The Maldives Airports Company has pledged its support for the government’s efforts to combat global warming, with Mohamed Ibrahim presenting a letter to President Mohamed Nasheed outlining the measures the company is taking to reduce its carbon footprint.
Ibrahim said the company hoped to actively contribute to the government’s environmental initiatives.
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(0)Pakistan is seeking to improve its economic relationship with the Maldives, according to the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), promising to meet the country’s import needs “at a cheaper price than European countries.”
President of the ICCI Zahid Maqbool said the current bilateral trade agreement between the two countries “is not worth mentioning”, and pressed for a regular exchange of trade delegations.
He requested that Pakistani exporters be allowed to set up in the Maldives, and also claimed that Pakistan offered quality higher education at a lower cost than other countries.
High Commissioner of the Republic of Maldives, Aishath Shehnaz Adam, said the Maldives would welcome Pakistani investment in the Maldives. The economy was a strong one, she said, and had grown an average of 10 per cent every year for the past two decades.
(0)Dislikes(0)President Mohamed Nasheed left for Copenhagen yesterday to attend the landmark UN climate change conference (COP15).
Addressing press before his departure, Nasheed said it was important for the world to listen to countries such as the Maldives, which were vulnerable to climate change.
He said that he believed the Maldives would play a significant part in the negotiations, adding that delegates planned to propose a survival kit for the world.
During his visit, the president is scheduled to attend a number of high-level meetings and meet senior government officials and climate experts, including the Danish prime minister, the Australian prime minister, and former US vice president Al Gore.
The president’s entourage included Presidential Special Envoy Ibrahim Hussain Zaki, Foreign Minister Dr Ahmed Shaheed, MP Eva Abdulla, MP Visam Ali, State Minister for Transport Adam Maniku, State Minister for Health Abdul Bari Abdulla, Envoy for Science and Technology Ahmed Moosa and Executive Service Secretary Mohamed Ziyad.
(0)Dislikes(0)A Maldivian woman, Hiyam Afeef, has become the first woman in the Maldives to receive a degree in aeronautical science, Miadhu reports.
Hiyam graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical university in the US, which is one of the most prestigious establishments specialising in aviation and aerospace.
“There are not a lot of airports [in the Maldives]. The main transportation is boats and planes. I want to start by flying seaplanes, but eventually I want to fly internationally,” said Hiyam in an interview given to her university.
But, she added, her true interests lay in aviation safety.
(0)Dislikes(0)Maldives police have said they are seeking the deportation of a foreigner who allegedly sought to spread Christianity on the island of Kinbidhoo in Thaa Atoll.
Missionary activities are illegal under Maldivian law, as is the possession of non-Islamic religious materials beyond those ascribed for ‘personal use’.
Police sergeant Ahmed Shiyam said while no charges had yet been laid, it was normal practice “to send a person suspected of this to their country of origin while the case is under investigation.”
Shiyam declined to reveal specific details of the allegations “as the case is still under investigation”, but noted that “the whole community is very concerned about this.”
Kinbidhoo islanders identified the man as David Balk, and said he had been living on the island for the past several years with his wife and three children, aged 10-13 years old.
“They all speak fluent Dhivehi and generally keep to themselves, but are very helpful and involved in social activities like beach cleaning,” said Island Councillor Mohamed Naseem, adding that media reports describing the man as English “are wrong because he has an American passport.”
Naseem said the islanders believed he was the managing director of a travel agency in Male, and that “whatever they were doing must have been secret because nobody here has complained about him [spreading religion].”
He added that the police investigation had been going on for some time “and only now have the media picked it up.”
Another resident of the island, Ahmed Rasheed, said Balk’s neighbours had seen inside his house and claimed he had never spoken to them about religion. “I’ve mostly seen him out fishing,” Rasheed said. “He always helps out islanders and at times has even given financial help to people.”
Rasheed said he doubted many of the Kinbidhoo islanders “would even know what a bible looks like.”
“The day the police came David’s wife went to the neighbours house to ask them to take care of a plant. She told them police were there ‘saying we are spreading Christianity’, and that while they had a bible, it was for their personal use,” he said.
“The islanders’ attitude is that while [the Balks] never talked to them about religion, they are suspicious of why the family have lived on island for a couple of years without an ulterior motive. But they say the feeling is not enough reason to throw somebody off the island.”
Abdullah bin Mohamed Ibrahim, president of Islamic NGO Salaf Jamiyya, told Minivan News “we have been watching these people for a long time. We have known of them since 2003.”
He said Salaf’s investigation was still ongoing, but that the NGO was “certain” Balk was a missionary.
The missionary group has a “rotating membership” that comes to the country and settles, he said.
“They are working under a long-term plan. They have given their children Dhivehi names and some even have tattoos in Dhivehi.”
Ibrahim said Salaf was aware of missionary activity in the Maldives, and of missionaries approaching people to proselytise.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry for Islamic Affairs, Mohamed Didi, said that so far there had been no involvement in the case by the Ministry and “officially we don’t know anything.”
“If anyone complains we would ask the police to investigate,” he said, and if suspicions were confirmed, “basically the foreigner would be deported.”
Minivan News tried to contact Balk but was only able to speak to him briefly, as he said he was “going to spend time with my kids.”
(0)Dislikes(0)The Maldives national team was narrowly beaten by India in the SAFF Cup Final following a nail-biting 3-1 penalty showdown.
The streets of Male were deserted as the match began, with locals cramming teashops and restaurants. Those left on the streets gathered around TVs on street corners brought out by residents, or went to the main action at Lonuziyaaraikolhu where a large screen had been set up under the stars.
India was kept on the defensive throughout the match and during extra time, holding the score at 0-0 despite numerous close calls and several injured players. Indian goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya weathered a brutal onslaught in the final minutes of the second half as the Maldivians ran rings around the bedraggled Indian defenders. But despite the perpetual pressure the team just couldn’t get the ball past Bhattacharya, who must have felt like he was playing a particularly vindictive game of Dodge Ball.
Tension mounted during the TVM broadcast’s pause for prayer in the first half of extra time, but nothing was scored during the break sparking a nervous sigh of relief from some in the crowd.
The audience was on their feet by the time of the penalty shoot-out, excited and nervous in equal measure. Jibon Singh’s opening goal was returned by Fazeel Ibrahim, but Thoriq missed in the second round while India’s Denzil Franco hit the back of the net. Both Nirmal Chettri and Mukhuthar missed in the third, but Subodh Kumar scored in the fourth and Ali Ashfag failed to make up the point, giving the match to India by the narrowest of possible margins.
Disheartened, the crowd gathered in Lonuziyaaraikolhu quickly melted away leaving nearby stallholders equally dispirited.
The few Indians in the crowd cautiously celebrated. “Do you still love my country?” one Maldivian teenager asked a group of spectating foreigners, worriedly, while a convoy of red-decked motorbikes set off to lap Boduthakurufaanu Magu, honking their horns somewhat half-heartedly.
It was a saddening picture compared to the uproarious celebrations that could have been triggered by a mere gust of wind during the Maldivians’ many attempts in the closing moments to creep the ball past the line. But in the end, India’s ironclad goal defence – and more than a little luck – saw them scrape through to their third SAFF victory in four years.
(0)Dislikes(0)First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond will sign a joint statement of cooperation with President Mohamed Nasheed at Copenhagen, pledging Scottish knowledge and support for the development of green power in the Maldives.
Speaking at a press conference in Edinburgh, Salmond said Scotland would work together with the Maldives “to transfer knowledge about the capacity building needed to respond to the huge challenges posed by the climate change around us. We are delighted to help the Maldives in their endeavour to become the world’s first carbon neutral country.
“What is clear is that the industrialised nations must agree to targets that are both meaningful and binding. Anything short of that risks failing not just their own citizens, but those of the many developing nations most exposed to the destructive impact of climate change,” he added.
Glasgow-based Maldives Envoy for Science and Technology, Ahmed Moosa, said as a Scottish-trained engineer himself, he believed Scotland could play “a big part” in the development of renewable energy the Maldives, beginning with joint discussions in Copenhagen. “I think this is the start of something very special,” he added.
More than 30 per cent of Scotland’s energy will be provided by renewable energy sources by 2011, Salmond claimed, with the figure rising to half by 2020 – a key element of the country’s ambitious emission reduction target of 42 per cent by the same year.
Much of that will be produced by onshore wind farms. Scotland already has Europe’s largest onshore wind farm at Whitelee in Eaglesham Moor, which will soon be expanded to 593 megawatts allowing it power over a quarter of a million homes.
“Mr Moosa informed me that a wind farm of the same capacity could supply power to every house in the Maldives’ 1200 islands,” Salmond said, “although I think the transport lines might be a wee bit complex.”
The Maldives recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Swedish company Madsen Consulting, which will carry out a feasability study for establishing a wind farm in the Northern Province. The single 75w turbine will be installed in Lhaviyani atoll Hinnavaru early next year.
(0)Dislikes(0)Minivan News yesterday launched a Dhivehi version of its highly-regarded independent English language news website for the Maldives.
The Dhivehi edition will regularly feature stories, letters and opinion pieces selected from the English site for their interest to our Dhivehi readers. Dhivehi fonts can be downloaded here.
The Dhivehi edition is the latest in a series of expansions to the Minivan News website, which have included a well-received comments section and greater capacity for photos and images.
To alternate between the Dhivehi site and the English edition, click the link at the top left of the page.
As part of our rapid expansion we have also launched a journalist recruitment program, and are keen to hear from both Dhivehi speakers with experience in journalism and potential trainees who would like to pursue a career in reporting. Click here for further information
(0)Dislikes(0)President Mohamed Nasheed has said the Maldives will take prisoners released from Guantanamo Bay, the controversial American prison in Cuba that houses terror suspects.
In his weekly radio address on Friday, the president said the Obama administration came into power pledging to close down the prison and release a number of detainees.
“If a Muslim does not have a place to live in freedom, we will help in whatever way we can. We don’t want anyone to suffer any harm. We know that the Maldives, in helping just three people from Guantanamo Bay, does not mean that either the Maldives or the world would be free of inhumane treatment,” he said. “However this jail, Guantanamo jail, is very symbolic.”
He added the alleged torture that occurred in the offshore American jail made it notable in the same way as controversial Maldivian jails like Dhoonidhoo and Gaamaadho, believed to have tortured inmates.
“When the Americans bombed Afghanistan some time ago, a lot of Muslims were taken and jailed at Guantanamo Bay,” he said. “It is a promise of the new government to close the jail in one year. We have noted that the American president is doing a lot to fulfil that promise. However, the jail has still not been closed.”
The president said investigations have cleared most of the detainees of any involvement in terrorist activities, while the others will be taken to trial.
He said most of the detainees at Guantanamo Bay were innocent people caught up in the war in Afghanistan, and that offering assistance to other nations in whatever capacity was “a national duty.”
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