Category: News in Brief

India gifts US$5 million for SAARC summit

The Indian government gifted US$5 million to Maldives today to assist preparations for the upcoming SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Corporation) summit due to place November in Addu City.

The US$5 million aid was officially handed over to Foreign Minister Ahmed Naseem at a ceremony at the President’s Office this afternoon by Indian Minister of External Affairs of India S.M. Krishna, who is currently in the Maldives for a two-day visit.

The registry of a plot in Male’ for a new Indian High Commission building was presented to High Commissioner D.M. Muley by Foreign Minister Naseem.

Meanwhile Finance Minister Ahmed Inaz presented the signed agreements for a multi-disciplinary university, a wellness centre and medical resort to be developed in Laamu Atoll by Universal Empire Infrastructure to the Indian company’s Chairman Bala Chandran.

The infrastructure company also signed an agreement yesterday to upgrade the Laamu Gan regional hospital.

Speaking at today’s ceremony, the company’s director Manis Gupta said that the joint venture Island Development Company formed with Works Corporation hoped to complete the university within the next five years. He revealed that the deal took 16 months to finalise and sign.

Gupta added that upon completion of the US$200 million projects, Laamu Gan would become a regional hub for medical treatment.

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STO lifts price controls on onions, potatoes, eggs

The State Trading Organisation (STO) will lift price controls on potatoes, onions and eggs, as well as rationing the commodities on a per-head basis.

“We’re trying to lift the control tomorrow as we received a new shipment of the goods last night which is being cleared from customs,” Managing Director Shahid Ali told Haveeru.

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Reintegration programme begins for 200 convicts in Maafushi jail

A programme to reintegrate convicts to be released from Maafushi prison back into society began with 200 inmates today.

In his address to the nation on Independence Day, President Mohamed Nasheed announced that close to 400 convicts would be offered “a second chance,” given government jobs and gradually reintegrated into society.

MNBC One reports that the first round of the reintegration programme began this morning with 200 inmates chosen for release.

Over 80 percent of inmates in Maafushi jail were incarcerated for drug-related offences.

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Dengue outbreak in Gaaf Alif Villigili under control

The rapid spread of dengue in Gaaf Alif Villigili last week that resulted in one death and 129 islanders struck with fever has been brought under control, according to the island hospital.

MNBC One reports that the ‘Villigili Dengue Task Force’ conducted a door-to-door awareness raising programme together with programmes to clean the island and spray fog to eradicate mosquito breeding grounds after three people were admitted to hospital on Saturday with dengue fever.

No new cases have been reported to the hospital in the past three days. Four people – three expatriates and a four year-old girl – are being treated at the hospital for dengue.

Nationwide some 1,900 cases of dengue have been recorded so far this year with 11 deaths compared to a total of 10 in 2006 out of 2,788 recorded cases.

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Airport renamed ‘Ibrahim Nasir International Airport’

The Male’ International Airport was renamed ‘Ibrahim Nasir International Airport’ on Independence Day, July 26 in honour of the former President who secured independence from the British.

The airport at Hulhule’ was built through a communal effort led by Nasir, who is widely credited with modernising the country and launching the tourism industry.

Under Nasir, Maldives became the first small state to join the United Nations at a time when the country’s population was below 80,000.

Nasir also introduced English-medium curriculum in schools, introduced radio and television broadcasting and mechanised fishing vessels.

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EPA to seek legal advice over fining STELCO

The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) will seek legal advice from the Attorney General over fining the State Electricity Company (STELCO) for environmental damages.

On March 30 an STELCO oil pipe buried under Male’s ring road Boduthakurufaanumagu burst, leaking large quantities of oil into the track swimming area, frequented by school children and the public.

Following the accident with the oil pipe, the EPA discovered 4.4ml of oil in the swimming area in its thrice-weekly inspections.

EPA Director Ibrahim Naeem told MNBC One that the agency has decided to fine STELCO as the company was responsible for the damage. However he did not reveal the amount of fines to be levied.

In February this year, the EPA fined STELCO Rf400,000 (US$25,900) after large quantities of oil kept in barrels in the Gaakoshi plot in Male’ seeped into the ground.

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MNBC staff cannot work with MBC board, says Independent MP Nasheed

Staff at the former Television Maldives (TVM) and Voice of Maldives (VoM) – now the Maldives National Broadcasting Corporation (MNBC) – cannot work with the parliament-approved board of the Maldives Broadcasting Company (MBC), Independent MP and former Information Minister Mohamed Nasheed has said.

Responding to a question by a journalist at a forum organised by the Maldives Media Council (MMC) Monday night, Nasheed explained that the MBC Act was intended to transform the corporatised state media into a public broadcaster but the board voted through by opposition MPs was engaged in “political football.”

“Everything went right, but because of those who were chosen for the director’s board, the whole thing turned into political football,” MP Nasheed said, according to Sun Online.

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Police arrest two muggers in Hulhumale’

Police arrested two muggers who robbed an expatriate at knife point in Hulhumale’ last night.

The mugging took place near the Ghazi School around 7:35pm and the two suspects were taken into custody shortly afterward by a police patrol.

One of the muggers threw away the phone and cash stolen from the expatriate when he saw the police patrol while the other threw away the knife. However both men – Ibrahim Ahzam, 29, M. Suthulimaage, and Mohamed Maaheen Ahmed, 22, Seenu Feydhoo Chandaneemaage – were taken into custody with the stolen items and the weapon.

The expatriate victim was unharmed in the incident. Hulhumale’ police station and the police property and commercial crime department are investigating the case.

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President opens Male’ City Hall

President Mohamed Nasheed opened the new Male’ City Council office or Male’ City Hall at Galolhu Billoorijehige (old national library site) yesterday.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the President noted that more than one-third of development projects were focused on Male’ as one-third of the country’s population was concentrated in the capital.

President Nasheed suggested that the capital could be expanded to encompass the islands from Kaafu Atoll Kudafaru near Hulhumale’ to Giraavaru.

Mayor ‘Maizan’ Ali Manik meanwhile said that the tasks of the council has been divided into eight areas and a councillor has been chosen to oversee each municipal service.

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