Category: News in Brief

Bidding opens for Kulhudhufushi plots

Bidding is now open for 20 plots of land on the newly-reclaimed Kulhudhufushi Development Zone in Haa Dhaal atoll Kulhudhufushi.

Plots measure 1000 feet squared and will be sold at a rate of Rf300 per foot squared, Kulhudhufushi Development Corporation Ltd. has told Haveeru.

Bidders are asked to pay 25 percent of the proposed bidding price as down payment along with Rf50,000 bid security, and the total price within a week of winning a plot. Alternatively, payments may be made in two installments or over five years, with interest.

Bidding is open to all, except individuals who own plots of 600 feet squared or more anywhere in the country, reports Haveeru.

Proposals will be accepted at Afeefuddeen School until November 24.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

J Hotels and Resorts awarded mid-market tourism project in Laamu Atoll

The Tourism Ministry has awarded the ‘Asseyri’ project to develop mid-market tourism in Laamu Atoll Gan to J Hotels and Resorts, reports Haveeru.

J Hotels and Resorts – owned by former MP Abdulla Jabir who has announced that he will be running for chairperson of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) – was chosen among three bidders for the project, according to a Tourism Ministry official.

The project involves developing a 25 hectare area with 1,500 beds, including a 300-bed hotel and 79 guest houses, as well as spas and sports facilities.

State Minister for Tourism Thoyyib Mohamed previously told Haveeru that while the government preferred a private party to develop and manage the whole project, the ministry had a ‘Plan B’ to lease out separate components of the project to different parties.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

DQP asks Finance Minister to resign

The Dhivehi Qaumy Party (DQP), led by former Attorney General Dr Hassan Saeed, has sent a letter to the Finance Minister Ahmed Inaz telling him that he had failed and demanding he resign.

”Since the day you were appointed as the Finance Minister, you have conducted your duties irresponsibly and so we doubt your sincerity over the money of the citizens that have been in hands of the government,” the DQP said in the letter.

The party claimed that Inaz had played a role in devaluing the Maldivian Ruffiya.

”The costs of products have been constantly increasing and have reached an unaffordable level since you were appointed,” the DQP said. ”After telling the media and political parties that you do not support increasing political positions in the government, you became the biggest ally of the president in implementing the wasteful policy of the government.”

The DQP claimedthat Inaz had been withholding the budget allocated for subsidies to fisherman which was approved by the parliament and included in this year’s budget.

Inaz had been challenging the constitution and refusing to release the budget for civil servant’s salaries deducted amount even when the Civil Court ruled to release the budget, said DQP in the letter.

”You have been withholding the budget allocated for [Island/Atoll] Councils and it has caused many councils to dysfunction, and citizens of the islands have not been receiving basic rights,” the DQP claimed, adding that Inaz had released the budget for parliamentarians committee allowance after the court ordered to withhold the budget.

The party said that while cabinet ministers were obliged to be answerable to the parliament, Inaz had “been stubborn” in answering the MPs when summoned to the parliament.

Finance Minister Ali Inaz did not respond to Minivan News at time of press.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

President departs on official visit to France

President Mohamed Nasheed departed on an official visit to France this morning.

President Nasheed will hold talks with French Environment Minister Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet and French Foreign Minister Alain Juppé.

According to the President’s Office, discussions will focus on bilateral French aid and official assistance programmes to the Maldives.

President Nasheed will also meet senior management of Agence Française de Développement (AFD), a French international development agency, to discuss development and financial assistance in terms of access to water and sanitation.

Meanwhile the President has also invited to the fourth annual Democracy Forum to be held in Bali, Indonesia in December.

The letter of invitation was presented to Special Envoy of the President Ibrahim Hussain Zaki by the Special Envoy of Indonesia Abdurrahman Mohammad Fachir at a meeting that took place at the President’s Office.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Police arrest fake Bangladeshi doctor

Police have arrested a 41-year-old Bangladeshi national who was pretending to be a doctor and treating expatriate patients living in the capital.

Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam confirmed that the “fake doctor” was arrested in Male’ on October 2 (Sunday).

“Police found some medical certificates, which we suspect are not valid certificates,” Shiyam said. “So far, we have learned that he mostly took care of Bangladeshi nationals working in Male’.”

Police found medical certificates as well as equipment and tools when they searched his residence, including syringes, a stethoscope, a blood pressure gauge and various kinds of medicine.

The police fraud and financial crime department is investigating the case.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Police recover stolen gold necklace

Police have arrested two minors who stole a necklace from a foreign woman after holding a knife to her throat in Male’ yesterday.

The woman was walking down Majeedhee Magu in the evening yesterday when she was robbed by the juvenile offenders near the VB Mart in Maafanu ward.

According to police, the offenders were aged 15 and 16. Police recovered the gold necklace and returned it to the victim.

The child and family protection unit is investigating the case.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Preliminary debate begins on proposed strata title law

Parliament began preliminary debate on strata title legislation proposed by the government as part of its 18-bill economic reform package.

Strata title is a form of ownership of apartments devised for multi-level apartment buildings and horizontal subdivisions with shared areas.

Presenting the draft legislation this morning, MP Mohamed Rasheed of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said that the bill would establish a legal framework to broaden and develop the real estate market in the Maldives.

The bill outlines procedures for transferring ownership of apartment units under a strata registration scheme. Individuals could then mortgage or sell the separate units.

During today’s preliminary debate, both opposition and ruling party MPs spoke in favour of the bill and stressed the pressing need for such a law especially for citizens of Male’.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Over 300 new members sign for MDP from Hinnavaru

Over 300 people from Lhaviyani Hinnavaru signed for the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) at a rally on Saturday.

At the rally in Hinnavaru, two Independent councillors from Baa Atoll Hithaadhoo also signed for the party, giving control of the island council to the MDP.

Speaking at the rally, MDP MP for Hinnavaru Ibrahim Mohamed Solih – who is also the current parliamentary group leader – announced that the constituency of Hinnavaru now had the most number of MDP members out of the 77 voting districts in the country.

With the additional members, the ruling party now has over 1,200 members in the constituency.

Meanwhile in a press release today the party announced results of a primary held on Sunday to select a candidate to compete in a by-election scheduled for November 19 to replace a vacant council seat in Fuvahmulah. Out of three contenders for the MDP ticket, Shaffaf Naseer, of Fuvahmulah Hazaarumaage, won the primary with 121 votes.

The council seat for mid-Fuvahmulah was previously filled by an MDP councillor, who lost his seat after the Supreme Court ruled that he had a decreed debt and should have been disqualified from the local council elections in February.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Bank of Maldives to introduce community banking

The Bank of Maldives Plc (BML) signed an agreement with the Maldives Post Ltd this week to provide community banking in islands without BML branches.

Speaking to press after the signing ceremony, Maldives Post Ltd Managing Director Shazly Shafeeq explained that community banking services, such as depositing and withdrawing cash through post, shall be provided to islands without bank branches.

“This is something new, and we shall implement it gradually, step by step, in a number of phases. We hope that, God Willing, the work shall begin the next year, and the first service would be an ATM,” Shazly was quoted as saying in Sun Online.

In the first phase, ATMs are to be set up at Noonu Atoll Velidhoo and Haa Dhaal Atoll Hanimaadhoo. A new ATM has meanwhile been opened at the Maldives Post Ltd building in Male’.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)