Category: News in Brief

India and Australia offer scholarships to Maldivian students

Australia and India have both announced scholarships to Maldivian students, which President Mohamed Nasheed has said will “fill a huge gap in our human resource needs”.

Australia has doubled the number of scholarships offered to the Maldives, offering a total of 31 scholarships under the ‘Australia Awards’ program, with a total value of AUD$4.1 million. Six students have been awarded an Australian Leadership Award Scholarship (ALAS), while the remaining students have been awarded Australian Development Scholarships (ADS).

“If we didn’t get these we would have to spend amazing amount of funds,” President Nasheed said, while Australian High Commissioner to the Maldives and Sri Lanka, Kathy Klugman, said while Australia had a “very long standing, a very deep and a productive relationship” with the Maldives, stating that as a result of the interactions with the Australian government by President Nasheed this year, “we’ve just now taken [Australia-Maldives] relationship to an entirely new level”.

Following President Nasheed’s meeting with the then Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in Canberra earlier this year, the Australian government announced Australia’s aid programme for the Maldives, including an increased number of scholarships.

India has also announced 37 scholarships this year for Maldivian students to institutes of higher education in the country, through the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR).

A statement from the Indian High Commission said the scholarships for Graduate/Post Graduate courses were open to all Maldivian students who have completed their A level exams and prerequisite subjects.

The High Commission noted that besides providing students placements in prestigious Indian Institutes, the scholarships also included airfares, tuition fees and a living allowance. More details available on www.iccrindia.net.

India provides approximately 90 scholarships/training slots to Maldivian citizens every year.

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President meets US naval chief

President Mohamed Nasheed has discussed the issue of piracy and maritime counterterrorism Commander of the US Pacific Fleet, Admiral Robert Willard.

Admiral Willard and the President Nasheed discussed ways of strengthening cooperation “on areas of mutual concern”, the President’s Office said in a statement.

President Nasheed stated that maritime safety was a great concern to the Maldives.

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President praises Maldives’ “biggest sporting achievement”

The Maldives national cricket team have been greeted back in Male’ by President Mohamed Nasheed after their triumph last week in the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Trophy Challenge 2010, which he labelled as the country’s “biggest sporting achievement” to date.

The president congratulated the team for their efforts after they defeated Saudi Arabia by a single wicket during the tournament finale in Bangkok, after they had overcome a number of regional teams to secure the title.
Nasheed stated that the victory highlighted the potential for further development of cricket in the country.

This year’s Trophy Challenge tournament, which began December 4, 2010, saw eight teams including China, Brunei, Iran and Myanmar compete against the Maldives.

The victory sees both finalists promoted to the ACC Trophy Elite tournament in 2012, where they will face teams such as Afghanistan, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

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Banks given permission for small dollar commission

Banks have been given authorisation by the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) to place a one percent commission on one and five US dollar bills to try and encourage greater exports of the currency.

Haveeru reported that the MMA had conceded to requests from banks for permission to charge commission on the notes as a result of the high cost and “risk” involved in exporting dollars.

“Banks need to export the dollar bills of small value being collected as a result of the low public demand,” the MMA reportedly said.

Any institutions with a licence allowing the exchange of foreign currency will be able to charge the commission, under the MMA ruling.

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Wikileaks founder remains imprisoned despite UK bail decision

Julian Assange, the founder of the controversial Wikileaks service that has seen the contents of thousands of confidential US diplomatic cables involving frank discussion on international affairs of nations like the Maldives being leaked, remains in UK custody despite having been granted bail.

The UK-based Guardian newspaper reported that the City of Westminster magistrates court in London awarded Assange bail over allegations he sexually assaulted two women in Sweden, yet the defendant must still remain in Wandsworth prison pending an appeal by Swedish authorities.

The report added that Sweden, which is seeking the extradition of Assange over the sexual assault allegations, was contesting the English court’s bail verdict on claims that “a judge could not guarantee that he would not flee.”

Wikileaks is a “whistle-blowing” website that has made headlines all over the world by leaking the contents of US diplomatic communications, such as 3325 missives from the US Embassy in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

These cables have included Maldivian diplomatic concerns such as allegations of possible government interest in “climate bribery”, where there were reportedly considerations of seeking monetary assistance from the US in exchange for backing the Copenhagen Accord.

The government has fervently denied the accusations.

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Parliament allows acting finance minister to present 2011 budget

Parliament has allowed Acting Finance Minister Mahmood Razee to present the 2011 state budget, despite Speaker Abdulla Shahid remarking yesterday that he was seeking legal advice over whether this was permissible.

Deputy Speaker Mohamed Nazim put forward a motion to declare a “special situation” whereby Razee would be granted the authority to formally present the motion. The chamber voted 55-9 in favour.

Razee was appointed acting minister after Finance Minister Ali Hashim resigned over the weekend, following a Supreme Court ruling on Thursday that ministers rejected by parliament could not hold their positions.

The budget will be presented to parliament tomorrow.

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Sheikh Fareed to hold “grand lecture” on corruption

Sheikh Ibrahim Fareed Ahmed will hold a “grand lecture” on corruption on Saturday at the Artificial Beach, in a joint event between the Islamic Foundation of the Maldives and the Anti-Corruption Commission.

The event will be televised live on MNBC One and broadcast on Radio Atoll, the Islamic Foundation reported.

The sermon, entitled “Swallowing Fire”, will start at 8:45pm.

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Abandoned baby will be placed in care of foster parents

A baby girl found abandoned on Hulhumale beach in late November, with the umbilical cord still attached, will be placed in the care of foster parents, Haveeru reports.

e put in the care of foster parents through the court, Health and Family said Monday.

Haveeru reported Deputy Minister Mariya Ali as saying that a panel of legal and medical experts thoroughly assess foster parents before placing the child in their care.

Police have been searching for the parents but have made no arrests to date.

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Free holiday for 750,000th tourist to visit the Maldives this year

The Maldives will offer a free holiday to the 750,000th tourist to the country, who is expected to fly into the country tomorrow.

“The Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture, the Maldives Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB) and the Tourism industry of the Maldives will celebrate a major milestone in inbound international arrivals by achieving 750,000 visitors in a single year,” said a statement from the MTPB.

“A special welcome ceremony is being coordinated to make it a colourful and memorable occasion.”

Tourist arrivals were up 21.8 percent in October, buoyed by a dramatic increase in arrivals from China – statistically now the Maldives’ greatest source of tourism arrivals.

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