Sri Lankan firm Malwatte Valley Plantations has announced its intention to invest US$26 million in a resort in the Maldives, consisting of 70 villas.
The company told the Colombo Stock Exchange that the project would begin in September and be completed in two years. The new property would be managed by the Hilton chain, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
(0)Dislikes
(0)Some 8,600 businesses have registered at the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) ahead of the introduction of business profit taxes, which came into effect today.
Newspaper Haveeru reports that MIRA has decided on the advice of the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) to consider the first tax year to begin on July 18, 2011 and end on December 31, 2011. The Business Profit Tax Act stated that taxation would begin six months after the legislation was ratified, with the deadline falling on July 18.
Commissioner General of Taxation Yazeed Mohamed explained that the first tax payment would be due before January 31, 2012. Businesses would have the option of paying taxes in full or in installments.
Businesses making an annual profit in excess of Rf500,000 would be required to pay 15 percent of profits above that amount as taxes.
(0)Dislikes(0)Members of the Male’ City Council elected Hulhu-Henveiru Councillor “Maizan” Ali Manik (Alibe) to the vacant post of mayor today with ten votes from the 11-member council.
Former head of the Male’ municipality “Sarangu” Adam Manik had resigned as the first mayor of Male’ earlier this month, following a no-confidence motion instigated by fellow councillors from the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).
The Male’ City Council has nine MDP councillors and two opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) councillors.
Following his election today, Alibe told Sun Online that the council would restart stalled projects in the capital.
The new mayor said that his first priority would be implementing the government’s flagship “Veshi Fahi” Male’ decongestion programme.
Alibe revealed that former Mayor Adam Manik had assured him of full cooperation as the new chair of the city council.
(0)Dislikes(0)Police have reopened the council office at Raa Atoll Innamaadhoo a day after angry islanders locked the office in protest.
Sun Online reports that islanders nailed wooden panels to the council office door at about 7:00pm last night door in protest of the council’s failure to heed repeated request by parents of preschool children to shut down carpentry workshops near the island’s preschool.
The parents had complained that fibre and wood dust from the boat sheds were being blown into the preschool. However the council was allegedly in talks with the workshop owners to extend leases.
Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said that police reopened the office after employees were unable to enter this morning and requested police assistance.
He added that the matter was currently under investigation.
(0)Dislikes(0)An amendment proposed to the Protection and Privileges for former Presidents Act by MP Mohamed Musthafa of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) was rejected 37-32 at today’s sitting of parliament.
In his closing statement after the debate on the parliament floor, Musthafa said that he did not have “anything more to say about this bill.”
“What I want is for those who have ruled this country to receive benefits and for them to stay silent at home under protection,” he said. “[I want] to give them benefits and for them not to come out to the street and act like children.”
In March this year, a leaked phone call between Musthafa and Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim emerged in the local media, suggesting a secret relationship between the MDP MP and embattled Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali.
Musthafa explains in the leaked audio that while he did not believe that former President Gayoom deserved financial benefits after returning to active politics, he had considered withdrawing the bill but was dissuaded from doing so by Thasmeen.
(0)Dislikes(0)Local NGO Maldives Centre for Human Rights and Democracy led by former Attorney General Husnu Suood has called on Speaker Abdulla Shahid to launch an inquiry into the “lowly and disgraceful behaviour” of MPs during last week’s disrupted parliament sittings.
In a letter sent to the Speaker yesterday, the NGO said that MPs “should apologise to the Maldivian people at a sitting of the People’s Majlis.”
In a number of videos uploaded to YouTube by MP Shifaq Mufeed of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), several MPs were heard using obscene language against each other.
Moreover, newspaper Haveeru journalists caught video footage of MP Ahmed Mahlouf strike former opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Deputy Leader Ali Waheed on the back.
The NGO stated in its letter that last week’s incidents had not only harmed the standing of parliament among the public, but had “raised serious doubts” about the legitimacy of Acts of parliament and undermined public trust in the institution.
(0)Dislikes(0)Police discovered a number of empty bottles of alcohol today in a pickup carrying garbage to the dump site in Male’.
Sun Online reports that police were tipped off by a member of the public and discovered the empty bottles after searching the vehicle.
A police spokesperson declined to reveal the number of bottles found or where the pickup had been loaded.
(0)Dislikes(0)The Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) today withdrew three of its four witnesses in the corruption case against MP Ahmed “Redwave” Saleem, who is facing charges of conspiracy to defraud the former Atolls Ministry in the purchase of mosque sound systems.
The alleged corruption was uncovered in the audit report of the now defunct Atolls Ministry released in 2009. Saleem was former director of finance at the ministry.
Following a police investigation requested by the Presidential Commission, the PGO charged Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim, MP Saleem and former Atolls Minister Abdulla Hameed with three counts of conspiracy to defraud, abuse of power and violation of the state finance and asset regulations.
Local daily Haveeru reports that the three witnesses withdrawn by the state were minority opposition Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) Deputy Leader Abdulla Matheen, Abdulla Hameed and Ahmed Aseeth.
Saleem meanwhile proposed as his witnesses three former employees of the Atolls Ministry.
According to the law, MPs convicted for a sentence exceeding one year would automatically be stripped of their seat.
(0)Dislikes(0)Women from the island of Landhoo in Noonu Atoll have hijacked the island council office in protest of non-payment of dues owed for sweeping and cleaning the island.
Sun Online reports that about 50 women entered the administrative office and locked it at about 3:30pm today.
Landhoo Council Chair Mohamed Fayaz said that the disgruntled women appeared unlikely to leave the office.
The women claim that the council office owed them Rf19,000 (US$1,479) per month for the past six months. The decision to lock the council office was made after the national administrative office failed to come up with the money after promising to make the funds available within a week.
Councillor Fayaz meanwhile said that the women had informed him that they would only leave once the administrative office gave them assurances and “a guaranteed date for payment.”
In a similar incident, women from the island of Isdhoo-Kalhaidhoo in Laamu Atoll had protested the non-payment of dues last week.
(0)Dislikes(0)