The proposal to develop Thanburudhoo near Male’ as a boutique surf resort will halve the number of breaks open to local surfers and particularly impact safari operators due to the limited access, a group of local surfers have claimed.
The audit report released last week stated that the two political appointees were paid salaries and benefits, amounting to over MVR800,000 (US$51,880) from January to December 2010, while one was working at the Presidential Commission and the other at the Maldives Customs Service.
Algeen allegedly sent three separate invoices to the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) between May 2006 and April 2007. All three invoices demanded payment to his personal Bank of Maldives account.
“We are going to protest this if we have to. Surfing is part of our culture and has been for many years. Even my grandfather used to surf,” Maldives Surfing Association member Ahmed Rifaee told Minivan News.
Several instances of illegal and wasteful expenditure were flagged in the audit report of the Ministry of Home Affairs for 2010 made public yesterday, including MVR800,000 (US$51,880) paid to two political appointees who did not attend the ministry.
The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has expressed its concerns over the foreign investment climate in the country, using the example of a number of public private partnerships which it claims have been hindered by the current government for personal political gain.
The austerity measures include raising Tourism Goods and Services Tax (TGST) to 15 percent, terminating electricity subsidies in Male’, increasing import duties on alcohol and imposing a 3 percent duty on oil, “reforming” the Aasandha health insurance scheme, and reducing the budget of every Ministry and independent institution by 15 percent – among other measures.
Former Finance Minister Ahmed Inaz has questioned the timing of the Maldives Monetary Authority’s (MMA’s) decision to offer Treasury Bills (T-bills) to the wider private sector claiming it would compound the country’s budget deficit rather than directly address state debt.
Private broadcaster Raajje TV had its service terminated across the Maldives after intruders broke into the station and cut critical cables in the control room early this morning.