Famous local Quran reciter Qary Hussein Thaufeeq’s motorbike has been burned in an arson attack, reports Manadhoo Live.
The site reported that the motorbike was severely damaged in the attack, but said that police have not yet arrested anyone in connection with the case.
Thaufeeq was recently arrested on charges of child molestation against a number of females.
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(0)Herathera Island resort will be rebranded under the Amari Estates Company, Property Report has revealed, after the Thai-based hotel group ONYX Hospitality were appointed managers of the resort in November 2010.
Onyx Hospitality is a joint venture in which Amari Estates holds a minority stake.
Refurbishing and rebranding the resort will cost US$3.31 million, the Amari said, adding that the group would sign the official agreement on January 15, 2011.
A long-running legal dispute over the Herathera Island Resort between the Maldives Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) and Yacht Tours Maldives (YTM) concluded in January 2010.
MTDC had claimed that YTM had been running Herathera Island Resort without paying rent and took the company to court. In May 2009 YTM was ordered to pay US$8 million in outstanding rent to MTDC.
YTM stopped paying rent in December 2008, claiming MTDC had failed to fulfil a contractual obligation to build a channel between Herethere Resort and Hulhudhoo, an adjoining inhabited island, by 30 November 2008.
In January 2009 MTDC agreed to pay Yacht Tours US$3.5 million to end the court dispute, and regain control of the resort.
(0)Dislikes(0)President Mohamed Nasheed has toured islands in Baa Atoll as part of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s campaign in the local council elections.
Visiting Hithaadhoo yesterday, President Nasheed emphasised the importance of creating employment opportunities in the islands to further regional development.
Nasheed also visited Dharavandhoo, where he spoke on the merits of decentralisation and delegating authority to people, as well as the provision of social security services.
On Kendhoo island, Nasheed noted that 157 people on the island had been registered in the Madhana health insurance scheme while 42 people over 65 years of age were enlisted for the old-age pension of Rf 2000. A waste management system for the island was included in the 2011 budget, he said.
(0)Dislikes(0)Satellite and aerial-based geospatial services provider GeoEye has announced that it was won a contract to install a vessel monitoring system in the Maldives, “for fisheries management and safety.”
The trial of the nationwide system will involve 10 Osprey Personal Tracker terminals, devices used for managing individuals and fleets in remote and hazardous regions. The terminals report latitude/longitude (GPS) positions on a pre-programmed frequency using the Inmarsat global satellite constellation.
The company said the system would display vessel positions and consolidate fish catch reports from the Osprey terminals “in near-real-time for review by fisheries management personnel at the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture.”
The vessel monitoring system also provides the customer with two-way text communication by satellite for both routine and emergency purposes.
In a statement from the company, Director of the Fisheries Development Services section at the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture Adam Manik said that GeoEye “scored highest among the competing firms on their technical proposal and offered the most competitive price.”
Gregory Hammann, senior director, Marine Services Operations and Engineering at GeoEye, said, “Our tracking and messaging solution is perfect for managing the large artisanal fishing fleets of the developing world.
(0)Dislikes(0)Police have arrested a man in possession of “lots of furniture” on the island of Maafaru in Noonu Atoll, reports ManadhooLive.
The online newspaper reported that the police have now prepared the items to be taken to Manadhoo in Noonu Atoll.
The site reported that man was now in police custody, however the reason for his arrest was unclear.
(0)Dislikes(0)Sri Lankan Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake has raised the possibility of establishing a Business Management Faculty, affiliated to the Sri Jayewardenepura University, with High Commissioner of the Maldives to Sri Lanka, Hussein Shihab.
The Faculty will provide postgraduate degrees and diplomas in subjects including business management, business administration, marketing, finance and IT.
Haveeru reported Dissanayake as saying that the proposal would give Maldivian students greater access and opportunity to pursue Sri Lankan degree programs.
“There is a large number of Maldivian students doing their higher studies in Sri Lanka. This university will help students who want to pursue their higher studies but cannot afford to do a degree in Sri Lanka and those who want to complete their higher studies in Maldives itself,” he told Haveeru.
There are currently 3000 Maldivian students studying in Sri Lanka.
(0)Dislikes(0)The government has said it intends to develop mid-market tourism along the coastline of Gan in Laaamu Atoll, to try and promote the development of small and medium enterprises.
The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture said it would provide details of the project “at a later date”, but the project is expected to come under the first phase of a tourism development plan for the South Central Province.
The government made this decision after considering a paper on the matter submitted by the Ministry of Tourism on Tuesday.
(0)Dislikes(0)A young man and a minor were stabbed on Tuesday evening, police have said.
The incident occurred near the Petrel Hotel in Machangoalhi.
Police said the minor suffered injuries to his ears and legs, while the youth suffered head injuries. Both have since been released from hospital, and no arrests have been made so far.
(0)Dislikes(0)The Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) has formed an eight-member advisory panel it claims will provide technical assistance in holding the government accountable.
Haveeru reported party leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali as saying the inauguration of the panel would open a “new chapter” in the party’s history.
The panel will include: former Television Maldives (TVM) CEO Ali Halid serves as Advisor on Media and Communication, former Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) Managing Director Ibrahim Athif Shakoor as Advisor on Public Enterprises, former Assistant Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz as Advisor on Law and Order, and Lecturer at Faculty of Education/Maldives College of Higher Education (MCHE) Muhsina Mohamed as Advisor on School Education, Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Lecturer Dr Mohamed Saud as Advisor on Human Resources, General Surgeon at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) Dr Mohamed Solih as Advisor on Health Services, former Maldives Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) Board Director Thoriq Ibrahim as Advisor on Construction and Infrastructure, former Deputy Tourism Minister Abdul Hameed Zakariya as Advisor on Foreign Services,
Haveeru reported that during the inauguration at Nasandhura Palace Hotel today, Thasmeen acknowledged the party had weakened since losing the Presidential election but could remain a strong opposition party because of the technical expertise of its members.
The party would prepare for the 2013 elections “in a responsible manner”, Haveeru reported Thasmeen as saying..
“The responsibilities have increased as the current government does not listen to the people, does not accept the norms, and does not respect the laws and regulations. In order to produce a positive outcome we have huge challenges ahead,” he said.
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