Minivan News understands from a source familiar with the matter that the government paid an initial GBP£1.5 million (US$2.4 million) on 24 April 2013, with the remaining amounts to be paid in monthly installments of GBP£300,000 (US$476,000) each.
“Most of the million tourists who visit the Maldives every year leave without seeing even a hint of the political violence that has shaken the country over the past few years,” writes Eric Randolph for Foreign Affairs.
Police have arrested the chair of Maafushi island council in connection with the alleged theft of MVR 520,000 (US$33,722) from the council’s budget, which was found missing from a safe in the island council secretariat.
The two new leaks follow the JSC’s decision last week to disregard the subcommittee’s recommendation and not suspend the judge, citing “lack of evidence”.
Under the memorandum of understanding signed yesterday between the US and Maldives governments, USAID will provide US$7.2 million for a global climate change adaptation project, and US$2.5 million as technical assistance for election preparations.
Mahandhoo and Kabalifaru had appealed a High Court verdict upholding a Civil Court ruling – issued almost three years ago – ordering the companies to settle the debt. Lawyers from the companies and BML told presiding Supreme Court Justice Ali Hameed that a settlement had been reached out of court.
Customs officials last night seized 11.6 kilograms of illegal narcotics which they claim has an estimated street value of more than MVR 10 million (US$650,000).
The survey, the first of its kind to be conducted in the Maldives, also found an “overwhelming” 92 percent of Maldivians believe that laws and systems to protect women from sexual assault should be reformed.
Following a week of fundraising events the Health Ministry has raised over 5.5 million MVR (US$357,142) for the Health Trust Fund established in late April, falling short of the MVR 270 million (US$ 17,532,450) needed for health sector services.