The Ministry of Economic Development will not renew individual liquor permits, according to State Minister Adhil Saleem, and new regulations governing the sale of alcohol will still apply minus the controversial clause permitting the sale of alcohol on inhabited islands.
The Ministry will continue to honour existing licenses until they expired, Adhil said.
“They were issued in increments of six months to a year,” he explained. “After that there will be no access to liquor on any inhabited island in the Maldives, be it by expats, resort staff, or whoever.”
The exception, he confirmed, were UN staff and diplomats who were governed by international conventions, making “the Maldives and Saudi Arabia the only countries effectively banning the availability of liquor for non-Muslims.”
State Minister for Islamic Affairs Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed said there was scope for alcohol to be sold to non-Muslims in an Islamic state, and said comparisons with Saudi Arabia were false because alcohol was readily available to non-Muslims at resorts and the Hulhule Island Hotel (HIH) on the airport island.
“The tourism industry has sold alcohol [to non-Muslims] for a long time,” he explained. “But it is a concern to open bars in [wider Maldivian] society. Maldivians do not want to have bars near schools and mosques, not because they are angry towards non-Muslim expatriates. Teachers and doctors are respected members of society.”
Shaheem observed that even in countries like Malaysia and Qatar where alcohol was sold, bars were not permitted near schools and mosques.
“The Ministry for Economic Development did not discuss this with us, and we are supposed to be a unity government.”
Adhil agreed that as the Holiday Inn was located near a school, parliament and the Centre for the Holy Qur’an, “I don’t think it will have a license to sell liquor any time soon.”
Prohibition black markets
While the government had effectively banned alcohol from inhabited islands with the removal of both the individual licenses and the new regulations, Adhil noted that “the demand [for alcohol] has not gone. There is big demand from the country’s 100,000 non-Muslim expatriates.”
The resorts and HIH near Male’ were not an option for many expatriates on salaries of less than US$1000 a month, he explained.
“The resorts will be fine for accountants and managers who can afford the boat ride and the sale price at resort bars,” Adhil said. “And those who used to drink alcohol with dinner now have a 20 minute boat ride to HIH. It is like Australia sending Maldivian or Indian expatriates to Tasmania when they want to chew betel nut.”
Adhil claimed the issue would trigger a problem of law enforcement “when [alcohol] is somehow smuggled through. We have not done anything to dampen the demand and we cannot hope to plug the supply – that has never been achieved anywhere in the world.”
He suggested that beyond organising protests, “the scholars have not addressed the issue of demand. They need to go to the street corners and make the non-Muslim expatriates listen.”
He said he doubted many expatriates were even aware of the new arrangements.
Development paths
Shaheem emphasised that neither the Adhaalath party nor the Islamic Ministry were “against tourism, the economy or development.”
“My concern was also that radical groups might have used [the new regulations] as an excuse for an attack, and this would have caused the economy to go down along with the number of foreigners visiting [the Maldives].”
Shaheem noted that he had recently returned from a trip to the UK where he attended discussions on counter-terrorism with a range of relevant authorities, including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Cabinet Office, Home Office and heads of counter-terrorism in the Justice Ministry.
“There was a lot of discussion around how to fight ideologies and radical ideas,” he explained.
Adhil said he felt the Ministry’s regulations had been “deliberately misrepresented on account of political interests”, in a push to introduce non-alcohol tourism and “wipe alcohol from the country altogether.”
What would likely happen, he predicted, was that island communities would make their own development decisions “without blanket regulations.” Herathera resort, he noted by way of example, is only separated from an inhabited island “by a recently dug canal.”
“What this does mean is that the government’s plans for development, as set out by the MDP, including schools, transport networks, and healthcare, won’t be achievable in 5-10 years. The Maldives public has to realise this, because otherwise we’ll be depending on Saudi Arabia to achieve progress before 2060.”
Shaheem however suggested there was extensive potential for the Maldives to develop “cultural tourism” on inhabited islands.
“A lot of hotels, such as the Intercontinental in Medina, are without alcohol,” he explained. “What about developing alcohol-free resorts; Islamic tourism, just like Islamic banking?”
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@ ITALIAN EXPAT... i am truly sad to hear the bitterness/anger/ or maybe just discontent u feel regarding my people. I do not think anyone is saying that the expat community is to blame for the substance abuse problem in Maldives. And i also do not think that Maldivians are jealous, as u say of expat workers drinking or wish them a horrible time in our nation. Nor do i think that Maldivians r just being vindictive towards expat workers with the ban on alcohol. It is more to do with us, than u guys.
As a nation we have a huge SUBSTANCE ABUSE problem. Whether it be brown sugar (heroine), alcohol, pills, alcohol, or glue sniffing etc...the problem is a national problem. Before accusing Maldivians of xenophobia and being vindictive to expat workers it is important to see the bigger picture of a nation trying to balance it self.
i agree the reaction by Salaf & Adhaalath seemed a bit over the top....and unrealistic, as alcohol has been sold in Raajje for a long time...but i think the non politicized concerns of ordinary people was that we know like before there will be no monitoring...and the substance abuse nature of our disinterested youth will sky rocket...
If the govt had taken some time, talked to people, organized a specially trained force to watch on such things...literally, in the islands itself (many places have tourism police)...or some sort of preliminary work was done to take the people's fear away...it cud have been a lot better...and generated a more balanced outcome. And yes people are afraid...it is not they r afraid of Christians and Hindhus...the fear Maldivians feel has to be understood differently... u have to know our past, where we r coming from and the fact that yes we r a Muslim country, and more and more a people who identifies first thru their religion than their nation. I mean, to most Maldivians today they will say they r a Muslim before a Maldivian...
The issue is more complicated that what most perceive. And made even more complicated with the govt & others being more confrontational than anything else
I am sincerely sorry for the many expat workers who feel betrayed or even attacked. But pls do understand the adjustments we r going through.
And not surprisingly extreme ideology is louder...
peace
I wonder why we, as citizens of the country, must become lab rats for Mr. Shaheem's efforts to experiment with his ideas on tourism.
He's the state minister for 'Islamic Affairs', not economy, not education, not finance.
As such, he probably ought to keep his ideas to himself, and build another few million-rufiyaa mosques on remote islands.
Welcome to Democracy.
Do you all know that there is nothing called islamic democracy.
This is the reason why Gayoom told us that we are not mature to have fullfeldged democracy in the country.
NOW ENJOY. TOMORROW YOU WILL LOSE THE FREEDOM TO USE INTERNET CAUSE THERE IS NOTHING ABOUT INTERNET IN HOLYBOOK.
BYE
Well well it seems that Shaheem is redefining Islam to suit his party's and his own political agendas. And if MDP is listening, consider this a warning that the majority of your supporters are not going to be voting for you in the next election since the Government does not seem to have enough backbone to do what is needed and what is right for the development and survival of this country. MDP nowadays seems to be more obsessed with being considered a party sensitive to religious issues!!!...or rather, Islam as defined by Adaalath! I totally agree with the Italian in what he said that if we want to restrict alcohol and freedom of religion to foreigners than we should also expect the same when we travel overseas....we shouldn't be allowed to bring take Qurans or prayer mat or any islamic literature to other countries! What exactly are we so scared of? There are many converts to Islam from Western countries who are actually better muslims that we, who are born as muslims are! This is because their faith in Islam was born out of education about the religion, and tolerance of other religions which they know about. By creating a Taliban in Maldives and by controlling people's lives, we are not actually promoting or protecting Islam, we are destroying it. We are telling people that we are scared of knowing more about other religions, in case we may convert! So where's our faith then? Why are we making such a huge deal of alcohol? Why not protest against drugs which is actually a much bigger problem? Its also as far as I know haram in Islam... and why not protest against crime that's destroying people's lives every day? This is just so typical of some muslims who just want to show off to the world that they are better muslims!!!! They can protest against all these "unislamic" factors publicly but who besides Allah knows what they are doing in private? Are they praying, reciting Quran? Are they treating their wife and children well? Are they pure of heart? Know one knows, so how can any one person define what is good or bad about another person just because that person is not a muslim or just because that person is known to be doing something that is forbidden in Islam? Why can't we have confidence in our faith and who are as muslims and let others be!
how about we develop ziyaaraiy's in islands as places of pilgrimage. maybe we'll get a couple of sufi muslims here. without the holy cities how would saudi arabia's tourism be?
islamic tourism? hah. and whats this shaheem guy doing, acting like a moderate. we all know you are a wahhabi, though not as extreme as the dot group. tucking your shirt in, and trimming your beard doesnt really make you a moderate. anywayz, is that what you learned there? how to control terrorism is to give in to their demands? live in fear? trying to juggle your extremism, political dreams and hypocrisy, you are now officially going nuts.
or is this your plan to establish a wahhabi kingdom here? dots will threaten us with terror, salaf and foundation will spread propaganda and demand stuff, you will accept these and pressure your own government to give in? what a plan. bravo.
Haha.. All I said was that I respect Shaheem's political prowess. That is not tantamount to support. I was explaining the brilliance of his action, and why he may very well succeed.
I'll stand against it. But the man has a huge head start on all moderates.
ISLAMIC TOURISM MIGHT MEAN A TOURISM IN WHICH TOURISTS CAN COME IN PEACE TO OUR BEUATIFUL RESORTS,SNORKEL,DIVE,
FEEL THE FRESH AIR, ENJOY WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND REFLECT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT GOD'S CREATION - AND THEN, LEAVE IN PEACE!
IT'S NOT THAT HARD TO IMAGINE OR UNDERSTAND A TOURISM WHICH IS FREE FROM ALCOHOL AND PORK - HARAAM IN ISLAM!
ALL TOURISTS WHO COME TO MALDIVES BECAUSE OF ALCOHOL OR PORK OR WHO WOULD CANCEL THEIR TRIPS BECAUSE OF THIS - PLEASE RAISE THEIR HANDS! HMMM! I SEE NO ONE!
I don’t know why selling alcohol for non-Muslims is such a hot issue in Maldives now. I worked as a Bar supervisor from 1982 until the end of 1997. In those long years of my work as bar supervisor I hardly know any Maldivian who does not drink alcohol if he gets the opportunity. This includes Maldivians in all walks of life. Academics, politicians, religious preachers, police officers, doctors, teachers, activists etc. In late 70s there were liquor stores in Male’ for selling full bottles in all kind of alcohol. I can still remember some of my very best customers who usually visit my bar at least one time in a week and had couple of beer, long drink or even a glass of expansive cognac to please his cigar.
Now my question is this; are they all such sinners in our community? Of course not in their Maldives we lived in a much harmonious and friendly life then it is today.
My quote:
Maldivian (men) age from 18 – 30, 82% have consumed alcohol one time in their life
Maldivian (men) age from 30 – 50, 92% have consumed alcohol one time in their life
Maldivian (men) age from 50 – 80 35% have consumed alcohol one time in their life
Now is it a really so sin to give alcohol permit for hotels that accommodate 200 beds? What’s the hell happening to us?
AA,
Minivan news protect and serve its masters. (end of story)
I agree on Italian in Male on Thu, 4th Mar 2010 6:39 AM.
yeah! you and the Italians can go and drink there. dont come here! and you moronic Abdulla Rasheed, jus cos u had a drink means u can giv such a false stat out of ur pea brain?