Category: News in Brief

MDP to celebrate ‘Yellow Day’

The ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has announced that it will launch a two day campaign to celebrate ‘Yellow Day’ in the Maldives – representing the party’s colour (the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party is blue).

”To celebrate this day, MDP will hold meetings at different parts of the nation at 9pm on [tonight] night,” said the MDP in a statement. ”From 21st January to 22nd, MDP candidates will go around to meet citizens in all islands.”

Putting up posters and banners, and colouring the city yellow in different areas is also a part of the ‘yellow day’, said the party.

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Hulhumale developer announces completion of two apartment blocks

Bangkok-based developer of the Coral Ville Hulhumale’ project, Pruksa-HDC, has announced that all structural work on two apartment blocks has been competed, with work commencing on the second two blocks.

Interior work is halfway finished and will be followed by exterior painting, the company said in a statement.

Construction on the housing project began in August 2010.

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EC announces 17 resorts will host ballot boxes

The Elections Commission have announced 17 tourist resorts that will host ballot boxes during the local council elections on February 5.

The Commission said the resorts would be: Hilton Maldives Irufushi Resort and Spa, Kuredhoo Island Resort, Palm Beach Island Resort, Bandos Island Resort and Spa, Taj Exotic Resort and Spa, Paradise Island Resort and Spa, Sharaton Maldives Full Moon Beach Resort and Spa, Baros Maldives, One and Only Reethi Rah, Huvafenfushi Maldives, Olhuveli Beach and Spa, Soneva Gili By Six Senses, Ananthara Dhigu Resort and Spa, Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives, Kuramathi Island Resort, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island and Sun Island Resort and Spa.

The Elections Commission said that these resorts that had registered voters numbering above the minimum of 100 required to host a ballot box.

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Maldives moves into Commonwealth’s Small States Office in Geneva

The Maldives is one of several small island states being provided subsidied office space by the Commonwealth’s Small States Office when it opens in Geneva on January 17.

The Maldives, the Bahamas, Solomon Islands, the Organisation for Eastern Caribbean States and the Seychelles will operate from the new office, which includes a business centre for visiting delegations attending meetings in Geneva. Tenants will also have access to a resident technical expert on trade and human rights.

“We are delighted to open this new office to assist our small states that could not otherwise afford the full cost of a Permanent Mission in Geneva,” said Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma.

“The office will allow these countries to establish a diplomatic presence in the region for bilateral accreditation in Europe and to the many multilateral organisations in Geneva. It will also act as a global hub for small states to work with other countries on issues such as trade, private investment, human rights, health and labour.”

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Diving with the Maldives’ manta rays

The rays are great black silhouettes, scything streamlined shapes that fishermen called “devil fish” because of the curious horn-like fins hanging down near their mouths, writes Tim Ecott in UK newspaper The Telegraph.

“But side on and up close you can look into their eyes and get a sense of their peaceful nature. Unlike stingrays, mantas don’t have venomous spines in their tails, and unlike many fish species they seem to enjoy human company. They tolerate our presence and sometimes perform loop-the-loops through the air bubbles exhaled from my scuba gear.

I have come to Hanifaru, a small lagoon next to an uninhabited island in the Maldives, especially to see manta rays. These great harmless filter-feeders congregate here during the south-west monsoon between May and November and, if the tides and winds are right, enter a shallow cul-de-sac in the reef to hunt for food. On certain days, usually near to the full moon, the bay can attract more than 100 mantas.

Read more

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Cabinet to launch four new Male’ development projects

The Cabinet has announced four new projects intended to develop the capital under Male’ Municipality’s ‘Veshi Fahi Male’ programme.

The projects include:

  • Development of a container terminal at the industrial ‘garbage’ island of Thilafushi, releasing land in Male’ presently being used for warehousing and unloading and speeding the development of Thilafushi as the city’s industrial sector.
  • A light industrial park in nearby Villingili consolidating services and low-rent commercial properties, increasing local employment.
  • Outsourcing management of the T-Jetty to increase operational efficiency.
  • Developing a local market in Male’, including a building with water facilities for small-scale retail.
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Business Profit Tax ratified by President

President Mohamed Nasheed has ratified the Business Profit Tax Bill after it was passed by parliament on December 30.

The long-awaited Act, which the government contends is vital to the country’s future economic prosperity, includes six chapters setting out a framework and guidelines for the taxing of businesses in the Maldives.

The government will ultimately phase out the US$8 a night bed tax charge on the tourism industry and replace it with a goods and service tax (GST), land rent and business profit tax.

Following the ratification, the Business Profit Tax Act has been published in the government Gazette.

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Declaring Addu a city “against spirit of decentralisation Act” claims DQP

The criteria for establishing a city given by the government last week, prior to its second declaration of Addu as a city, was “against the spirit of the decentralisation Act”, the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) has claimed.

Haveeru reported that Secretary General Abdulla Amin had sent a letter to President Mohamed Nasheed complaining that announcing the criteria through the one-member Local Government Authority was “in contradiction with the idea of decentralisation”, and “humiliates the manners of democracy”.

Amin claimed in the letter that declaring Addu a city was premature as it did not have a functional sewerage system, or even a paved road other than the primary link road, and accused the President of “escaping from his responsibilities.”

The party has said it will support the development of Addu as a city “if done according to the law.”

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