Category: News in Brief

Profits grow, crime drops this Ramandan

The President’s Office has announced that fishermen’s income has been increasing steadily over the past few months, while the price of fish has remained constant.

President Mohamed Nasheed said the government aims to support income growth for fishermen, and provided there are no changes to the industry’s current operations, profit levels will be maintained.

Speaking in his weekly radio address, the President further stated that retailers have reporters higher profits this Ramadan than in recent years. He noted that market prices have been controlled, and said the Maldivian economy was moving in the right direction.

Crime ratings have dropped in the past few months, and violent crime rates are notably low, the President claimed.

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Addu City gets Bank of Ceylon branch

The Bank of Ceylon (BOC) has said it will open a branch in Addu City in time for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit, which is scheduled for that site in November.

The bank’s chairman said construction will start as soon as the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) has approved the proposal, reports Haveeru.

BOC has also provided a US$10 million revolving credit line to the Maldives with a six percent interest rate.

Sri Lankan media is reporting that the credit line will be used to purchase fruit and vegetables from Sri Lanka.

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MNDF officers attend air rally in Sri Lanka

Officers from the Air Wing of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) participated in the 2011 Pacific Air Rally this week in Colombo. The event is held every two years, but this is the first time it has been held in Sri Lanka, Haveeru reports.

The rally, hosted by the Pacific Air Command of the US Air Force and the Sri Lanka Air Force, took place at the Ratmalana and Ampara Air Force bases between August 22 and 26.

MNDF forces participated in the Command Post Exercise, which focused on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief coordination between participating countries.

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Housing project only for Indian bids

The Finance Ministry has opened a housing project to build 500 housing units across the Maldives, but has limited bid submissions to Indian contractors, Haveeru News reports.

The Indian government allegedly offered the project, along with a US$40 million loan for its development, on the condition that only bids from Indian contractors be considered.

Haveeru News reports that contractors are required to make an initial bid deposit of US$400,000. They must register at the ministry before September 10.

A statement from the Finance Ministry allegedly said proposals must be submitted by September 26, and a pre-bid meeting will be held on September 8.

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Police release suspects in human trafficking case

Police have released suspects arrested for their alleged involvement in the human trafficking network that exposed last month, Haveeru reports, after the Criminal Court found no grounds to detain them.

The number of suspects released is unknown.

Five Maldivians and 12 expatriates were previously arrested for their alleged roles in the human trafficking network, said to worth up to US$123 million. The ring reportedly to forged over 70 local investments using copies of national identity cards belonging to individuals who were uninformed or deceased.

None of the suspects released today were expatriates involved in that particular case, Haveeru News reports.

Minivan News earlier reported that human trafficking has replaced the fishing industry as the Maldivian economy’s second greatest contributor of foreign currency.


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GMR 180-day development initiative nears completion

A 180-day development programme undertaken by Indian infrastructure giant GMR to modernise and expand the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) is nearing completion.

According to a press statement by the GMR Group, one of the issues that was rectified was accommodating capacities for peak traffic periods by lengthening baggage reclaim carousals from 30m to 60m, adding a fourth carousal and opening six new check-in desks at the departure area.

“I am proud to state that most of the development plans focused on expansion and the provision of basic facilities for passenger ease has been settled and operations are smooth sailing,” said Andrew Harrison, CEO of INIA.

New lounges are expected to open in September that would “typify the essence of the Maldives and will exalt comfort, elegance and exclusivity.”

Medium-term programmes over the next two or three years would meanwhile focus on investment and infrastructure development.

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Nexbis threatens legal action over delayed enforcement of border control agreement

Malaysian mobile security system vendor Nexbis has threatened legal action over the stalled border agreement with the government, reports Sun Online.

In a letter to Immigration Controller Abdulla Shahid on August 19, Nexbis complained that it had not received a reply from the Immigration Department to its inquiries after the cabinet decided to proceed with the project.

Nexbis stated in its letter that the company had spent “millions of dollars” to purchase equipment and had even paid import duties to the government, noting that the continuing delays were resulting in financial losses.

The border control agreement was signed on November 17, 2010. However the upgrade was stalled earlier this year when the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) expressed concerns about the deal, claiming that there were “opportunities for corruption” during the bidding process.

If concrete action to implement the border control project was not taken by August 31, Nexbis threatened to take legal action against the Immigration Department and sue for damages.

President’s Press Secretary Mohamed Zuhair told Sun Online that the government would respond to Nexbis before the end of the month.

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NSPA says Madhana won’t cover new clinic rates

National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) Director, Ibrahim Waheed, has told Haveeru that the Madhana health insurance scheme will not cover increased fees at private clinics. The government lifted control of clinic charges this week.

Earlier this week, an informed source told Minivan News that the clinic fees were likely to stay within the scope of the Madhana’s program.

NSPA reported said the Madhana program only covers the rates currently charged at hospitals and clinics. Any excess charges after the current Madhana rate will have to be paid for by the patient.

Haveeru News reports that some clinics have agreed to keep their current rates, to protect their clients. However, those clinics that want to increase their prices will be required to stop providing insurance services.

Clinics are still required to give the government a month’s notice before implementing price changes.

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Criminal Court suspends Assistant Public Prosecutor for one month

The Criminal Court has suspended Assistant Public Prosecutor Ihsan Mohamed Waheed from appearing at the court for one month after he allegedly refused to attend a hearing on Monday afternoon.

According to the Criminal Court, the judge announced at a hearing at 10:30am that a verdict would be delivered at 1.00pm but Ihsan told court employees to “finish the case another day” and walked out.

Ihsan did not answer his phone when the court attempted to contact him at 1:00pm. The accused and an accompanying penitentiary officer meanwhile had to wait at the court until 4:00pm for the Assistant Public Prosecutor, who did not turn up.

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