Category: News in Brief

Police arrest six MDP members on Bilehfahi island for disturbing the peace and throwing rocks

Police have confirmed that six men from the island of Bilehfahi in Shaviyani Atoll have been arrested after they allegedly threw rocks at some roofs and disturbed the peace of the island.

According to a statement issued by the police, three 23 year-old men, a 21 year-old man, 24 year-old man and a 32 year-old man were arrested. Police did not reveal their identities.

Police said an operation was conducted by Shaviyani Atoll Police Station after police were informed that the group of men were throwing rocks at houses and were exploding plastic bottles in areas where people live.

Police received assistance and cooperation from the people of the island during the arrest of the six men, they said.

Following the arrests, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) issued a statement saying that the six arrested were MDP members and they were arrested to obstruct MDP activities conducted on the island.

The MDP called the arrests ‘unlawful’ and called on the authorities to release the six immediately.

People had been throwing rocks at a café shop owned by a MDP member in the island and when it was reported to police, police said they were too busy and they did not have time to investigate the matter.

MDP alleged that the arrest was a setup planned by the council and police, and that the men arrested had played aq lead role in decorating the island for the MDP’s upcoming tour of Shaviyani Atoll.

In the statement the party called on the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM), Police Integrity Commission and Prosecutor General (PG) to investigate unlawful actions carried out by the police.

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Government to assist fisheries sector with HCFC-free refrigeration switch

The Maldives’ government is to assist the fishing industry in switching to alternative hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) free refrigeration technologies under a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the environment and fisheries ministries.

The MoU signed this week by Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture Ahmed Shafeeu and Minister of State for Environment and Energy Abdul Matheen will aim to phase out the use of HCFC refrigerants in the fishing sector by the end of the decade, according to local media.

The use of HCFC refrigerants has been linked to depletion of the ozone layer and as a result, is presently the subject of international treaties to curb such an impact.

under the MoU, Sun Online has reported that both ministries will target the introduction of HCFC-free technologies in the Maldives as well as introducing policies to support such efforts in line with the Montreal Protocol signed by the country back in 1989.

The Montreal Protocol calls for an end to HCFC usage by 2020 – a date that also coincides with the Maldives’ deadline for efforts to try becoming a carbon neutral economy.

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Cabinet opts to expand foreign investment oppurtunities

Cabinet ministers have opted to try expanding the number of investment opportunities available in the Maldives in order to generate interest from foreign enterprises.

Following discussions on a paper presented to the cabinet by the Ministry of Economic Development, a decision was taken yesterday to create a “scheme of action” outlining how to attract and handle foreign investments being made in the Maldives, according to the President’s Office website.

The cabinet was also said to have agreed on the need for a specific investor focus around the provision of basic needs, updating public services and developing the country’s economic landscape.

As a result of the investment plan, the islands of aakan’doodhoo and Firun’baidhoo in Shaviyani Atoll and Maakuredhdhoo in Noonu Atoll are expected to be leased out for long-term agricultural projects.

The cabinet’s decision comes as Indian media earlier this month raised concerns that enterprises including TATA and infrastructure group GMR – both presently operating in the Maldives – were struggling to overcome political interference they claim is derailing their substantial investments in the country.

GMR, contracted to develop and manage a new terminal at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) in Male’ in the largest foreign investment project ever seen in the country, is facing opposition from some government-aligned parties over allegations about the validity of its contract.

GMR has denied the allegations, adding that all relevant documentation was overseen at the time by the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

Last month, Jumhoree Party (JP) Deputy Leader Abdulla Jabir criticised attempts to “politicise” the dispute between the government and India-based GMR over an agreement to develop INIA – fearing a negative impact on foreign investment.

However, the Maldives National Chamber of Commerce and Industries (MNCCI) has stated that legal wrangling between the government and India-based developer GMR over the multi-million dollar airport development would not harm confidence in the country’s “challenging” investment climate.

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Resolution calling for Dr Shaheed’s dismissal from UN post removed from Majlis agenda

Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim – presiding in the absence of Speaker Abdulla Shahid – removed from the agenda a resolution submitted by Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) MP Riyaz Rasheed calling for the dismissal of former Foreign Minister Dr Ahmed Shaheed from his post as UN Special Rapporteur on Iran.

Nazim said at the beginning of today’s sitting that the item could not be tabled in the agenda and apologised for having previously tabled it for debate and announced a first reading.

He noted that the UN and not the Maldivian government had appointed Dr Shaheed to the post.

The People’s Alliance Leader made the apology after Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ahmed Sameer raised a point of order to object to the resolution being accepted in August, contending that in doing so parliament had defamed Dr Shaheed.

“If someone told him that a resolution in the parliament is not going to strip him of his FIFA referee accreditation, he might understand,” Dr Shaheed told Minivan News when the resolution was first submitted by the DQP Deputy Leader.

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Audit of GMR airport deal to be completed in February

Auditor General Niyaz Ibrahim has said that a special audit of the awarding of a concession agreement to develop, manage and operate Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) to a consortium of Indian infrastructure giant GMR and Malaysian Airports Holding Berhad (MAHB) is currently underway and will be completed in February 2013.

Niyaz told state broadcaster Television Maldives (TVM) yesterday (November 5) that an experienced British auditor was expected to join the team conducting the audit during the first week of December.

“We have completed a large portion of [the audit] with a special team dedicated to it,” Niyaz said. “We have been able to collect almost all the documentation we need and have reviewed them.”

He added that the audit of the bidding process has been completed. “After that, we will carry out a study of the contract and different analyses,” he said.

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38 year-old man arrested on suspicion of molesting six year-old boys

A 38 year-old man has been arrested in the island of Ihavandhoo in Haa Alif atoll on suspicion of molesting three 6 year-old boys, reports Sun Online.

A police media officer confirmed that the suspect was taken into custody on October 29 but declined to reveal further information.

The suspect is reportedly from Meemu atoll and was married to a woman from the island. He had previously been arrested on drug-related charges.

Newspaper Haveeru meanwhile reported yesterday that the suspect had sexually abused six under-aged boys.

A resident of Ihavandhoo told the paper that the man had been living in the island for many years and had two children. The male victims, aged 6 to 12, were however not related to the suspect.

The Ihavandhoo islander claimed that the man took his victims to boat sheds and that the abuse had been going on for some time.

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Resolution on fuel subsidies for fishermen sent to committee

A resolution (Dhivehi) submitted by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Mohamed Rasheed ‘Kubey’ calling on the government to issue without delay MVR 100 million (US$6.4 million) allocated for fuel subsidies to fishermen from the 2012 state budget was sent to committee at yesterday’s sitting of parliament.

The resolution was accepted and sent to the Economic Affairs Committee for further review with 42 votes in favour and five abstentions.

On October 17, parliament’s Finance Committee approved guidelines for the Fisheries Ministry to issue the subsidy directly to fishing boat owners.

However, Auditor General Niyaz Ibrahim then questioned the legality of issuing the subsidy, suggesting that it could be in violation of the Public Finance Act.

Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shafeeu told Sun Online yesterday that legal issues remained to be resolved before releasing the funds.

“We requested the AG [Attorney General] for advice, because subsidies cannot be provided without a [specific] law. The AG said that if it’s identified as a basic right, it can be provided based on the former Supreme Court’s ruling. But it involves legal problems. We are prepared to provide subsidies, we just have to follow the legal procedures,” he was quoted as saying.

Shafeeu said that the subsidies could not be released until the legal issue was resolved but expressed hope that it could be done before November 15, leaving one and a half months for the ministry to release funds to 1,053 vessels registered for the subsidy.

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STO obtains US$32 million loan facility for construction of five-star hotel in Hulhumale’

The State Trading Organisation (STO) and Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of Thailand co-signed a US$32 million syndicated loan agreement on October 30.

Under the agreement, Exim Thailand and Bank of Maldives will jointly finance STO’s construction of the 5-star, 250-room Radisson Blu Hotel in Hulhumalé.

In a press release yesterday (November 5), STO revealed that according to the agreement 85 percent of the loan must be paid to contractors from Thailand or used to purchase construction material and equipment from Thailand.

The disbursement of the loan is to begin in 2013.

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Government entertainment company to be dissolved

The government has decided to dissolve the 100 percent government-owned Maldives Entertainment Company Ltd (MECL) and made an announcement on Thursday seeking a liquidator.

The announcement invited interested parties to submit proposals before November 27.

According to the terms of reference for the liquidation, the government “decided to liquidate the company, given the level of engagement by the private sector in the development of the industry, and to allow their maximum engagement in the development of the industry.”

In June 2011, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) discovered irregularities and discrepancies in the entertainment company’s finances.

“Even though records of expenditure were kept, the figures in the records and the actual amount withdrawn from the [corporation’s] bank account differs,” the ACC found.

“While company records show that MVR676,262.95 (US$43,800) was spent, the bank account showed that MVR807,703.95 (US$52,300) was withdrawn for expenses. Therefore, MVR134,470 was withdrawn from the bank without any record [of how the money was spent].”

Discrepancies in income statements meanwhile revealed that MVR524,121 (US$33,900) worth of income was not entered into QuickBooks (accounting software) records.

Moreover, as a result of the corporation’s spending exceeding its revenue, MECL had outstanding debts amounting to MVR122,178.98 (US$7,900), owed to various parties for purchases and services as of June 2011.

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