Tag: Adeeb

Gasim’s Villa group bankruptcy imminent

Jumhooree Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim’s Villa Group is facing bankruptcy with the courts refusing to issue stay orders on a US$90 million payment to the state ahead of an April 18 deadline.

The civil court yesterday denied Villa’s requests for stay orders, stating the company does not face “irrevocable losses” if a notice by the tax authority to collect US$90 million in allegedly unpaid rent and fines is enforced.

The rulings pave the way for the state to freeze Villa’s bank accounts after April 18.

Gasim has said unfairly freezing Villa’s accounts would “impoverish thousands of citizens” and that the public does not want one of the largest companies in the country to “head towards bankruptcy.”

However, the court said the state could reimburse and compensate the company if the ongoing cases are decided in Villa’s favour.

The JP launched daily anti-government demonstrations in alliance with the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) in early February.

However, since the notice was issued, Gasim has not been seen in opposition protests or made any comments on a deepening political crisis.

Gasim made an appearance on Villa TV on Saturday for the first time in weeks and appealed for discussions with the government to resolve the dispute, insisting that Villa does not owe the “imaginary” amount.

He noted the JP had not condemned the sentencing of former president Mohamed Nasheed to 13-years in jail on terrorism charges last month

“When the judiciary made a judgement I don’t want to comment on it,” he said.

The JP is remaining “silent” and presently does not have a “stand” of supporting any party, Gasim said.

The party is not officially a part of the ‘Maldivians against brutality’ campaign launched by the MDP and religious conservative Adhaalath Party, he added.

Two European banks have cancelled loans worth US$80 million due to media reports of the notice, Gasim said.

Gasim’s interview followed strong criticism from tourism minister Ahmed Adeeb at a ruling coalition rally last week. He accused the tycoon of hoarding islands and lagoons and refusing to pay money owed to the state.

Adeeb also said the JP leader was “in hiding” after unsuccessfully seeking the presidency through his opposition alliance.

In response, Gasim said he is following his best judgment and suggested Adeeb’s anger might stem from insecurity or “lack of self-confidence”.

However, Gasim said he does not bear “animosity towards anyone” and repeatedly said he is ready to meet president Abdulla Yameen or Adeeb at any time.

Senior members of the JP are active in street protests in their individual capacity, Gasim said.

Bankruptcy

The government denies the opposition’s accusations of unfairly targeting Gasim’s business following the JP’s split from the ruling coalition.

The tourism ministry terminated agreements for several properties leased to Villa and subsidiary companies on February 5, shortly after the JP formed the alliance with the MDP.

On February 26, a day before an MDP-JP anti-government mass rally, the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) gave a 30-notice for Villa to pay US$90 million allegedly owed as unpaid rent and fines for the seized properties.

Gasim did not attend the February 27 protest march after failing to return from a trip to Sri Lanka

After the 30-day notice expired, MIRA issued a 20-day notice warning Villa that its accounts will be frozen under the authority’s enforcement policy against defaulting taxpayers.

After the tourism ministry terminated the agreements, Villa filed five cases against the ministry in February, contending that the move was unlawful.

Five additional cases were filed against MIRA over the US$90 million notice.

In rulings during the past two weeks, the civil court refused to grant stay orders in any of the cases. Villa is currently in the process of appealing the rulings at the High Court.

While the court initially granted a stay order in one case in early February, the High Court overturned the ruling.

A Villa official told Minivan New today that the judge who granted the stay order was transferred to the drug court.

The official explained that the properties at stake were leased as part of a settlement agreement signed with the government on December 12, 2013, less than a month after president Yameen took office.

The settlement agreement was reached after the Supreme Court ordered the state to pay over US$9 million to Villa. As part of the settlement, the government signed ‘reinstated and amended lease agreements’ with Villa for several islands and lagoons.

Gasim noted that Villa paid the state about US$15.8 million eight years ago as advance payment for the leased properties.

However, MIRA issued the 30-day notice claiming Villa owed US$75 million as fines and more than US$14 million as unpaid rent dating back to the original lease agreements signed in 2006 and 2007.

Under the settlement agreement, the government had agreed to forgo rents for the leased islands and lagoons for five years and seven years, respectively.

Correction: A previous version of this article stated that the tax authority is seeking US$100 million from the Villa Group, based on statements by Gasim Ibrahim. The company has since explained that the accurate figure is US$90 million. 

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Designs for six-lane airport bridge underway

Designs for a six-lane bridge connecting the capital and the airport are expected to be completed by the end of June this year, the government has announced.

Construction of the Malé–Hulhulé Bridge, first slated to begin in 2014, will now start by the end of this year, tourism minister Ahmed Adeeb said today.

China has previously said it would ‘favorably consider financing’ the bridge if the design proves feasible, while President Xi Jinping said he hoped the government would call the bridge “the China-Maldives friendship bridge”.

Adeeb said the total cost of the project will only be known after the design is completed. China and Maldives will then consider options for financing and open a bidding process.

According to the government, a team of 60 people is working on the design. The six mile bridge is to connect the eastern edge of Malé to the western corner of Hulhule, where the airport is located. Land may have to be reclaimed in Hulhulé for the bridge, Adeeb said.

The bridge, a key campaign pledge of President Abdulla Yameen, will also connect Malé to its suburb Hulhumalé, an artificial island located behind Hulhulé and connected by a short causeway.

In March, 227 hectares of land were reclaimed in Hulhumalé for a planned ‘Youth City.’

In February 2014, the economic development ministry announced 19 parties had expressed interest in an initial tender for the bridge, but the tender was cancelled after China expressed interest in the project following a visit by President Yameen in August last year.

The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party had also planned a series of bridges in Male’ atoll when it was in power.

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President Yameen denies knowledge of Nazim weapons set-up

President Abdulla Yameen today hit back at Adhaalath Party President Sheikh Imran Abdulla’s claims the president was aware of the alleged framing of former Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim in an illegal weapons charge.

Sheikh Imran, speaking at the opposition Alliance Against Brutality last night, said he had met with President Yameen on March 3 and told the president he would have knowledge of the senior government officials involved in the set-up against Nazim.

“Even though it cannot be proven at the court, we told [President] Yameen that we have enough evidence to prove that Nazim was being framed, and told him to our knowledge the president was well aware of what had happened. But the president said he did not know,” Sheikh Imran told hundreds of opposition supporters.

The President’s Office issued a statement today denying Imran’s claim, stating President Yameen had responded to Imran’s allegations of framing, saying he was not aware “whether Nazim had been framed or not.”

Sheikh Imran had asked the president to withdraw charges against Nazim at the 1.5 hour meeting, but President Yameen told the six member Adhaalath Party delegation that he had no constitutional authority to withdraw charges pressed by an independent Prosecutor General following an independent police investigation, the statement said.

President Yameen then instructed Sheikh Imran to join Nazim’s defence team and mount a defence through the court if he had reason to believe Nazim was framed. The President also told Sheikh Imran the matter must be resolved through the courts, the statement continued.

Nazim maintains the pistol and three bullets found in a bedside drawer during a midnight raid were planted by rogue officers. However, the Criminal Court yesterday only called two out of 38 defence witnesses, claiming the witnesses presented by the defence did not appear to negate the prosecution’s claims.

The former Defence Minister alleges Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb had planned the set-up following a fallout over Adeeb’s alleged use of police officers to commit crimes, including the chopping down of all of Malé City’s Areca Palms. Both Adeeb and Maldives Police Services have denied the allegations.

Sheikh Imran last night also declared that the opposition would no longer tolerate President Yameen’s “brutality,” Adeeb’s alleged rampant corruption, unfair prosecution of political rivals, and “destruction of public property”.

In response, President’s Office said Imran should file any complaints of corruption with the Anti Corruption Commission.

The Adhaalath Party, Nazim’s family, high ranking Jumhooree Party (JP) officials and opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) united against President Yameen’s alleged brutality last week.

The Alliance Against Brutality last night warned the government to initiate dialogue with the opposition or face the consequences.

“If [President Yameen] does not come to the [negotation] table, I would say he won’t have any other choice but to go home,” said JP Deputy Leader Ameen Ibrahim.

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Gasim “economically paralysed,” says JP Deputy Leader

The current government has “economically paralysed” Jumhooree Party (JP) Leader Gasim Ibrahim, its Deputy Leader Ameen Ibrahim has said.

“Even though Gasim has not been put behind prison bars, the government has economically paralysed him,” Ameen said at a press conference of the opposition’s newly formed “Maldivians against brutality” alliance today.

Gasim could not actively participate in opposition activities as the government has “cornered” the tycoon by targeting his businesses, Ameen said.

While the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) accepted the Adhaalath Party’s (AP) invitation to form a united front against the government, the JP’s national council is yet to decide whether the party will join the new alliance.

However, Ameen and several other senior JP members have been working with the alliance, claiming their participation was in an “individual capacity.”

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, AP President Sheikh Imran Abdulla accused the government of planning to seize all of Gasim’s assets and making sure he was “unable to move his hands or legs” in his defence.

Meanwhile, in an appearance on Gasim’s Villa TV, MDP Vice President Mohamed on Saturday said Maldivians should not wait and watch while the government destroyed Gasim’s Villa Group.

On March 1, the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) gave a 30-day notice to Villa Group to pay US$100 million allegedly owed as unpaid rent and fines.

Moreover, in February, the tourism ministry seized several islands and lagoons leased to Villa Group as part of an out-of-court settlement.

MDP-JP alliance

After officially leaving the ruling coalition in January, the JP formed an alliance with the MDP in January and launched nightly protests on February 10 against what they alleged were repeated violations of the constitution by President Abdulla Yameen’s administration.

Gasim himself and other JP leaders took part in the protests, which culminated in a mass rally on February 27.

Following former President Mohamed Nasheed’s arrest on February 22 ahead of a surprise terrorism trial, Gasim called on the Prosecutor General to withdraw the “politically motivated charges” and vowed to continue protests.

However, after failing to return from a trip to Sri Lanka to attend the February 27 protest march, Gasim has not appeared in opposition protests. He has also not made any public statements since a meeting with Home Minister Umar Naseer on March 5.

Villa Group is one of the largest companies in the Maldives with the holding company Villa Shipping and Trading Pvt Ltd conglomerate operating businesses in shipping, import and export, retail, tourism, fishing, media, communications, transport, and education.

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Government signs MoU with Dubai Ports World

The Maldivian government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dubai Ports (DP) World on Thursday (March 19) to develop a port at Thilafushi as a free trade zone.

In a press statement on Sunday (March 22), DP World said the MoU was signed for the development of the Maldives’ “ports and logistics industry” by DP World Chairman Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem and Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb.

“The Maldives has been growing rapidly, driven largely by its tourism development. We are working with them to help diversify the economy through building infrastructure, logistics and transport links needed to make this happen,” said Bin Sulayem.

“The UAE has much experience and expertise in this area thanks to the vision of our leaders to explore new growth strategies. We are proud to share our expertise with the Maldives as they develop their capabilities in the global supply chain industry.”

The press release added that the MoU was the outcome of several meetings between DP World and Maldivian government officials over the past few months, including discussions between Bin Sulayem and President Abdulla Yameen in July and September 2014.

Economic Development Minister Mohamed Saeed and Youth and Sports Minister Mohamed Maleeh Jamal also attended the signing ceremony along with key DP World company officials

The global marine terminal operator said the meeting “provided an opportunity to highlight DP World’s global portfolio and expertise in assisting partners with the development of their infrastructure and transport networks.”

After signing the MoU in Dubai, Adeeb told local media that DP World has agreed to complete the new Thilafushi port with a free trade zone within two years of signing a joint venture agreement with the Maldives Ports Limited (MPL).

A timeline for the project has been agreed upon and the MoU was signed with a view to signing the joint venture agreement in a month, he said.

“The fiDP Worldrst phase would also include a big cargo container terminal. First the port service, then a free trade zone for the imported cargo which will be isolated with a fence. Import and export cargo will be kept there,” the co-chair of the cabinet’s economic council was quoted as saying by Sun Online.

Adeeb – also chairman of the Special Economic Zones investment board – told the press last week that the central commercial port would be relocated from Malé to the industrial island of Thilafushi.

The envisioned free zone at Thilafushi port would include facilities for bulk breaking and transhipment cargo handling, he said, adding that the project would be divided into three phases with an estimated investment of between US$250 and US$300 million.

A larger port was essential logistically if 50 new resorts were to be developed, he continued, noting difficulties at present in importing and clearing resort supplies through the central port.

Economic Development Minister Mohamed Saeed said the Maldives was ripe for “an ocean economy” and the current administration has undertaken unprecedented efforts to diversify the economy with a focus of maritime businesses.

Congestion was a serious problem at the Malé commercial port, which has space for about 60,000 containers, Saeed explained.

“Due to the efficiency of the ports in Singapore and Dubai with an established efficient free trade zone, cargo from all over the world is being brought to these ports. It’s collected and then go to their destination. So merchants can get items even if they didn’t produce the cargo and it’s cheaper to bring things in bulk and redistribute,” Adeeb told local media after signing the MoU.

Photos by Economic Development Minister Mohamed Saeed 

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Ruling coalition to celebrate by-election victories with fireworks

The ruling coalition is planning to celebrate Saturday’s council by-election victories with fireworks in Malé tonight.

The fireworks display is due to take place around 8:30pm at the artificial beach.

According to provisional results from the Elections Commission, Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) candidate Abdul Mufeed won the by-election in Haa Alif Muraidhoo for a vacant seat on the island council with 208 votes (45.41 percent) whilst his closest contender, independent candidate Mohamed Fuwad, received 143 votes (31.22 percent).

Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidate Aishath Visama received 107 votes (23.36 percent).

In the contest for the Meedhoo constituency seat on the Dhaalu atoll council, Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) candidate Mohamed Mamdhooh secured 997 votes (60.94) against MDP candidate Salim al-Sabah with 639 votes (39.06 percent).

The Meedhoo constituency is represented in parliament by MDA leader and resort tycoon, MP Ahmed Siyam Mohamed.

Voter turnout was 70.25 percent in Meedhoo and 80.56 percent in Muraidhoo.

Speaking at a press conference last night following the announcement of the by-election results, Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb declared President Abdulla Yameen would win re-election in one round of voting in 2018.

Adeeb said the victories for PPM and coalition partner MDA candidates showed the government’s support was not 25 percent as the opposition claims.

A majority of the public was behind the current administration and supported its policies, he suggested.

“We will show results through the ballot box,” said the PPM deputy leader, condemning the opposition’s ongoing nightly anti-government demonstrations.

After former coalition partner Jumhooree Party (JP) withdrew support for the government and formed an alliance with the MDP last month, the opposition has contended that the current government lacks legitimacy and does not have a popular mandate to govern.

In the cancelled first round of the 2013 presidential election, PPM candidate Yameen polled 25 percent.

After polling 29.72 percent in the first round re-vote, Yameen won the second round run-off against former President Mohamed Nasheed after the JP decided to form a coalition with PPM.

JP Leader Gasim Ibrahim finished third place in the re-vote with 23.43 percent and endorsed Yameen after initially declaring he would remain neutral.

Adeeb meanwhile noted last night that the ruling coalition won the recent by-elections after the JP left the coalition.

Street protests could neither produce results nor weaken the government, he said.

The nightly protests were also adversely affecting local businesses and causing disruptions in the capital, he added.

Adeeb also slammed former ally Adhaalath Party (AP) for joining the opposition campaign, contending that its leaders have “betrayed” the religious conservative party’s members.

“GMR is now OK, Denmark is also OK [for AP leaders],” he said, referring to AP President Sheikh Imran Abdulla spearheading nationalistic protests calling for the cancellation of the Indian infrastructure giant’s agreement to manage the international airport and the party’s allegations that former President Mohamed Nasheed pursued anti-Islamic policies.

At a press conference last week, Adeeb said the AP’s leaders have made “a career” out of toppling governments.

Adeeb also claimed that the ruling coalition has won six out of eight by-elections held since the 2013 presidential election. However, 12 council by-elections have been called since the presidential poll, half of which were won by opposition candidates.

In several by elections, opposition candidates won by default as the ruling coalition did not field candidates.

If there’s an election, it’s won by PPM or MDA. Therefore, we must have fireworks in Malé tomorrow, PPM PG Leader Ahmed Nihan said. 

All are invited. We secure results from the ballot box, a PPM supporter said.

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Adeeb and Mahloof in Twitter spat after allegations of threats and bribery

Former ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Ahmed Mahloof has claimed a group of ten men attempted to break in to his apartment last night after Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb threatened him over the phone.

In a tweet at 10:15 pm on March 15, Mahloof claimed the group tried to forcefully enter his home around 9:30 pm.

The Maldives Police Services confirmed they are investigating a case where “a suspicious group of people knocked on Henveiru East Light before taking off.”

Adeeb has denied the allegations, claiming Mahloof was getting paid or bribed to defame him and President Abdulla Yameen. 

Adeeb shared a screenshot of an alleged text conversation between Mahloof and Adeeb, where Mahloof appeared to threaten him saying “things would get ugly tonight” and that he could ruin the tourism minister’s name with “only one tweet.”

Reload in the tweet refers to a local term for topping up credit on mobile phones.

Mahloof in a subsequent tweet claimed the screenshot of the text messages were fabricated. He also shared a recording of the phone call in which he claims Adeeb threatened him.

In the recording, which appears slightly edited, Adeeb said he had called Mahloof back because the MP had said he would pay Adeeb back.

“I don’t have to pay you, I would only have to pay back if I’d taken money from you. I don’t have to pay back campaign money. Why are you speaking so much of me, my wife, of stabbings and drugs? We don’t have to go to that level,” Mahloof said.

“I don’t talk. I’m not one to talk, if I wanted to do something, I act,” Adeeb replied.

When Mahloof maintained he did not owe any money, Adeeb says: “Yeah OK, hold on then. Let’s see if you dare to remain that way.”

Adeeb has called the recording fake and said it indicated the Galholu South MP was getting “desperate.” 

Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has meanwhile condemned the attempted break in at Mahloof’s house, and accused Speaker Abdulla Maseeh and the government of negligence in affording parliamentarians security.

The MDP noted threats against opposition MPs had caused the Inter-Parliamentary Union to classify the Maldives as one of the most dangerous countries to be an MP.

At today’s People’s Majilis sitting, Mahloof went up to Speaker Abdulla Maseeh’s desk and demanded that he be provided protection before he was “murdered.”

He also tweeted last night saying telecom provider Dhiraagu had called him to inform him that an individual pretending to be Mahloof had requested his mobile number be disconnected. The caller had told Dhiraagu Mahloof’s mobile phone had been lost.

Mahloof was recently expelled from the PPM for allegedly defaming President Abdulla Yameen.

PPM accused Mahloof of making statements that could undermine public confidence in President Yameen as well as misleading the public regarding the arrest of former Defense Minister Colonel (Retired) Mohamed Nazim.

Speaking to Minivan News at the time, Mahloof said: “I was removed from the party just like how the Auditor General and Supreme Court Justices were removed. In haste, without due process.”

Last week, Home Minister Umar Naseer alleged that a man armed with a knife and a hammer broke into his apartment building.

“A person broke the window and entered the adjacent apartment with a knife. He escaped when a woman screamed. Left a knife and a hammer,” read a tweet from the home minister the following morning.

The break-in came amidst shocking allegations of rifts within President Abdulla Yameen’s cabinet. Dismissed Defence Minister Nazim last week accused Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb of using rogue police officers to plant a pistol and three bullets in his apartment.

Nazim is currently in police custody standing trial for smuggling illegal weapons.

Nazim’s lawyers told the Criminal Court Adeeb threatened to “destroy” Nazim during a conference call with Naseer. The home minister had informed President Yameen of the threat at the time, he claimed.

Adeeb told Minivan News he was “shocked” by Nazim’s lawyer’s “lies.”

Related to this story

PPM disciplinary committee decides to expel MP Mahloof

Man armed with knife, hammer breaks into home minister’s apartment building

Ex-defence minister “plotted to attack” president, police chief, tourism minister

Adeeb framed Nazim after fallout over Malé City’s Areca palms, lawyers claim

35 percent of Asian MPs’ human rights cases from Maldives, says IPU

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Ex-defence minister “plotted to attack” president, police chief, tourism minister

Former Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim plotted to attack President Abdulla Yameen, state prosecutors have claimed.

Revealing confidential plans in a pen drive allegedly confiscated along with a pistol and three bullets from Nazim’s home on January 18, state prosecutors said the retired colonel had also planned to attack Commissioner of Police Hussein Waheed and Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb.

The Prosecutor General’s (PG) Office had previously submitted the plans as confidential documents in a weapons smuggling charge against Nazim.

The plans demonstrated Nazim had the “motive and character” to use the pistol and bullets, state prosecutor Adam Arif told the Criminal Court today.

Nazim’s lawyer Maumoon Hameed maintains rogue police officers planted the weapons at the former defence minister’s apartment in a conspiracy engineered by Tourism Minister Adeeb.

Defence lawyers today named President Yameen, Commissioner Waheed, Chief of Defence Forces Major General Ahmed Shiyam, Home Minister Umar Naseer and several senior ranking police and military officers as witnesses.

The Criminal Court adjourned today’s hearing stating the court would decide whether to summon defence witnesses only if they appear to negate the prosecution’s evidence.

Pen drive

 

Following the January 18 weapons find, Nazim was dismissed from his ministerial post. Two weeks later, on February 10, he was arrested on additional charges of terrorism and treason. At the time, the police accused Nazim of plotting a coup and planning to harm senior government officials.

On February 24, at the first hearing of the trial on weapons possession, Arif revealed Nazim’s alleged plot to harm officials was to be financed by Jumhooree Party (JP) Leader Gasim Ibrahim’s Villa Group.

The documents were to be kept confidential, but Arif today revealed further details, alleging a man named Riyaz was also involved in financing Nazim’s alleged plans.

Another individual identified as FA was to secure international assistance from Singapore, Malaysia and Bangkok, while another identified as “Bodu Boalha” [Big Ball] was to import weapons into the country, Arif said.

The documents also contained an escape plan, and listed the state wholesaler State Trading Organisation (STO) as an additional resource.

Nazim’s brother Adam Azim had been STO’s Managing Director up until his dismissal on Tuesday.

The state prosecutor also said the documents revealed that Nazim had engineered December’s water crisis in Malé when a fire at the water plant had left over 150,000 people in the capital without water for two weeks.

Nazim had also attempted to influence three Majlis votes, the prosecution said, which included the no-confidence vote against former Health Minister Dr Mariyam Shakeela, the vote to appoint a new Prosecutor General, and the vote to reduce the Supreme Court bench.

Defence witnesses

 

Nazim has named President Yameen as a witness in order to prove Home Minister Naseer had notified the president of Adeeb’s alleged threat to “destroy” Nazim, defence lawyers said.

On March 7, Hameed claimed Adeeb framed Nazim after the former defence minister alerted Yameen of the tourism minister using SO SWAT officers to commit criminal acts, including the chopping down of all of Malé City’s Areca palms in October last year.

Defence lawyers have also called Superintendent of Police Ahmed Nafiz and former head of police’s intelligence directorate Mohamed ‘MC’ Hameed to prove a complaint was lodged over SO officer’s alleged criminal activities, and that SO officers had engaged in criminal activity.

The defence has also called senior ranking police and military officers to prove:

  • a Special Protection Group Corporal had lost a 9mm Browning pistol at Shangri-La resort in 2014
  • weapons are routinely imported into the Maldives illegally and used illegally
  • police officers did not follow due process in raiding and searching Nazim’s residence
  • police intelligence had not received any information that illegal weapons were smuggled into Malé prior to the raid

The tourism minister has previously said he was “shocked” by the allegations, and dismissed them as lies.

Related to this story

Adeeb framed Nazim after fallout over Malé City’s Areca palms, lawyers claim

Nazim accused of conspiring with Villa group to harm state officials

Ex defense minister’s wife charged with illegal weapons possession

Nazim remains in custody as High Court rejects appeal

Former Defence Minister Nazim remanded for 15 days

Police deny framing Nazim as former Commissioner alleges politicisation

No forensic evidence against Nazim, says legal team

Police raid Defence Minister Nazim’s home in early hours

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President Yameen calls on youth to relocate to Hulhumalé

President Abdulla Yameen has called on the residents of islands with small populations to migrate to the new youth city to be established in Hulhumalé, stating the government is unable to meet the socio-economic needs of small islands.

Speaking at a ceremony to inaugurate the second reclamation phase of Hulhumalé on Thursday (January 15), Yameen assured youth the government would provide better living conditions and job ‎opportunities in Hulhumalé.

“The government is finding it difficult to cater to the economic and social needs of small islands. We have to meet human needs such as constructing harbours, establishing schools and hospitals, reclaiming land, transport systems, and so much more. It is not easy for the government to do this,” he said.

Although the government would facilitate relocation, migration would not be compulsory, he said.

“It may be a very beautiful island, but there is not much we can do for an island with 200 people, 300 people, or 400 people.”

In November the Majlis’ budget committee passed a proposal requiring the government to formulate a master plan for population consolidation, while the Maldives Monetary Authority recommended such a policy in order to “reduce state expenditure and provide services to the public in a sustainable way”.

With the completion of the second phase of Hulhumalé development, the government hoped to increase the population on the artificial island from 40,000 to 220,000, and increase the population of the Malé region to 400,000, the president said.

According to the 2014 census, the population of the Maldives stands at 341,256. Of this, 133,019 people live in Malé.

The second phase involved reclamation of 240 hectares of land and is expected to be completed within two months. The US$50 million project was awarded to Belgium’s Dredging International NV.

Yameen said on Thursday evening that the government would begin work on a bridge connecting Malé and Hulhumale this year, and will also improve ferry services.

The president has previously pledged to establish a ‘technopolis park’, entertainment, and sports facilities, and facilities for tourism and fisheries industries. Hulhumalé Development Corporation officials have also said phase two of the project will feature a monorail to Ibrahim Nasir International Airport.

Yameen said he had received a petition signed by 85 percent of residents in Vaavu Atoll Fulidhoo Island requesting relocation.

To facilitate economic activity and ease population pressure, the government will allow buildings to be built as high as 25 stories in Malé and Hulhumalé, the president added. Studies have shown the land in Malé to be strong enough, he said.

At present, buildings in Malé can be constructed to a maximum of 15 stories.

Yameen also pledged to ban traffic in narrow lanes in Malé in order to ease congestion and to allow space for children to play.

Speaking at the ceremony, tourism minister Ahmed Adeeb said Yameen is the only political leader in the country with the courage to provide opportunities for youth.

The government will develop the northern and southern regions through the Special Economic Zone Act, pledged Adeeb.

The road development project in Laamu Atoll, the airport in Kulhudhuffishi and the I-Havan port in Haa Alif will create more opportunities for the youth, he said.


Related to this story

President reveals vision for foreign investment at Hulhumalé project launch

Tourism minister defends under-fire economic zones bill

China to “favorably consider” financing Malé-Hulhulé bridge if project proves feasible

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