A man was found dead at the lagoon of Addu atoll Maradhoo yesterday, according to police.
Moosa Jinah, 26, Gadhakoalhige, was found around 2.15. Police have learned that he went fishing the night before and are questioning his companions.
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(0)President Mohamed Nasheed launched the Hinnavaru land reclamation project on Friday.
At a ceremony on the island, the president said it was necessary to reclaim land for future generations. He added the government’s policy was to sell the reclaimed land to cover the costs.
He further stressed the importance of having a proper land use plan.
(0)Dislikes(0)Ever thought you could see 80 islands in three days? And purely by hiking?
This unusual venture – a first in the Maldives – was completed by more than 100 people in the WalkMaldives event over the Eid holidays in late November.
GaafuDhaalu (Gdh) Atoll, one of the world’s biggest natural atolls, makes this possible as many of its islands are all situated in the same lagoon.
“We came up with the idea when we were discussing what sort of things people can do in the Maldives, apart from fishing, picnics and activities like that,” says Ali Shareef, from the architectural firm Tekton Design.
Tekton organised the event in conjunction with Green Tech, a local company selling environment friendly products like solar panels. The two companies often work together on sites across the Maldives. While working on working on a resort island in Thaa atoll, Mohamed Latheef of Green Tech suggested “We could hike and visit islands in my home atoll, Gdh.”
The idea took off, and the pair decided to give the public a chance to participate in the event.
Trail of Discovery
The response was overwhelming. But the group was limited to 150 people, chosen on a first come basis, “because we wanted to have a manageable group,” says Shareef.
The organisers invited islanders from the atoll and the initial group that started the hike numbered 180. Hikers were divided into 12 groups, with each group given the chance to choose their own leader and each including islanders from the area.
The cost was only Mrf 600 per person, reasonable for such an adventure, while those who flew from Male paid for their seaplane ticket to Kaadedhoo and boat to the starting island of Madaveli.
NGOs did the ground work, arranging meals at Madaveli, Hodedhoo, Nadella, Rathafandhoo and Fiyoree where the participants finally arrived at noon on the last day.
“It was amazing to see such natural beauty. It’s a sight that even most Maldivians don’t get to see,” says Zoona Naseem, a diver. Her group consisted mostly of fellow divers and water sports instructors, who were so enthusiastic they stayed on after the walk and have now visited 103 islands. While the sights were spectacular, “unfortunately we noticed a lot of erosion also,” she says.
Azim Musthag joined the walk partly to see the Gdh area, and partly for the challenge of completing the 35 kilometre hike. “It’s a very unique atoll, with all these islands in one lagoon. Sometimes it’s only five minutes’ walk between two islands.”
He says the most difficult thing was trying to avoid stepping on live coral.
“The corals are so colourful and alive, so the locals must have routes that they take. But since we were new in the area sometimes we had to swim to avoid stepping on any coral,” he says.
“Gdh is the most beautiful part of Maldives I have yet seen,” describes Aiminath Shauna. After spending the night at Keramitha and Kanandhoo, two uninhabited islands, she says “the sunrise and sunsets there put to shame the ones we see in Male.”
The ancient coral mosques and the warm welcome extended by the islanders made the trip especially memorable for Shauna. “And we had 100% visibility – it’s so amazing to see the beautiful islands and coral, and it was never tiring because of the rush of adrenalin hiking through such beauty.”
Exploring with awareness
Many of participants say they hope walks like this will motivate more Maldivians to take an interest in preserving nature.
“The organisers were very good, they asked people not to step on live coral or throw things in the sea,” says Zoona.
However Musthag says a lack of knowledge meant some Maldivians were not able to differentiate between live and dead coral, “so we held a briefing on the second day with the organisers on how to identify live ones.”
Shauna says most of the group had never seen such natural beauty, even growing up so close to it.
“It’s important that research is done, and it would be good if the hiking trail informed people where they should snorkel and even canoe.”
An identifiable walking trail was suggested by many participants as the best way to have a minimal impact on the environment.
“This small ecosystem of our country protects us, is a breeding ground for fish and attracts tourists, so we should take care of it,” Shauna says.
Future walks
With the resounding success of the first walk, Shareef looks forward to continuing it.
“We will do it in smaller groups so it will be easier to manage,” he says.
Protecting the environment was also one of his concerns, so the forms signed by participants had a clause to that effect.
The organisers also plan to train guides in partnership with island NGOs: “We really appreciate the help and support they gave us, and we want this to benefit the atoll as well.”
Shareef says visiting the atoll felt like stepping back in time 10 years, as it had not been developed to the extent it could have been.
It’s a wish shared by Abbas Ali, the island councillor of Nadella: “WalkMaldives is a very good initiative; we are ready to support in any way we can,” he says.
He believes the events will generate publicity for the atoll as well as enable further development, and eventually “we’d like to see tourists come here as well.”
Eighty islands, 35 kilometers and one lagoon in three days is WalkMaldives in a nutshell: perfect for those looking for adventure or simply to immerse themselves in the natural beauty of the Maldives.
To contact the WalkMaldives team, visit the website www.walkmaldives.com.mv
(0)Dislikes(0)An Islamic association in the Maldives has accused three European expatriates of allegedly spreading Christianity in the Maldives, reports Miadhu. Missionary activities are illegal under Maldivian law.
Miadhu reported that the group, Jammiyyathu Salaf, had posted pictures of three Europeans on its website and an image of a book shelf it said contained books on Christianity.
The group’s website was closed for updates when Minivan News tried to visit, however the group’s Facebook page said it was formed “to raise religious awareness and promote the values of Islam” in the Maldives, and was “well-known in the country for its religious lectures”.
(0)Dislikes(0)The International Monetary Authority (IMF) will decide today whether to grant US$80 million to the Maldives.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Ahmed Shaheed told Miadhu the decision could represent a US$20 million increase on the original US$60 million expected.
Such a grant would represent a show of confidence from the international community that the governance of the Maldives is going in the right direction, Shaheed said, and possibly pave the way for further assistance.
(0)Dislikes(0)The government’s decision to issue treasury bonds in US dollars will ease the dollar shortage, Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed told radio station Voice of Maldives.
The move would increase the exhange of US dollars between governments, individuals and private banks, he said. Previously the government has borrowed money from the Maldives Monetary Authority, a short-term measure that depreciates the exchange rate.
The new measures would allow the government to control inflation, he said, by linking the supply of money to the sale of government bonds. The ultimate aim was to boost the economy by increasing people’s disposable income.
“Real development comes when people’s disposable income increases, when consumption increases. Consumption can be increased when inflation is controlled, and to control inflation we need to reduce government expenditure,” Nasheed said.
(0)Dislikes(0)The Elections Commission (EC) has sent a letter to the finance ministry in protest against pay cuts for their employees, arguing their salaries are already lower than staff in other independent institutions.
EC Vice President Ahmed Fayaz Hassan told Minivan News that there was “widespread dissatisfaction” among staff at the commission.
“While a labourer in the Elections Commission would get Rf4,000 to 5,000 (US$300 to US$400) a month, someone in the same job at the Human Rights Commission would get Rf10,000 (US$800),” said Fayaz. “There’s a huge difference in salaries.”
He added that the interim EC had requested the finance ministry raise the salaries of their staff earlier this year.
In August, the government announced it planned to undertake a series of austerity measures to offset the yawning budget deficit, including pay cuts for civil servants of up to 20 per cent.
Fayaz said that while the pay cuts were reasonable in principle, the EC’s 52 employees were “unhappy” because “they know staff in other commissions get better pay than them.”
He said employees expressed this grievance at a meeting on the new commission’s first day in office but added he did not think any would leave their jobs given the country’s economic climate.
Speaking to MInivan News today, Ismail Shafeeq, permanent secretary at the finance ministry, said it was up to independent institutions to decide upon the salaries of their employees.
“We have nothing to do with that. We have no control over them,” he said, adding he did not think the EC would increase salaries considering the economic difficulties being faced by the country.
But, said Shafeeq, the finance ministry had informed all independent institutions of pay cuts between 10 and 20 per cent effective this
month for all civil servants, which would be up for review at the end of the month.
In October, Ahmed Assad, state minister of finance, said independent institutions were “making excuses” to avoid lowering salaries and
allowances of employees.
His remarks came after independent institutions argued they were not legally obliged to cut their employees’ salaries.
(0)Dislikes(0)The civil service commission (CSC) has sent a letter to parliament requesting civil servants’ wages be restored to their former levels as the proposed mid-term 2010 budget anticipates a revenue of more than Rf7 billion (US$544 million).
CSC Spokesperson Mohamed Fahmy Hassan said a similar letter was also sent to President Mohamed Nasheed, reminding him of his remarks in October.
In his weekly radio address, Nasheed said civil servants’ pay cuts were a temporary measure and would be restored once the economy recovered and the government had increased its revenue beyond Rf7billion (US$544 million).
“The president’s message was very clear. In this case where so many are involved and it’s a promise that he made…I am very sure that in January they will be given their full salaries,” said Fahmy.
Ismail Shafeeq, permanent secretary of the finance ministry, said that according to the law, the finance ministry has to review the pay cuts every three months with the next evaluation coming at the end of the month.
Projected Revenue
Addressing MPs last week, Finance Minister Ali Hashim said the projected revenue for 2010 was Rf7.3 million (US$568 million).
Measures to increase government revenue, including the introduction of new taxes such as corporate tax and a goods and services tax to be imposed on tourist resorts, are still awaiting the passage of legislation in parliament.
Speaking to Minivan News today, Mohamed Zuhair, president’s office press secretary, said civil servants’ salaries would only be restored
when the government’s revenue “physically” reached Rf7 billion (US$544 million).
“If we reach it by September then September we will do it,” said Zuhair.
Acknowledging that the government may not reach its expected revenue, Fahmy said civil servants’ salaries should only be reduced if the government fails to attain its target.
In August, the government unveiled a raft of austerity package to help ease the budget deficit. Measures included pay cuts of up to 20 per cent for civil servants, a reduction in overtime as well as cutback on foreign travel.
The pay cuts have sparked outcry and several protests among civil servants and opposition groups who have accused the government of economic mismanagement.
“We will hold another demonstration on 10 December outside the finance ministry to back up the commission,” said Abdullah Mohamed, spokesperson for the civil servants’ association.
“We believe this damage was done to civil servants as a punishment and if there really were special economic circumstances, members of parliament and independent institutions too should have taken a pay cut,” he added.
Last month, an informal meeting of MPs on pay cuts ended in a heated argument after opposing parties accused each other’s government of mishandling the finances. All MPs Minivan News spoke to said they would be willing to take a salary reduction.
Pay cuts for independent institutions came into effect this month.
Overtime
In their letter, the commission also noted that civil servants asked to work overtime should be paid accordingly.
“If and where and when they are asked to do overtime, they are entitled to be paid overtime under the employment law,” said Fahmy.
He added that the CSC had received “lots of complaints” from civil servants who had been asked to work overtime but had not been paid.
“The work should be organised in such a way so that nobody should do overtime. In very specific cases where it’s needed to complete a
crucial task then that person has to be paid,” he said.
Zuhair said the government’s policy was that overtime should not exceed 15 per cent of the total hours worked and that all staff
working overtime should be paid.
If this was not the case, he continued, civil servants “should just refuse to work overtime.”
(0)Dislikes(0)Funds were disproportionately allocated for public sector investment programme (PSIP) in next year’s budget for constituencies represented by MPs of the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party-People’s Alliance (DRP-PA), Mulaku MP Abdullah Yamin said at parliament yesterday.
Speaking at the budget debate, Yamin said approximately Rf25 million (US$1.9 million) was allocated for areas that voted for the opposition, while Rf121 million (US$9.4 million) was allocated for constituencies represented by the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).
“I don’t think this a coincidence. I don’t believe at all that this could be a coincidence,” he said, adding the Rf530 million (US$41 million) for the PSIP was a fraction of the Rf11.9 billion (US$926 million) budget.
Yamin strongly criticised the government’s reliance on public-private partnerships (PPP) to deliver on development projects, claiming they were unlikely to materialise.
Other opposition MPs objected to the lack of funds allocated for development of the atolls.
Kelaa MP Abdullah Mausoom of the DRP said funds were not allocated for small businesses or development of fisheries and the construction industry.
MPs of the ruling MDP defended the budget, arguing development projects would be undertaken under PPPs.
Presenting the budget last month, Finance Minister Ali Hashim said the budget had the confidence of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). If the mid-term budget was implemented, he added, the deficit would decline to 14.8 per cent in 2010, 2.4 per cent in 2011 and reach a surplus in 2012.
The structure of the budget was agreed upon after consultations with the IMF, he said, and included recommendations by the IMF, Asian Development Bank and World Bank to solve structural problems in the economy.
Kendhoo MP Ahmed Thasmeen Ali, parliamentary group leader of the DRP, said yesterday the budget did not reflect the government’s stated policies.
Although the government had constantly urged reduction in government expenditure, he said, the expenditure for 2009 as well as the projections for 2010 exceeded the previous year.
Reductions were made to public sector investment by almost Rf900 million (US$70 million) from the previous year, he noted, while subsidies for electricity and food were lower by Rf300 million (US$23 million).
While the government’s policy was to reduce the number of government employees and civil servants had a pay cut in October, he continued, the expenditure on salaries and allowances for government in next year’s budget was Rf300 million (US$23 million) more than this year.
He urged the budget committee to identify the areas the funds had been increased for.
Thasmeen noted that funds allocated for salaries and allowances for employees of independent institutions were also lower than previous years.
Further, the budget for parliament was 16 per cent smaller than this year.
“We have to consider what kind of difficulties we will face in our task of holding the government accountable and responsible,” he said.
Thasmeen criticised the government for unilaterally reducing salaries for staff at independent institutions in next year’s budget.
The budget for the Human Rights Commission Maldives was decreased by 14 per cent and the Anti-Corruption Commission by 12 per cent, he said.
In the judiciary, the budget for the Supreme Court was lower by 33 per cent, the High Court by 42 per cent and island courts by 20 per cent.
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