Day: November 29, 2014

Kadhdhoo to become military airport

Kadhdhoo Airport in Laamu Atoll is to be turned into a military facility, reports Sun Online.

Minister of Defence Colonel (Retired) Mohamed Nazim told Sun that the airport had been handed over to his ministry and would begin operations as a military airport in January next year.

“This would not disturb the domestic flights. Our facilities would be installed there, and new jobs would be created”, Nazim told Sun.

The Maldives National Defence Force currently owns two helicopters – both gifts from India, though Nazim said he hoped new aircraft would be acquired.

Kadhdhoo Airport was opened in 1993, and currently operates flights between Ibrahim Nasir International Airport in Malé and Gan International Airport in Addu.

Nazim has previously announced plans to secure revenue for the MNDF’s welfare schemes, including the commercialisation of its new naval base, its military hospital, and the training island at Thamburudhoo.

Late last year, the defence minister announced a new strategic action plan for the force which involved the introduction of an MNDF TV station – Addana TV (Shield TV) – and the upgrading of Senahiya hospital.

Source: Sun Online

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Changi Airport Group to sign INIA consultancy deal

Singapore’s Changi Airport Group has agreed to oversee the development of Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA), reports Haveeru.

The company, which manages Singapore’s multiple award-winning Changi airport, will officially announce the deal at a ceremony on Monday morning.

The development of INIA will be financed through China’s Exim bank, reported cabinet members earlier this month. Beijing Urban Construction Group were reported to have been working with Maldives Airports Company Ltd on the plans.

Tourism minister Ahmed Adeeb has previously explained that Changi would be hired as consultants as they are better qualified to work with Chinese and Japanese contractors.

Preliminary contract agreements for the development of the airport – stalled after the termination of the previous deal with India’s GMR in 2012 – were signed during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinpeng in September.

Source: Haveeru

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MDP allege police obstruction of demonstrations

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has threatened direct action after accusing the government of attempting to obstruct the party’s demonstrations.

“MDP strongly condemns the incumbent government’s actions in using the police to obstruct this party’s demonstration, which had the participation of a large number of MDP members,” read a party press release.

The announcement followed the MDP’s return to the streets this week, launching its first protests since the controversial delays to the 2013 presidential election.

Numerous speakers at yesterday’s march in the capital called for President Abdulla Yameen’s resignation,

“You have turned this island, this country, into a dwelling of violence and fear. You cannot continue to do this. You must resign,” Haveeru reported former Majlis Speaker Abdulla Shahid as saying.

Meanwhile, MDP Vice President Mohamed ‘Shippe’ Shifaz pledged that the party would continue to demonstrate until peace is restored to the country, or the president steps down.

President Yameen has characterised his first year in office as having brought “peace and order” to the Maldives, a claim refuted by the opposition who point to frequent knife attacks, the intimidation of journalists and politicians, and repeated instances of Maldivians travelling abroad for Jihad.

Yameen has pledged to remove violent crime from the streets, committing his government to implementing the death penalty in order to do so.

Former President Mohamed Nasheed told supporters earlier this week that his party had been forced back to the streets by the government’s poor performance, notably its carelessness and arrogance” in response to the disappearance of Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan.

MDP Chairperson Ali Waheed claimed that the police had written to the party stating that rallies would be stopped if they became unruly. Waheed told supporters that the party would not be intimidated.

Police Spokesperson Supreintendent Ahmed Shifan today denied the demonstration had been obstructed, saying there were no significant incidents and no complaints had been made.

MDP Spokesman Imthiyaz Fahmy suggested that police obstructed demonstrators during yesterday’s planned march.

“The obstruction is against the freedom of assembly, freedom of expression and freedom to hold peaceful political activity guaranteed in the constitution,” said the MDP press release.


Related to this story

Foreign terrorist organisations planning to topple government, claims Nasheed

Yameen pledges to end violent crime at ‘Successful 365 Days’ rally

MDP condemns insecurity as PPM celebrates peace and order

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SAARC calls for greater integration, recognises vulnerability of small island states

The 18th SAARC summit has concluded, with President Abdulla Yameen adding his signature to the Kathmandu Declaration.

A new regional Framework Agreement on Energy Cooperation was also signed by all members of the association, aiming to facilitate cross-border trade of electricity on a voluntary basis.

The summit declaration was themed ‘Deeper Integration for Peace and Prosperity’ and focused on institutional reform of SAARC as well as the vulnerability of Small Island Developing States.

At the start of the summit earlier this week, President Yameen had called upon the association to make its voice heard in the international community, as well as criticising the group’s complacency on the subject of climate change.

“Importantly, the Declaration underscores the importance of the international community to conclude a legally binding outcome in the fight against climate change before the end of 2015,” read a foreign ministry statement accompanying the summit’s conclusion.

“The Leaders also agreed to develop capacity of Member States to apply space technology for socio-economic development and the welfare of the peoples through experience sharing and technology transfer and in this context welcomed the offer of India to develop and launch a SAARC satellite.”

Another notable features of the Kathmandu Declaration was the recognition of the “manifold contributions of ocean-based Blue Economy in the SAARC Region and the need for collaboration and partnership in this area.”

The declaration pledged commitment to a phased-in South Asian Economic Union via a free trade area, customs union, common markets, and economic and monetary union.

Leaders “reaffirmed that SIDS would require special attention in view of their unique circumstances and particular vulnerabilities in realization of sustainable development.”

The Maldives has recently been elected chair of the Alliance of Small Island States – the 44-member lobby group for such countries within the UN system, which focuses primarily on the effects of climate change.

The Kathmandu Declaration also urged relevant bodies to identify projects in the area of power generation to meet growing regional as well as “taking into account the existential threats posed by climate change to some SAARC Member States”.

The Maldives government is currently aiming to generate 30 percent of its power from renewable sources within five years. Local media yesterday reported that India had offered to assist the Maldives in its search for oil.

All leaders also “reiterated their strong commitment to ensure good governance for sustainable development by promoting accountability, transparency, the rule of law and people’s participation at all levels of governance,” read the declaration.

The summit is the first such meeting since the Maldives’ summit in 2011, having been organised after recently elected Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited his regional counterparts to his inauguration in May.

President Yameen was able to meet separately with Modi, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa during the summit before returning to the Maldives today.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Dunya Maumoon signed the energy agreement on behalf of the Maldives, committing to enable energy traders to negotiate the terms of exchange, and to share technical knowledge with a view to opening up the electricity sector.

Leaders also promised to sign further agreements on passenger and cargo traffic within three months, after Pakistan were reported to have declined signing the agreements until further internal discussions.

Observers of the 18th summit included Australia, China, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Mauritius, Myanmar, the USA, and the EU.

Suggestions that the status of China be upgraded were rebuffed by Indian officials earlier this week, who suggested that greater integration between current states should be remain a priority.

Pakistan has offered to hold the next summit, mandated by the SAARC Charter to held at least once a year.


Related to this story

18th SAARC Summit Declaration

President Yameen calls on SAARC to make its voice heard

Maldivians could be among first climate refugees, warns Nasheed

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