Category: News in Brief

Diva Maldives resort becomes all inclusive

Located in Dhidhoodinolu, Diva Maldives Resort has launched its All Inclusive Experience, offering guests the luxury of leaving their credit cards in the safe, reports Miadhu.

The new All Inclusive Experience includes all meals, beverages (including wine, beer and cocktails), use of the resorts’ water sports facilities and everything from cakes to tennis courts.

All meals are including in any of the six restaurants, which serve everything from sushi to Maldivian food. There are also six bars in the resort and any beverage is included in the package, at any time.

The resort is now offering use of non-motorised water sports, snorkelling equipment, pedal boats and kayaks, and free wi-fi internet on the entire island.

Miadhu reports seasoninstyle.com is offering great discount packages from London.

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UK medical volunteers arrive in Maldives

Five volunteers from the UK have arrived to help with medical services in the Maldives, and will work for two weeks to help strengthen health services in their specialist fields.

Consultant paediatrician Dr David Campbell is currently volunteering in Fuvahmulah hospital, following a brief visit to Hithadhoo Hospital in Addu Atoll.

His wife, Fiona Campbell, is currently training nurses in quality standards and will later voluQuality Standards training to the nurses. She will later volunteer in the Quality Improvement Division in Male’.

Dr Andrew Lee will meanwhile assist in the development of public health prevention programmes in Huluhumale Hospital, while Dr Paul Harvey is volunteering in the Department of Drug Prevention and Rehabilitative Services in the capital.

Consultant obstetrician Dr James Forsey, who arrived early April, will be transferred to Addu where he will carry out clinical work and provide training for local medical staff on nearby islands.

The volunteers were recruited by the government’s International Volunteer Programme (IVP) with assistance with UK-based NGO Friends of Maldives (FOM) and the Maldives High Commission in London.

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MP sends first proposal to amend Constitution

MP for Dhaal, Kudahuvadhoo, Ahmer Amir, sent the first proposal to Parliament to amend the Constitution, reports Miadhu.

Amir proposed to amend Article 231 (c) which stipulates local council’s term shall be of three years. He proposed to change it to a five year term, arguing that having elections every three years would be very costly.

This is the first proposal for amending the Constitution of the Maldives since it was adopted in August 2008.

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US Pacific Command visiting the Maldives

President Mohamed Nasheed met with the National Security Act Assessment team of the US Pacific Command who are visiting the Maldives.

The meeting took place at the President’s Office yesterday, where they focused on formulating a national defense and security plan.

President Nasheed said the main areas concerning national defense and security are terrorism, piracy in the Western Indian Ocean and drug trafficking.

The US Pacific Command, led by Army Attaché to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Lieutenant Colonel Lawrence Smith, said they would assist the Maldives in further strengthening the national security framework.

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DRP-PA coalition still strong, says Yameen

Leader of the People’s Alliance (PA), Abdulla Yameen, has said that recent statements by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) members that the PA walked out on the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP)-PA coalition agreement is not true, reports Miadhu.

Yameen said the rumours were started to make MDP supporters happy, and to cause friction between himself and Qasim Ibrahim, founder and leader of Jumhoory Party, who recently joined the coalition.

The PA said the party could only back out of the coalition if the council decided to, and said the council had not considered the option.

Qasim later said he will accept any party’s work as long it is being done to improve people’s lives.

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NSPA introduces family package

The National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) has introduced a family package with a 50 per cent discount for its Madhana health insurance programme.

According to Haveeru, Ibrahim Waheed, NSPA Chairman, said the government would match the participant’s Rf1,000 if three or more people are included in the insurance scheme.

The package was introduced following complaints from the public over difficulties in paying the Rf2,000 annual charge, said Waheed.

Over 52,700 people have signed up for the Mahana health insurance policy.

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PG’s office still has not received Criminal Court report on Adam Naseer

The Prosecutor General’s office has said the Criminal Court still has not provided them with the reports on the verdict of Adam Naseer, labelled one of the country’s top six drug dealers, reports Miadhu.

Naseer was arrested in July 2009 and acquitted by the Criminal Court in February 2010 due to lack of evidence.

Following his acquittal, Naseer sued the Maldives Police Service (MPS) for holding his money and freezing his bank accounts. There were more than Rf 5 million in cash.

The PG’s office appealed to the High Court to keep his assets frozen until the appeal on his criminal charges was completed by the High Court.

The PG’s office was expecting the report from the Criminal Court to continue with the appeal, as they could not proceed without it.

In March 2010, Deputy Prosecutor General Hussein Shammem told Minivan News “we are still waiting on the full report from the Criminal Court, hopefully [we will get it] by the end of this week” he said. “We still need to get things started.”

Shameem told Miadhu his office had asked the Criminal Court twice for the reports but still had not received them.

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Police facing difficulties returning stolen goods

Maldives Police Service has said it faces difficulties in identifying owners to return stolen goods that it has confiscated.

The stolen goods in police possession include mobile phones and other electronic devices seized either during police patrols or special operations.

Police are currently looking for the owners of an electric drill, cut-off and saw.

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Tribunal rules in favour of Air Taxi local pilots

The Labour Tribunal last week ruled that seaplane operator Air Taxi has to provide accommodation to local pilots as well as foreigners.

The company was taken to the tribunal by 29 Maldivian pilots, who claimed discrimination and unfair practices.

The tribunal ruled that offering accommodation exclusively to foreign pilots was in violation to employment laws and amounted to discrimination.

The tribunal also ordered Air Taxi to include a provision in their employment contracts to provide a 30-day paid leave for employees.

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