar Airways has announced the launch of six new routes in Europe and Asia in 2010, servicing Phuket, Hanoi, Nice, Bucharest, Budapest and Brussels.

Qatar already connects Male’ International Airport with hubs including Doha, Heathrow, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Frankfurt and Cairo.

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker said the new routes were underserved “and so are excellent opportunities for us to tap into.”

“We spend a lot of time diligently analysing new route opportunities and I am pleased to say that the routes being announced today will not only open up new markets, but also strengthen our network strategy over our Doha hub,” he said.

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Majlis undermining executive power: Eva Abdulla

The Majlis is undermining the constitutional powers of the executive branch, said MDP MP for Galolhu Uthuru, Eva Abdulla, during yesterday’s Majlis session.

Abdulla gave examples from draft amendments to the Civil Service Act, the Public Finance Act, the Police Act and the newly proposed Atolls Capital bill, which she said were designed to narrow policy options for the executive branch. She condemned the amendments and the new bill. The mandate of the Majlis is to make independent institutions responsible, said Abdulla, but it is now attempting to manage those institutions.

Last week, the Civil Service Act was amended to make Civil Service Commission appointments through the Majlis, which also rejected the government proposed amendments to the Decentralisation Act, and passed a law mandating a change of island capitals on Shaviyani and Kaafu atolls.

Maria Ahmed Didi, MDP chairperson, has said that the encroachments by the Majlis were unconstitutional, and the MDP has claimed that the aim of such amendments and laws was to stop the government’s development projects. However, the DRP has said the amendments and new bills were designed to make government more accountable.

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Islamic education top priority: Moosa Maniku

Islamic education is more highly prioritised than at any other time in Maldivian history, said MDP parliamentary group leader Moosa Maniku during a Majlis debate on a DRP bill to mandate the teaching of Islam and Dhivehi in grades 11 and 12 in the country’s schools.

The DRP bill was proposed for political purposes, said Maniku, and he condemned it. “The constitution very strongly stipulates that Islam as the Maldivian religion and Dhivehi as the Maldivian language shall be protected,” he said. “That’s for all Maldivians, and not for the government alone or for students alone. We do not need another law to respect Islam and Dhivehi in this country. There is no time in our history when Islamic scholars were as free as they are now.”

Laws which aim to limit the policy options for the government are unacceptable, said Maniku, and there are rights which have to be given to people but they cannot be delivered as there is no legal infrastructure for that to happen. It will be better if the Majlis could help people in realising those rights, he said, and the current debate was a waste of the Majlis’ precious time.

DRP members spoke in favour of the bill during the debate. Abdul Azeez Jamaal Aboobakur, a co-sponsor of the bill , said that he had submitted the bill in a personal capacity and his aim was not political. It is important to protect the main pillars of Maldivian society from imminent threats and dangers, he said.

The bill was accepted for further debate and sent to the Majlis committee for national development.

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