Category: News in Brief

Harbour construction project begins in Gemanafushi

The Maldives Transport and Construction Company (MTCC) has begun a 10-month harbour construction project on the island of Gemanafushi in Gaafu Alif Atoll.

The project aims to reconstruct a 304 metre long and 91 metre wide harbour in place of the old habour, which is in ruin and insufficient for use, local media reported.

President of Gemanafushi Council Asim Mohamed told local media that work on the project begun on January 24, adding that MTCC were given 10 months to complete the project.

Asim thanked president Waheed for starting the project soon after making a promise to do so on a recent visit to the island.

“When President Waheed visited this island a while ago, he promised that a new harbour would be constructed here. Within a short period of time, work on what will be one the best harbours in the Maldives has begun here.

“I thank President Waheed in my own name, as well as on behalf of the people of this island”, Asim was quoted as saying in Sun Online.

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Supplementary budget to be proposed in first half of 2013: President Waheed

A supplementary budget is to be proposed to parliament before the end of the first half of 2013, President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik has announced.

Speaking at Henbadhoo in Noonu Atoll, the President claimed the country’s economy “is not as bad as it is perceived to be”, adding that the decline in global economy was affecting the Maldives in an adverse way, local media reported.

Waheed stated that that priority will be given to projects such as health centres and other basic services on islands, and that he intends to make the necessary changes to the supplementary budget in order to address these issues, he was quoted as saying in local media.

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American high school teacher implementing sustainable mosquito control project in the Maldives

“For most people in Siskiyou County, mosquitoes are no more than a nuisance. But in the Maldives, where they breed rapidly and transmit painful and sometimes deadly Dengue fever, they’re much more of a problem”, Californian publication Mount Shasta Herald  reports.

“Former Mount Shasta High School teacher Trudy Rilling-Collins is working to control mosquitoes in the Maldives in an environmentally friendly way. She recently enlisted help from MSHS graduate Sydney Miller to implement sustainable mosquito control projects with local islands in the Maldives, a double chain of 26 atolls consisting of 1,200 islands off the coast of India and Sri Lanka.

Rilling-Collins hopes to create a project model that will empower the Maldivian people to effectively control mosquitoes on their own. Not only will this benefit the people – both local Maldivians and tourists – but it will also help the environment, she explained.”

To read more, click here.

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Two Pakistani nationals arrested for carrying forged passports

Customs authorities in the Maldives have arrested two Pakistan nationals for carrying two forged passports.

The two men arrived on an Emirates flight to the Maldives and were arrested based on information provided by the Immigration Department, local media reported.

Upon a security check, three more passports including two Pakistan passports and one Belgian passport were found in their luggage.

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Land leased by Jabir’s company revoked due to outstanding rent payments

Land leased on Kaashidhoo in Kaafu Atoll to Maldivian Democratic Party MP Abdulla Jabir’s J Hotels and Resorts has been revoked by the government due to failure to pay rent.

According to local media, Kaashidhoo Council President Ali Sulthan said the land – leased for the construction of an 80-bed guest house – had been leased for the past ten months, of which only three months’ rent had been paid, local media reported.

An amount of MVR 166,000 (US$10,758) is apparently due from the company, which was contracted to pay a sum of MVR 15,000 (US$972) per month.

“The land was leased to a company owned by our constituent member Jabir. We have revoked the land because they were not paying the rent at all,” Sulthan was quoted as saying by Sun Online.

J Hotels and Resorts is operated under Jabir’s Yacht Tours Maldives.

Executive Director of J Hotels and Resorts Ibrahim Rasheed confirmed to local media that that the company does own a land in Kaashidhoo, but it does not have land with outstanding rent payments.

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Child support payments increased to MVR 1000

Child support payments are to increase to MVR 1,000 (US$64) after the Parliament Regulation Committee decided the previous amount of MVR 450 (US$29) was too small, local media reported.

The amendment to article 65 of the Family Regulation now states that a father who has more than one child is required to pay MVR 1,000 per child, per month until the child reaches 18 years of age, local media stated.

A father who has one child is required to pay MVR 2,000 (US$129) per month until that child reaches 18.

The amendment further states that MVR 2,000 must be provided to a woman during iddah – the period of waiting after a divorce, local media reported.

The amendment to the Family Regulation was proposed by Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Rozaina Adam.

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UN Resident Coordinator departs Maldives

UN Resident Coordinator Andrew Cox has left the Maldives following the conclusion of his tour of duty.

In a departure statement, Cox expressed “gratitude for the excellent cooperation he received from the government, state institutions, civil society organisations and the media during his time as the UN Resident Coordinator in the Maldives.”

Cox also paid a farewell call on President Dr Mohamed Waheed. According to the President’s Office, “Waheed expressed his gratitude for the enormous contribution made, and the support received towards the development of the Maldives, during Mr Andrew Cox’s tenure as the UN Resident Coordinator.”

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Committee to enlist Singapore parliament in US$800 million oil trade probe

Parliament’s Committee on National Security is requesting assistance from the parliament of Singapore to investigate the case related to US$800 million in “illegal” oil trade allegedly conducted by former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and his half-brother, the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) presidential prospect, MP AbdullaYameen, Sun Online reports.

During the committee meeting Monday (January 21) MP Reeko Moosa Manik announced the parliament was notified to contact Singapore’s parliament requesting they facilitate meetings with the Singapore police and anti-corruption authority.

The Foreign Ministry refused to fully cooperate and said it would take two weeks to arrange the requested meetings, according to local media.

Travel to Singapore and Malaysia for the investigation was scheduled for January 20, however was delayed due to the “failure to arrange meetings with [the necessary] investigative bodies,” added Sun Online.

The alleged international money laundering racket involved Yameen as “the kingpin” of a scheme to buy subsidised oil through the State Trading Organisation’s branch in Singapore and sell it on through an entity called ‘Mocom Trading’ to the Burmese military junta, at a black market premium.

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Elections Commission approves 17th political party

The Minister of State for Home Affairs and former Deputy Commissioner of Police Mohamed Fayaz has been granted permission by the Elections Commission (EC) to form a new political party, reports local media.

Assuming the newly formed National Industrial Alliance (NIA) can find 3000 members, it will become the 17th political party in the Maldives.

The NIA’s platform will focus on achieving economic freedom through investments and job opportunities for citizens as well as “bringing about a ‘revolution’ to Maldivian businesses and medium-sized companies” via government assistance and “other sources,” according to Sun Online.

Fayaz stated the NIA will cooperate with the government regardless of which party is in power.

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