Day: June 29, 2013

PPM only party who can secure peace, investor confidence: Former Home Minister Dr Jameel

Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed, running mate of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) presidential candidate MP Abdulla Yameen, has said ensuring peace and safety in the Maldives will be vital to ensuring economic progress following September’s election.

Speaking on the island of Dhuvaafaru in Raa Atoll on Thursday (June 28), Dr Jameel was quoted by Sun Online as saying that the PPM was the only party able to secure peace and safety in the country required to boost foreign investor confidence.

He also praised the PPM’s founder, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, for his efforts in trying to establish peace across the country during his time in office.

Dr Jameel said the former president had been able to attract major multinational companies and foreign leaders to the country due to the culture of “peace, solidarity and obedience that existed among the Maldivian people” during his rule.

Gayoom was the autocratic ruler of the Maldives for thirty years before being unseated by a coalition backing Mohamed Nasheed in the second round of the country’s first multi-party democratic elections in November 2008.

Dr Jameel’s claims were made after the PPM earlier this month accused President Waheed of ignoring the advice of his coalition government by abruptly terminating a US$511 million airport development contract with India-based GMR without holding talks with the company to first resolve the issue.

The PPM’s coalition partners later hit back by accusing the party of making “contradictory statements” regarding the decision to terminate GMR’s concession agreement, also claiming that its senior leadership tried to terminate the deal without discussion or following due process.

Dr Jameel, who served as home minister under the current coalition backing President Dr Mohamed Waheed, was dismissed from the role in May after announcing his intention to support MP Yameen’s campaign against the incumbent.

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Hulhumale’ terminal port inaugurated by President Waheed

President Dr Mohamed Waheed inaugurated a new port terminal on Hulhumale’ Thursday (June 27), praising the development for the potential impact it will have on the island’s economy.

During a speech given at the inauguration, the president said that the new port formed part of his government’s commitment to providing basic facilities to Hulhumale’, as well as making it easier for the public and businesses to transport goods to and from the island.

According to the President’s Office website, Dr Waheed also underlined the importance of having a port that was joined by land to Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) – the country’s main airstrip.

He therefore expressed hope that the port would not only lead to a rise in the number of imported goods via both sea and land, but also help further development on Hulhumale’ itself.

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GIP-DRP-Adhaalath coalition to hold rally, music show

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan’s coalition for the September 7 presidential elections has announced  it will be holding multiple events targeting youth this Saturday night, to launch the first of its pledges and policies.

According to a press conference held today, part of the coalition’s youth policy will be revealed during tonight’s event.

Waheed’s Gaumee Ihthihaadh (GIP) has formed a coalition with Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) and the religiously conservative Adhaalath Party (AP) to contest the elections, campaigning under the slogan “Forward with the nation”.

Speaking at a press conference held on Saturday, DRP Youth Branch President Mohamed Jaushan Shareef stated that the coalition’s policy launch will begin with a meeting in the STELCO building on Saturday night.

He stated that President Waheed and his running mate, DRP Leader Thasmeen Ali, will head a rally down Ameenee Magu after the conclusion of the meeting.

“This rally is not exclusively for youth. We invite everyone, the young and the old, to join this rally. We are coming out with youth in order to go forward with the nation. We believe that this can be achieved by the support of the general public, in addition to the youth,” Shareef said.

GIP member, State Minister of Tourism Ahmed Shameem, added that other activities planned for tonight by the coalition include a music show at the Alimas Carnival, and a barbeque organised by youth members of the coalition.

According to Shameem, various musicians, including local ‘boduberu’ groups will perform at tonight’s coalition event.

He further stated that Waheed and Thasmeen will be participating in all of tonight’s campaign events.

Meanwhile, religious conservative Adhaalath Party representative Hussain Wafeer said the party’s involvement is only with the policy launch, distancing itself from the other events.

The Adhaalath Party has previously spoken against mixed-gender gatherings, music and dancing.

“The youth policy launch will be carried out at STELCO. All these other events, like music show and barbecue, are another matter completely,” Wafeer said.

When asked about the party’s official stand on the music show events being carried out under the name of a coalition they are a part of, Wafeer said that he will confirm with party leaders as to their stand on the matter.

Minivan News was later unable to contact him.

Adhaalath Party President Sheikh Imran Abdulla, Deputy President Dr Mauroof Hussain and Islamic Minister Sheikh Shaheem Ali Saeed were not responding to calls at the time of press.

In April 2012, the Adhaalath Party called on the Education Ministry to cancel the inter-school singing competition, claiming that music and singing is ‘haram’ [prohibited in Islam].

In September 2012, the Islamic Minister, the party’s senior member Sheikh Shaheem Ali Saeed, sent a circular to all government institutions banning the holding of any mixed gender dance events.

Shaheem said at the time that the directive was targeted for both the government and individual citizens.

The Ministry said then that the acceptable form of music, which falls within the boundaries of Islamic customs and disciplinary norms is limited to the folk dance ‘Thaara’.

‘Thaara’, dhivehi for ‘tambourine’ is a folk dance where performers sit in parallel rows, singing and dancing. This is performed specifically by men. The traditional songs sung during ‘Thaara’ are mostly in Arabic and the activity itself is said to have entered Maldivian culture through Arab influence.

GIP Spokesperson Abbas Adil Riza was not responding to calls at the time of press.

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No waste spill in Thilafushi lagoon: Male’ City Council

The Male’ City Council (MCC) has disputed “inaccurate” local media reports that a large waste spill occurred in the Thilafushi (‘garbage island’) lagoon last night.

Large amounts of garbage were reported to have accumulated in the Thilafushi lagoon due to “spillover” while a barge was off loading waste from the capital Male’, according to Sun Online.

However, MCC Councillor Mohamed Abdul Kareem, the council member responsible for waste management, told Minivan News today (June 29) that local media reports were “not accurate” and that no garbage spill occurred on Thilafushi last night.

“Due to the bad weather this past month the jetty was damaged – half of it was broken and it has been damaged for two weeks – however repairs were completed yesterday,” Kareem explained.

“Earlier this month because of the high winds, some waste was carried into the harbor, but not a big amount,” he added. “There was no spill, it’s not an issue.”

Kareem explained that trash tends to “line the [harbour] area” and moves from one side to the other in relation to the wind, current, and tides, however due to the harbor’s shape does not easily float out into the open sea.

“Thirty vessels dump trash there daily, so there might be something in the area, but it’s a dead end,” said Kareem.

“Items have been floating [in the harbor] over a month, but there was not a big spill or dump,” he noted.

Senior officials from the MCC were sent to inspect Thilafushi last month and confirmed operations were “very organised”, according to Kareem.

“Cleaning [waste that accumulates in the harbor] is ongoing,” said Kareem. “The area is well maintained by the Male’ City Council.”

Thilafushi rehabilitation stalled

Thilafushi management was transferred to the Male’ City Council (MCC) in 2010 as part of the Decentralisation Act. Accordingly, a contract was signed in 2011 with the Indian-based company Tatva Global Renewable Energy to rehabilitate the island, manage garbage generated in Male’, on nearby inhabited islands and resorts, as well as implement a system designed to generate power from recycling waste.

However, President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik’s administration announced it was renegotiating the Tatva agreement in December 2012 to reach what Environment Minister Dr Mariyam Shakeela referred to at the time as a “mutually beneficial” agreement.

In response the Male’ City Council (MCC) accused authorities of trying to “sabotage” the deal.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Environment and Social Safeguards Coordinator Ibrahim Mohamed told Minivan News earlier this year that plans to rehabilitate Thilafushi have been stalled due to procedural “hiccups”.

“The World Bank (WB) is not happy, because Thilafushi is not a managed site,” said Mohamed. “There were hiccups in environmental safeguards.”

In order to ensure waste management on Thilafushi adhered to proper environmental safety standards, the government has been seeking assistance to rehabilitate the island.

“During the public private partnership that was [previously] announced, Tatva was contracted to do a proper landfill and incinerator, etc. They were investing US$15 million, but then when the government changed [in February 2012] there were hiccups in all these public private partnership contracts, and they left,” recounted Mohamed.

He explained that Tatva was ultimately brought back to negotiate a new contract.

“First there was the idea of throwing them out, but then [Tatva was] brought [back] in and told to sell some shares to local companies, i.e. water and sewerage. [So] they finally agreed to form a consortium with local companies and invest,” Mohamed continued.

“Within next two years we will see a better, rehabilitated facility [at Thilafushi],” he added.

While Thilafushi waste management remains a contentious issue, other projects are being implemented in Raa and Ari Atolls – funded, respectively, by the World Bank and Climate Change Trust Fund (CCTF) – in an effort to develop alternative processing sites.

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Tata reaffirms commitment to stalled Maldives housing projects

Indian-based corporate giant Tata has said it has no intention of offloading its stake in a Maldivian joint venture overseeing several housing projects in Male’, despite local media speculation that land set aside for the company had  been sold off.

Tata this week confirmed to Minivan News that it remained invested in Apex Realty PVT Ltd, a Maldives joint venture established under the previous government between itself and developers SG18.

Tata Housing Development Spokesperson Vikram Kharvi added that the company was not considering selling its stake in the project, despite construction work having stalled on several commercial residential projects it was developing through the joint venture.

Kharvi confirmed that negotiations were ongoing with the government at present to resolve certain issues concerning the stalled developments on land provided to the company under its joint venture agreement.

He declined to clarify the exact nature of issues that had stalled the projects at time of press, forwarding specific questions on the matter to Sandeep Ahuja, Tata Housing Development’s Senior Vice President .

Minivan News was awaiting response from Ahuja at time of press.

Deputy Minister of Housing Abdulla Mutthalib confirmed to local media this week that the projects being overseen by Apex Realty had stalled due to what he said were a shortage of funds and construction materials.

Mutthalib expressed hope that the stalled projects could still be completed by year end.

“There are some constraints as they are also using subcontractors. The earlier deadlines given by the government have passed. Shortage of funds and construction material have brought both the projects to a complete standstill,” he was quoted as saying by Haveeru.

Local media also noted speculation that plots of land originally promised to Tata for its residential projects had since been purchased by local developers.

Contacted by Minivan News, Mutthalib declined to comment, adding that only Housing Minister Dr Mohamed Muiz was able to provide information to the press.

Dr Muiz was not responding to calls at time of press.

“Political interference”

In November last year, Tata was among a number of Indian companies reported to have expressed concerns over  political interference threatening their investments.

Officials involved in the Apex Realty housing development project told Indian media in November 2012 that the government was attempting to take over a site in Male’ given to the company, with the intention of building a new Supreme Court.

The current Supreme Court building was formerly the palace of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, but became the court under his successor Mohamed Nasheed, who opted for the less ostentatious official residence of Muleaage.

A source involved in the Tata deal confirmed to Minivan News that the government had offered land on the island of Hulhumale’ to Tata as an alternative to the agreed site in Male’. However, the same source said the developers felt the change would affect the financing of the project.

The claims were made just weeks before the present government declared a concession agreement signed with infrastructure group GMR to manage and develop Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) “void” – terminating outright the country’s single largest foreign investment project. GMR were then given seven days to leave the country.

Tata, one of India’s most powerful corporate entities, announced its entry into the Maldives housing sector in 2011 as part of a multi-million dollar cooperation agreement with the administration of former President Mohamed Nasheed to build residential and resort properties.

The Wall Street Journal newspaper reported at the time that the Maldives government-commissioned programme, valued at an estimated US$190 million, required Tata to develop around 350 residential flats and a number of island villa properties that would be sold both to the state and on the open market.

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Recommendations on 13 cases not implemented by Elections Commission: 2012 audit report

The Elections Commission (EC) has not followed through on recommendations of the Auditor General’s Office by taking corrective measures concerning 13 cases flagged in the commission’s audit reports for 2010 and 2011, according to the EC’s audit report for 2012.

The 2012 audit report (Dhivehi) made public on Thursday (June 27) listed 10 cases from 2011 and three cases from 2010 where the Auditor General’s recommendations to hold the responsible officials accountable for illegal expenses were not implemented.

Among the cases highlighted in the 2011 report were expenditure on overseas trips exceeding approved funds after commission members extended their stays, MVR 334,700 (US$21,705) paid to a company contracted to provide sea transportation during the 2011 local council elections for trips not included in the agreement and awarding a contract worth MVR 4.9 million (US$317,769) to a local company to print ballot papers without going through the tender evaluation board.

The 2011 audit revealed that the cost of the extending the duration of official overseas trips between January 2010 and April 2012 amounted to MVR50,438 (US$3,270) for food, incidentals and pocket money.

Other cases from 2011 included MVR 183,238 (US11,883) spent to hire temporary staff and vehicles during the council elections without formal agreements, not seeking quotations or estimates from three parties as required by regulations for procurements amounting to MVR 251,148 (US$16,287), failure to collect or file court cases to recover MVR 469,500 (US$30,447) owed as fines and deposits and MVR 12,999 (US$843) paid to staff in excess of their salaries and allowances.

The cases from 2010 meanwhile included MVR 248,790 (US$16,134) spent to buy 30 mobile phones for senior staff, 13 mobile phones given to select staff as personal property and a senior staff not returning a mobile phone worth MVR 14,195 (US$920) bought in 2008 when he or she left the commission

“In addition to the 13 mobile phones that were given to employees according to documentation at the commission, the records showed that five mobile phones worth MVR 49,135 (US$3,186) were lost,” the 2011 report stated, adding that no employees were held responsible and “compensation in any form was not sought” for the losses.

The 2012 report noted that of the 15 mobile phones given to staff, five have been returned to the commission while the price of one phone was reimbursed by the staff member.

While letters were sent in October 2012 asking staff to return the other nine phones, the audit report noted that the letters had not been replied to as of the report’s publication.

Moreover, of five phones believed to have been lost, the audit report noted that the EC was informed by staff that two were lost while the remaining three were unaccounted for.

Lastly, on a recommendation to identify how nine laptops were lost and to hold responsible staff accountable, the audit report noted that the EC sent letters to two employees in November 2012 without reply, after which no action was taken.

“On June 10, 2012, one employee to whom a laptop was given returned it to the commission’s stock. No action has been taken to seek compensation for the remaining six laptops,” the report stated.

The 2011 audit report had also revealed that the EC made a number of unnecessary purchases, such as a coffee maker for MVR 67,000 (US$4,345) in 2007, a Nikon D200 camera for MVR 233,298 (US$15,129) in 2008, six TV decoders, 16 TVs, 16 shredders, two washing machines, irons, a deep freezer, a mixer, a blender and a gas cooker.

Of 60 fax machines bought by the commission, 50 were kept unused in storage.

Meanwhile, among the cases flagged from the 2012 audit, the report noted that as of March 2013 the commission had not sought MVR 20,000 (US$1,297) owed by political parties in 2012 as fines for non-submission of annual financial statements.

The report noted that the commission has not taken any action concerning the non-payment of fines in addition to sending letters to the parties on August 5, 2012.

In a second case, the audit found that a director at the commission was given notice of termination of employment starting May 2, 2012. However, as the termination chit stated May 6 instead, “we note that the employee was paid MVR 2,468 as salary and allowances for four days for which the office did not receive the employee’s services.”

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Alliance Française to host free World Music Day concert in Male’ this evening

Alliance Française Maldives (AFM) will be celebrating World Music Day this evening with a free concert bringing together French and Maldivian artists for three hours of live performances at Male’ City Hall on Majeedhee Magu.

Starting from 9:00pm tonight, organisers at AFM have promised the public a mixture of musical styles ranging from rock and jazz to more traditional boduberu.

Alliance Française is an NGO based in Male’ since 2009, teaching the French language and giving an insight into French culture, and promoting cultural diversity.

The NGO teaches French in public and private schools, in resorts, and conducts evening French classes for adults in the National Library.

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Maldives resorts, local communities participating in whale shark festival

This story was first published on the Maldives resort review site, Dhonisaurus.com.

South Ari Atoll is hosting a whale shark festival aiming to bring together local resorts and communities with a view to expanding cooperation on conservation – as well as providing tourists with insight into one of the country’s most elusive creatures.

Based on the island of Dhigurah, the festival is focused not only on trying to better understand the movement and behaviours of whale sharks in their natural habitat, but also to give visitors a chance to better understand South Ari Atoll’s ecology and culture.

Organisers have expressed hope that the festival will establish itself as an annual event in the country, having already secured sponsorship from a number of resorts including LUX* Maldives, Mirihi Island, Vilamendhoo, Holiday Island and the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island.

The event also represents a collaboration between local NGOs such as the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme (MWSRP), the South Ari Marine Protected Area, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Beyond the country’s traditional appeal as a destination for sun, sand and sea, sightings of creatures like the whale shark have increasingly proven a major draw for visitors in recent years.

In attempts to balance the potential environmental impacts of increased numbers of visitors wishing to experience the country’s delicate ecosystems, several island resort properties have announced collaborations with conservation groups and marine reserves across the country.

The Conrad Maldives Rangali Island resort told Dhonisaurus that beyond playing a role in today’s festival, the property over the last six years has been involved with efforts to promote better conservation and understanding of whale sharks in the country.

Resort spokesperson Katherine Anthony said the resort had been a main sponsor of the MWSRP NGO since 2007, as part of a strategy she said reflected the seriousness with which the property treated the conservation and study of the local environment.

Conrad has said that the nature of the resort’s sponsorship of the MWSRP is partly financial, but  also provided accommodation, fuel and food to the group’s researchers for nine months of the year.

Besides research, the MWSRP also allows guests at the property to participate in three weekly excursions to go out and see the creatures.

“They can talk about whale sharks in depth and give a much more detailed and focused excursion than you’d find elsewhere due to the MWSRP’s in depth knowledge of whale sharks,” she said.

“What we have found is that already one guest has joined the MWSRP as a research volunteer, so it’s definitely a program that’s of interest to our guests.”

Anthony added that resort guests accepting an invite to the festival would be given a unique and rarely seen insight into the local environment.

“It’s also an excellent opportunity to see life on an inhabited Maldivian island, eat Maldivian food, meet Maldivians and talk to them about their lives,” she said.

Biosphere ambitions

On a national level, the Maldives government is moving ahead with plans to transform the Maldives into what it claims will be the world’s largest  biosphere reserve by designating zones across the country that would earmark land use for specific purposes such as tourism development or conservation.

In approving the plan to transform the country into a “world renowned” marine reserve, members of the cabinet claim there has been a growing number of visitors to areas such as Baa Atoll after it became a protected area.

While some tourism industry figures have welcomed existing efforts to transformation areas such as Baa Atoll into bio-reserves, concerns have been raised about the efforts taken to manage such zones in balancing tourism interests with preserving local habitats.

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Turbulent post-February 7 politics trigger ‘artistic renaissance’

A visual art event that would have seen graffiti and street artists gathering to host a live demonstration to encourage young people to vote for change in the upcoming elections, has been postponed.

Organised by the artist known as Feshun, the visual art event was to take place from 4:00pm on Saturday at Raalhugandhu, and continue up until 11:00pm in the evening.

The event was to feature live graffiti painting by numerous artists across various locations around the capital city island along to live music performed by a DJ, intended to inspire the disaffected younger generation to vote.

In recent years, artists have enjoyed greater autonomy and freedom of expression – particularly when covering political subjects.

Following the controversial toppling of former President Mohamed Nasheed on February 7 2012, many artists have turned their talents to highlighting the ‘coup’, and all of the other issues affecting social and political landscape of the island nation.

Many artists who plan to take part in this live event can remember the oppression under the previous dictatorship, and say that five years of creative freedom has helped to inspire artistic creativity. Since the February 7, there has been an upsurge of political statements through art in what one artist calls an “artistic renaissance”.

The Maldives’ answer to Banksy, who goes by the nickname of “Sob Sob”, told Minivan News: “The aim is to involve more people in the movement that Feshun has started. It will continue non-stop until the voting. I am sure it will make a difference.”

Tagging is a way of life for Sob Sob. Now aged 30, he has been painting over the drab walls of Male’s concrete jungle with his 3D graffiti art for more than 12 years.

As the government has cracked down on these graffiti artists and painted over their “works of art” with grey paint, Sob Sob, who once painted a 3D trompe l’oeil of a toilet door to highlight the need for outdoor lavatories being installed near the surf point area, says he will just spray paint another statement.

Asked why he and his peers are using the streets as his art canvas, rather than exhibiting in a museum, he said: “It’s the only way to express to the public. If I exhibited my art work in a museum, only a few would actually see it.”

“The streets are our neighbourhoods and the only place here where we get out to. We live on islands and we have nowhere to go. We are limited by our boundaries. All the islands have been sold as resorts and locals cannot afford to live in luxury. That’s our dream too, the Robinson Crusoe feeling, but the reality for us is working hard and living in a concrete jungle.”

As an artist he is known for making political statements, he says that the main aim of his graffiti is to express what he feels and to tell things like they really are. “Thoughts are meant to be spoken, not just thought,” he said.

“The biggest hand played here was the protest back in 2012 on February 8. Look around Male’ and you will see many of my works they include: ‘Looting the youth and Shooting the Truth’.

“When I felt rage back in Gayoom’s regime, then there was ‘bridge my ass…vote for change’ [in reference to a promised Hulhumale-Male bridge] and ‘Enough is Enough’, which led to our movement in 2008 under the studio called “Freedom Factory”.

Other artists have been campaigning for political change. These include the talented sand artist Afu Shaafiu Hasn who first started making a political statement about the coup in his sand art debut during the SAARC Summit.

His works have been demonstrated in front of live audiences of thousands. He said: “Right now some artists are gearing up for campaigns to encourage the new batch to vote in these upcoming elections.

“We’re setting up events the age group can engage in, like graffiti events, music, 3D street art and other stuff.

Most of the mainstream artists are pro-democratic, and particularly antagonistic towards former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

“We just want people to go and vote, for whoever they wish. It is up to them. GO VOTE,” Hasn says.

“The politics going on here are of no interest to the young people who live here, because most have already lost hope of things getting better,” he adds.

Afu has made some bold statements about the coup in his sand art. ‘Baton Day’ is about the events of February 7 and 8 and the police brutality that ensued, and ‘Feelings’ which deals with the psychological trauma of those events.

“The journey after the coup is very bad. I don’t want to hear the news nowadays. I even gave away my TV when the coup happened and I haven’t a TV since that day,” says Afu.

But is all this art just preaching to the choir? Asked whether the country will see a fair election, he said: “I don’t know, seriously. I can’t think of a way the people in power will simply give it up and go to jail. But yes I have hope. Where there is art, there is hope.”

Baton Day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTQk06wFPlM

Feelings

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6P59jb49yg8

Visit the artists on Facebook for more information

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