Tag: Addu City

Indian Council for Cultural Relations to co-sponsor Islamic Fair

The Islamic Ministry and the Indian High Commission in the Maldives will hold a joint Islamic Fair next month in Malé and two other atolls, Haveeru reports.

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations will be co-sponsoring the fair, to be held from September 3 to 18. Addu City has been selected as one site, but no island in the city has been chosen yet, the report states.

The fair, scheduled for Raa atoll earlier this year, was originally postponed due to bad weather.


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Official SAARC summit website launched

The official website of the upcoming 17th SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) summit was launched this week by Special Envoy of the President Ibrahim Hussein Zaki.

Speaking at the launching ceremony at the Foreign Ministry, Zaki, who was the first Maldivian secretary-general of SAARC, said that the website would be an important tool for free flow of information from organisers to delegates and participants.

As well as in-depth information about the summit, the website features information about Addu City and interactive services for delegates and the media.

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Addu council looking beyond single island resort model for mid-market push

Addu City Council has announced plans to kick-start a project aimed at attracting mid-market tourism to the region in a change of policy from the country’s established one resort per island policy.

Following in the footsteps of developments on the island of Gan in Laamu Atoll, Addu City authorities have said they will develop areas of the city as a Asseyri (Beachside) Project.

The project represents a tourism development plan by which guest accommodation, alongside recreation and entertainment facilities, will be developed in a specific area with each commercial component being rented out to different parties. The system differs from the country’s established tourism model that has generally been based on a single enterprise operating a resort property exclusively on a designated island.

The announcement of the Addu City project follows a cabinet decision made earlier this year to create an integrated tourism development policy.

“We have identified the areas we want to develop for the Asseyri project, and we have sent the proposals to the Tourism Ministry for approval,” says Abdullah Sodiq, Mayor of Addu City.

The two areas ear-marked for development under this project are the Maafishi Area of Hulhumeedhoo Island and the start of the Hankede area, Hithadhoo.

Diversification

Moving away from the existing one island, one hotel tourism product, an Asseyri project aims to open up venues to allow larger numbers of local entrepreneurs to participate in the Maldives’ lucrative tourism sector.

The project will also open up doors for budget and mid-market tourists to visit Maldives, diversifying the Maldivian tourism product, according to developers.

A pilot Asseyri project was launched by the Tourism Minister Dr Mariyam Zulfa in Gan in March. According to the proposed plans, two 300 bed hotels, 69 guest houses, as well as a number of restaurants, spas and sports/recreational facilities will be developed on the 25 hectares of land located on the western beach side of the island.

In trying to emulate the Gan project, Mayor Sodiq said “the Addu Assyeri project will also be a multi-owner project; with lodgings and other facilities like restaurants, spas and sports areas each being owned by a different enterprises.”

The proposals for the Addu project have now reportedly been drawn up and sent to the ministry for approval.

“The tourism ministry shared with us the details of their ongoing project at Gan and has been very supportive of our maiden venture into this area,” Sodiq said.

Addu City Council hopes the project will give a boost to the local economy by creating more job opportunities and helping with aims to increase the GDP of Addu Atoll within the next three years. It will also attract more visitors to the city which is already home to properties like Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa.

Finding developers

Tourism authorities in the country have also pledged to try and assist the Addu City beach-side developments.

“We are holding discussions with Addu City Council to plan their Asseyri project,” says Moosa Zameer Hassan, Deputy Director General at the Planning Department of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.

Hassan added that the Tourism Ministry was currently working to change its approach to the Gan Asseyri project after evaluating project proposals that were submitted ahead of a June deadline.

“We received two proposals, one from a local company to do the water and sanitation component of [the project], the other from a foreign company to develop the hotel component. At present we are negotiating with both parties,” Hassan said. The initial idea for the project was to try and find a party interested in the total development of the whole area and to lease out the different components of it afterwards, though tourism authorities are now reviewing this.

“The area is very big that might be the reason [for the review]. So now we are going to put out a tender for the development of hotels and guest houses, and hold discussions with the local council for them to rent out the land plots for other components of the project like restaurants, spas, recreational facilities and such,” Hassan claimed.

Aslam Moosa, a representative for Gan Island Council said he and his fellow members had been kept in the dark regarding the project.

“Yes, I have seen the area marked on the map, and heard the announcement for the proposals, but nobody has held discussions with us on the project,” he added. Moosa claimed that the council was presently only involved in the development of a 300 bed hotel by an Indian Company in Gan.

Hassan confirmed that discussions have not been held since local councils were elected. in February. “But we hope to hold discussions with them and to be able to rent out plots of land within two months,” he said.

While the tender for hotels would be open to foreign parties, bidding for running guest houses will be only for locals, Hassan stressed.

“Guest houses have always been protected investments just for locals. By law, the Tourism Ministry’s involvement is vital as guest houses and hotels can only be leased by them. The ministry does not envisage giving priority to residents of the Atolls involved,” he said. “Bidding for guest accommodation will be a process open to all Maldivians. Though local councils can decide if they will prioritise residents of their island in the bidding for involvement in other components of the project.”

Meanwhile, Addu City Council has said it is finishing up the administrative work for the Asseyri project and would soon be drawing up the final plans.

“We are very confident that our proposed plan will be approved by the ministry. It will be well regulated, we will assign land areas and have a limit on the height of the buildings.”

The tentative date to complete the tender for the Addu Asseyri project is by September. However, Sodig says actual physical work on the project will be put off until December, to enable the scheduled 17th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit to go without any hitches.

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Four arrested for suspected involvement in illegal prostitution

Police have arrested two females and a male for alleged involvement in illegal prostitution inside a beauty salon in Addu City.

A police spokesperson confirmed that the three were arrested last night and that two females were from Thailand and the man was a Maldivian.

‘’They were arrested last night around 9:30pm during a special operation conducted following a report,’’ a police spokesperson said, confirming the arrests were made on Gan.

He declined to provide further information.

Local media reported that the owner of the beauty salon has also been arrested.

Addu Councilors Hussain Hilmee and Hussain Fahmy both said they did not have any additional information regarding the incident.

However, local media SunFM – which recently investigated illegal prostitution in the Maldives – reported that the three were arrested inside a salon in Addu while they were engaged in sexual activity.

The news outlet also reported that a 17 year-old girl was working as a receptionist at the salon.

Recently, the Maldives Media Council (MMC) called on the editors of Sun Online and Sun magazine to issue a public apology following the publication of a series of stories in which journalists wrote detailed and lurid accounts of their visit to an illegal brothel.

The Sun’s investigation of illegal prostitution in the Maldives revealed that ‘massage’ and medical treatment centers were being used a front for Male’s sex industry.

The Sun journalists who patronised the salons had ‘massages’ and reported that illegal prostitution was conducted widely and freely inside such places.

Some salons offered them group sex, while most provided a list of available girls with ‘special features’ for different prices.

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HRCM, Gender Department condemn sexual violence “atrocities”

The Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) and the Department of Gender and Family Protection Services have strongly condemned the recent “atrocities” of sexual violence against minors, women and persons with special needs.

In a press release today, HRCM notes that the prevalence of sexual violence against the most vulnerable members of society, such as the elderly, under-age children and the disabled has “reached worrying levels.”

“We call on the government, state institutions, political parties, civil society organisations and all citizens to work together with renewed courage to stop such inhumane actions, save the community and establish a secure environment,” reads the HRCM statement.

Calling on the authorities to swiftly bring the perpetrators to justice in its press statement yesterday, the Gender Department warned that the surge in sexual violence cases has created an atmosphere of fear and caused psychological distress to a number of families.

Some 14 cases of child sexual abuse have been reported to the department so far this year, including the case of a Jamaaludheen School teacher arrested for allegedly molesting deaf children under his care.

Eight men were arrested last week in Haa Dhaal Dhidhoo for alleged abuse of a 13-year-old girl while among those arrested in other cases include fathers, grandfathers and relatives of the under-age victims.

Chief Inspector Ali Shujau, head of the family and child protection unit, told press today that police investigations have revealed that school children aged 14 to 18 were being lured to guest houses by adults.

Police found that minors were sexually abused at guest houses after being lured through the internet, he said.

In the first three weeks of April, said Shujau, 27 sexual violence cases were reported to police, including 16 child sexual abuse cases and 11 sexual assault cases.

Meanwhile the Health Ministry in collaboration with local NGOs ‘Hope for Women’ and the ‘Manfaa’ centre has announced a protest march in Male’ tomorrow to urge the authorities to take action, reports Sun Online.

The march is to begin at 4pm near the Social Centre and wind down at the artificial beach.

In Addu City, the Family and Child Service Centre in Seenu Hithadhoo together with local NGOs has planned a vehicle round from 4.30pm to 6pm Friday after a 74-year-old woman was brutally raped on Sunday.

According to Haveeru, the victim’s injuries were serious enough that she had to undergo surgery at the Hithadhoo Regional Hospital. A 19-year-old suspect has since been taken into police custody.

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DQP alleges MDP involvement in judicial obstruction

The Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) led by former Attorney General Dr Hassan Saeed has today issued a statement condemning the alleged attempts ”of the ruling” Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) to obstruct the judicial system and threaten judges.

The party said in a statement that the alleged action of some MDP MPs within protests that barred entry to Male’s Justice Building was a constitutional violation. The protests had been held in opposition to a ruling by the Civil Court that Addu Atoll did not fulfill criteria to be considered a city.

”By the hard work of the citizens, the judges have become independent according to the new constitution. And we call on the police and the chief justice to take immediate actions against those who attempt to obstruct the judicial system,” the DQP said in the statement. ”This is an additional circle to the series of attempts by the MDP’s government to challenge the constitution, obstruct judicial administration, mock the judges and to create civil unrest.”

The DQP said it was the lawful duty of the police and the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) to uphold the constitution ”as you have swore by god to uphold the constitution.” The party also called for police and the MNDF to take action against those trying to influence and threaten the judiciary.

The criticisms made by the DQP follow similar claims made this week by the People’s Alliance Party (PA), which is led by Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, has today condemning attempts to ”influence and threaten the judiciary”, following the protests in Male’.

A PA statement said “reasonable grounds” existed to believe that there were political links in the attempts to block entrance to the cour, based on media reports comments made by MDP MP Alhan Fahmy that Adduans ”would not let courts in Addu open.”

Some Maldivians have reacted in anger to the Civil Court’s ruling that the Local Government Authority established by the government to determine the criteria of cities was incomplete and that the Local Government Authority’s determination that Addu meets the requirements to become a city was invalid.

This resulted in similar protests to those seen in Male’ also being held in Addu Atoll, where people allegedly chain locked the main door of Hulhudhoo court.

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MDP condemns Elections Commission over Addu City Council cancellation

The ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has condemned the Elections Commission “in strongest possible terms” for canceling the Addu City council election.

The Elections Commission announced that the Addu City Council election was canceled after the Civil Court invalidated the criteria established by the Local Government Authority to determine cities.

The Local Government Authority was established when the Civil Court recently ruled that president does not have the authority to declare Addu as a city before a Local Government Authority was established, and before the Authority determines whether Addu meets the requirements to be a city.

”In the public referendum held, Addu citizens in Maradhu area have already decided that they want to hold the Addu City Council elections,” said MDP’s Maradhoo branch in a statement. ”The citizens of this area were extremely concerned when Elections Commission announced that Addu City Council elections were canceled.”

MDP Maradhu referred to article 4 of the constitution which states that all powers of the state are derived from the citizens and remain with the citizens.

”We are very concerned, disappointed and condemn this in strongest possible terms for the state institute has disregarded the decision of the citizens,” said the statement.

Many Addu citizens believe the development of Addu is linked to the establishment of Addu City.

”As a result, we call on everyone not attempt to work against Addu City council elections and remember that the people of this area are willing to sacrifice anything to come out against those who work to obstruct this,” said the MDP.

Vice President of the Elections Commission Ahmed Fayaz Hassan said that all members of the commission were working according to the constitution and laws.

”We have taken an oath that we will follow the laws and the constitution, and we are keeping our work to the constitution and laws,” he said, adding that he had no further comment on the issue.

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PA condemns influencing and threatening of judiciary

The People’s Alliance Party (PA) led by Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has today issued a statement condemning attempts to ”influence and threaten the judiciary”, following protests in Male’ and Addu Atoll over the Civil Court’s decision to stop Addu from becoming a city.

The party said there were “reasonable grounds” to believe that there were political links in the attempts to block entrance to court, based on reports in the media of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Alhan Fahmy’s comment Alhan stating that Adduans ”would not let courts in Addu open.”

The PA, which is in coalition with the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), accused the MDP of “trying to influence the judiciary and judges.”

The party added that it had sent a letter to the police and Prosecutor General’s Office ”requesting they investigate the attempts to influence the judiciary the attempts to threaten judges.”

”In the recent days, senior officials of the ruling party along with their supporters have committed similar crimes, but it a concern that it never comes to the attention of the concerned authorities,” said the party. ”We believe that it is definitely an attempt to influence the judiciary and threaten the judges.”

Protesters temporarily barred entry to the Justice Building of the Maldives last night, in response to the Civil Court’s ruling that the Addu city criteria were invalid, forcing the Elections Commission (EC) to cancel the local council election in Addu this Saturday.

Today the Department of Judicial Administration said that the court of Hulhudhoo in Addu Atoll was also locked this morning, and had to be opened with the assistance of police.

Local radio station SunFM reported Alhan Fahmy, a Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP in Addu Atoll, as saying that he ”would not let courts in Addu to be opened.”

Fahmy was present at protests in Addu, SunFM reported, as Adduans expressed fury over the Civil Court ruling.

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Protesters bar entry to courts after Civil Court’s Addu ruling

Protesters temporarily barred entry to the Justice Building of the Maldives last night, in response to the Civil Court’s ruling that the Addu city criteria were invalid, forcing the Elections Commission (EC) to cancel the local council election in Addu this Saturday.

Today the Department of Judicial Administration said that the court of Hulhudhoo in Addu Atoll was also locked this morning, and had to be opened with the assistance of police.

Local radio station SunFM reported Alhan Fahmy, a Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP in Addu Atoll, as saying that he ”would not let courts in Addu to be opened.”

Fahmy was present at protests in Addu, SunFM reported, as Adduans expressed fury over the Civil Court ruling.

The Judicial Administration Department meanwhile said that it had requested additional security from police following media reports of further protests.

The department said it had informed police to provide security to magistrates, judges and courts and to investigate the attempts to obstruct the work of the courts.

Civil Court Judges Aisha Shujoon Mohamed, Hathif Hilmy and Ali Naseer examined the case, which was filed by Hassan Nasir of Annaaru Villa/Addu Atoll Hulhudhoo.

The Court ruled that the criteria established by the Local Government Authority – consisting solely of Home Minister Hassan Afeef – were invalid.

Establishing the criteria required majority of the board, the Court said, as “if a law requires a certain decision to be taken by a particular council or a committee, the decision should be taken by the majority of the council or the committee unless interpreted otherwise.”

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