Despite the legal complications surrounding the deal, the Nexbis border control project has completed its first phase, with Rf10 million’s (US$650,000) worth of installation work having been finished, according to Sun Online.
The project involves the installation of an electronic border gate system in Male’s Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA), bringing technological upgrades such as facial recognition, fingerprint identification and e-gates to the Maldives.
Assistant Controllerof the Department of Immigration and Emigration Ibrahim Ashraf confirmed to Minivan News that “the first phase is, to a certain extent, finished.”
The Rf500 million (US$39 million) deal had been brought to standstill by the High Court earlier this month in the latest in a series of delays which have led the Malaysian firm to threaten legal action against the Maldivian government should it incur losses for the work already done on the project.
Sun reported a source as saying that there were three phases in the contract with Nexbis. The second phase involves the installation of further systems for an online visa service while the third phase would include improving passport mechanism services.
The deal ran into trouble soon after it was awarded in 2010, with the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) demanding the project be terminated and re-tendered, citing allegations of corruption in the bidding process.
Legal suit was filed in November 2011 after the government decided to begin work on the project against the ACC’s advice. The subsequent decision by the Civil Court was that the ACC did not have the authority to order the Department of Immigration and Emigration to stop the project.
Subsequent appeals to the High Court earlier this month resulted in an injunction against any further work until the case had been resolved. At the time, the ACC had expressed concern that the project could be completed before the conclusion of the High Court case.
Ashraf said that staff training for the new system was planned for May 10 but had been cancelled due to the injunction.
Hassan Luthfee, President of the ACC, said that the commission had not investigated into the work’s current progress but believed the work on the first phase had been completed prior to the High Court injunction, as did Ashraf. Luthfee said the ACC had appealed to the court to “delineate” the role of the ACC and expected a verdict by the end of this month.
According to the Anti-Corruption Act (Act No. 13/2008) under which the ACC was established, following any inquiry and investigation the commission is empowered to forward the case to the Prosecutor General for prosecution. It is also granted the power to order the institution in question to correct any failures in management that may have led to corrupt practices.
Part of the roles and responsibilities of the ACC, as defined in the constitution, is “to perform any additional duties or functions specifically provided by law for the prevention of corruption.” The ACC’s objections to the Nexbis deal were based on its belief that the bidding process was flawed.
A source at the immigration department at the time of the ACC’s initial complaint in 2010 claimed that it was the finance ministry which evaluated all the bids. The same source also argued that the desire within the ACC to stop the project could have been politically motivated.
The ACC filed a suit against the Home Ministry in January, citing “unlawful practices” in the tender process while evaluating bids to set up partitions in the ministry’s office.
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The project will continue. Dr Waheed's brother in law Ilyas Hussein made the deal and the first family are the beneficiary.
I think wrong information, where does these figures comes from, These are the people who are trying to cancel for their benefits writing, and this is legal issues now.
According to the Anti-Corruption Act (Act No. 13/2008) under which the ACC was established, following any inquiry and investigation the commission is empowered to forward the case to the Prosecutor General for prosecution. It is also granted the power to order the institution in question to correct any failures in management that may have led to corrupt practices.
This is what ACC ACT means
Adam That’s true, since AG also never communicate with Immigration and they had met with ACC and plan to get help from overseas Law firm,
ACC using in Court Immigration Fake document given by unknown people in the name of immigration since ACC also have corruption for helping these Tugs. It is proof one, Otherwise what they spread rumors same thing will not write in report, since Nexbis technical was sold to Lanka company and ACC knows about this want to Blame to Ilyas but when they knows truth they just keep quite..
I don’t think comment will post in Minivan,
Let figures be not right!
But is this not a sell out? Or a robbing of a nations?
When Nasheed's government detain an allegedly wicked and corrupt judge, all hell break loose! And all he had done - all unconstitutional!
Here we are being robbed in broad day-light! And the anti-corruption howling mad ordering the to stop!
But, it is going on without anything happening!
Yep..ripping off the government, the people and the children's future. In broad daylight.
Thank you...
Daylight robbery, Better keep our country 10 years Back, since all the figures and everything even ACC is saying is wrong, since Political case this happen, Even the truth was only knows Immigration and Tender Board and Independent IT Guys who evaluative this project.
Every Body knows ACC have own interest and they don’t want to fight to a Independent Commission, since The project paper was sold to Lanka Company , and ACC knew about that but since they were interest to destroy immigration and Ilyas,
ACC have a bi corruption, since people who complain about someone got apartment and cars and airplane, but these rumors if cannot find that means they must investigate who are behind these rumors.
Day light robbery means Day Light Corruption and influence is using by people behind who wants to cancel this project..
ACC is corrupt, we got lot of proof with documents, and how they work with them.
Adam works for Nexbis