Category: News in Brief

Coastguard gives up search for missing Japanese tourists

The coastguard of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has given up its search for two Japanese tourists who went missing from the Adaaaran Hudhuranfushi Resort last week.

According to the MNDF, the search went on by air and sea for three days, covering the resort’s house reef and sandbanks in the region.

The coastguard has however appealed to vessels traveling the area to be on the lookout for the bodies of the missing Japanese couple.

A decomposing female body meanwhile washed ashore on Adaaran Hudhuranfushi Sunday while the MNDF search was ongoing. Police have yet to determine the identity of the corpse.

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Hulhumale’ plots awarded to 94 residents of Male’

President Mohamed Nasheed presented guarantees of land acquisition to 94 recipients under the first phase of the government’s flagship “Veshi Fahi” Male’ (de-congestion) programme.

The first ten recipients under Category A of the programme were awarded land guarantees on July 26 at a ceremony to open the Veshi Fahi Male’ office.

In his remarks at last night’s ceremony at the President’s Office, President Nasheed said that he believed it was within the government’s means to construct a bridge between Male’ and Hulhumale’ as a ferry system was insufficient in itself.

The construction of 2,500 flats in Gulhifalhu is meanwhile expected to begin next month under the second phase of the Gulhifalhu Development Project, Nasheed continued.

President Nasheed explained that more plots could not be awarded in Hulhumale’ as the remaining space was intended for communal use and government or public buildings.

Of the government’s pledged 10,000 flats, said Nasheed, construction agreements had been signed for 8,000 flats or housing units.

Nasheed claimed that the construction industry was booming and that foreign investment had “increased 1000 percent” compared to the previous years.

Male’ City Councillor “Sarangu” Adam Manik, director of the Veshi Fahi Male’ programme, meanwhile said that thousands of applications by residents of Male’ under different categories were currently being processed.

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Z-DRP, DQP condemn Thasmeen for meeting President Nasheed

The main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party’s (DRP) breakaway Z-faction along with coalition partner Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) has condemned DRP Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali for meeting President Mohamed Nasheed Saturday night.

Speaking at a press conference the following day, DRP Deputy Leader Ilham Ahmed claimed that “because Thasmeen has millions of rufiya worth of loans owed to Bank of Maldives as well as other pressures,” the minority leader was “making deals with the government.”

“What we were saying is now becoming very clear to the public,” he said, referring to the Z-faction’s allegations of Thasmeen and Speaker Abdulla Shahid accepting US$1 million bribes from Indian infrastructure giant GMR.

DQP Secretary General Abdulla Ameen meanwhile told local media that the opposition leader meeting President Nasheed was “unacceptable” as it could be construed as an endorsement of the proposed economic reform agenda.

Ameen argued that discussions over the proposed reforms should have taken place much earlier.

“I don’t see any need for meeting the opposition leader after the reforms were planned and finalised and a ceremony held to announce [the reforms],” Ameen told Haveeru.

Thasmeen however told press outside the President’s Office after the meeting that he met the President to voice concerns about the economic reform bills currently before parliament, including planned expenditure growth for 2013 and the personal income tax.

Following the meeting, President Nasheed signaled the government’s willingness to address DRP concerns and incorporate changes in the relevant legislation before enactment into law.

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‘Market Harbour’ project amended, bids re-open

The Economic Development Ministry has announced that the ‘Market Harbour’ project, designed to develop island harbours, has been reopened bidding, Haveeru News reports.

The project was first announced on March 24, 2011. The Ministry has since amended the proposal to suit amendments proposed by island councils.

The ‘Market Harbour’ projects intends harbours to be developed along regional, atoll and local standards. The projects will take effect in Dhaal atoll Kuda Huvadhoo, Gaaf Dhaal atoll Gahdhoo, Thinadhoo and Ihavandhoo, Haa Dhaal atoll Kulhudhufushi, Haa Alif atoll Hoarafushi, Meemu atoll Mulah and Raa Dhuvaafaru.

Haveeru News reports that project bidding is open to local and international companies. The report adds that facilities such as warehouses, banks, and guesthouses will be available.


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Bill proposed to abolish Foreign Investment Act

Preliminary debate began yesterday on a bill proposed by the government to abolish the Foreign Investment Act of 1979, as part of its economic reform package.

At yesterday’s sitting of parliament, opposition MPs severely criticised the legislation, arguing that abolishing the Act would facilitate corruption and “bankrupt” local businesses.

Presenting the bill, MP Alhan Fahmy of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said that the purpose of the bill was to open the country to unhindered investment by foreign businesses.

Kelaa MP Dr Abdulla Mausoom of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) however accused the government of trying to turn the Maldives into the “money-laundering machine of the world” by removing restrictions to foreign investments.

Mausoom said that the Foreign Investment Act had been used to protect local industries and encourage joint ventures with Maldivians in the tourism industry, adding that bringing amendments to the 1979 law would be better than abolishing it.

Other opposition MPs speculated that the bill was part of an agenda to “sell off state assets” and undermine national interests and sovereignty.

While MDP MPs did not speak in the debate in the interest of expediting the legislative process, shouting matches broke out in the chamber sporadically and disrupted the debate.

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President hands out leaflets on economic reform agenda

President Mohamed Nasheed and senior officials of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) handed out flyers and leaflets containing information of the government’s economic reform agenda near the tsunami memorial area in Male’ yesterday.

Haveeru reported that President Nasheed, cabinet ministers and some MPs started distributing leaflets at the area after 4:30pm yesterday.

MDP meanwhile launched a door-to-door campaign last week to raise awareness among the public of the proposed economic reforms, including the introduction of direct taxation, deregulation and encouraging private ownership of land.

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Supreme Court dismisses appeal by former President Nasir’s family

The Supreme Court has informed Ahmed Nasir, son of former President Ibrahim Nasir, that there are no grounds to appeal a High Court decision in 1986, based on which the previous government confiscated the family’s estates and property in Male’.

Sun Online reported that the Supreme Court dispatched a 3-page letter to Ahmed Nasir noting that Maldivian law did not allow heirs to pursue legal action if the individual had not initiated it in his lifetime.

“Ibrahim Nasir died 22 years, 9 months, and 21 days after the High Court of the Maldives made a judgment in case number HC/84 30, on the 22nd day of the 11th month of the year 2008, and until his dying day, Ibrahim Nasir had not communicated any desire to take legal action to defend himself against the High Court judgment,” reads the Supreme Court letter.

Nasir left the Maldives in 1978 after ceding the presidency and lived in self-imposed exile in Singapore until his death in November 2008, shortly after former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was ousted in the country’s first multi-party election. Nasir’s body was flown to the Maldives for a state funeral and buried with full honours.

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Heavy Load re-submits proposal for developing Enboodhoo

A proposal to develop  Enboodhoo lagoon in Kaafu Atoll has been re-submitted by Heavy Load Maldives, a corporation linked to Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) Chairperson Moosa ‘Reeko’ Manik, Haveeru reports.

The National Planning Council reportedly discussed the proposal by Heavy Load in early July. But officials said the proposal has not been fully approved, and all parties are invited to submit proposals.

Heavy Load received US$21 million (Rf269.8 million) from Thilafushi Corporation Limited (TCL) in late September, allegedly to reclaim 130 hectares from Thilafushi lagoon, reports Haveeru.

However, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) asked Heavy Load to halt work and open the project opportunity to other development groups.

Enboodhoo lagoon is located 10 kilometers from Malé.

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Resort proposal ‘not fully approved’, claims national planning council

National Planning Council has discussed a US$20 million proposal by Mohamed ‘Sim’ Ibrahim to develop two resorts in Malé Atoll, Haveeru reports.

Council reports said the proposal, which was submitted on June 19, was not fully approved.

Ibrahim is the Secretary General of the Maldives Association of Tourism Industries (MATI), and the husband of Tourism Minister Dr Maryam Zulfa.

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