News in Brief – Page 316 – Minivan News

Maldives backs UN resolution on Syria

The Maldives has backed a resolution in United Nations General Assembly expressing concern at the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in Syria, according to a release from the Foreign Ministry.

“The Resolution was tabled by Saudi Arabia, and the Maldives co-sponsored and voted in favour of it,” the Ministry stated.

“The Resolution was designed to bring into context a number of issues of concern to the international community. These include the use of heavy weapons by Syrian security forces against civilian populations, the widespread and systematic violation of human rights, and concerns over the security of Syria’s biological and chemical weapons stockpiles.

“The Government of Maldives is deeply concerned by the failure of the Syrian authorities to protect its own civilian population, and strongly condemns all violence, irrespective of where it
comes from, including acts of terrorism. It calls on all parties to abide by, and implement immediately Security Council resolutions 2042 (2012) and 2043 (2012) to achieve a cessation of
the armed conflict. “

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Resort engaged PR firm to “spruce” govt’s image “on barter basis”: Private Eye

“The toppling of a former political prisoner, human rights campaigner and environmental activist – and the Maldives’ first freely-elected president – in a February coup by an austere, military-backed and increasingly Islamist regime was not the disaster for tourism one might have expected,” writes a Male-based columnist for UK-based current affairs magazine, Private Eye.

“For last July, our soon to be overthrown President Nasheed has sent four bills to parliament, including income and corporate tax legislation. These would have required those earning more than 6,000 in our tourism industry (which accounts for a third of the entire economy) to pay tax for the very first time. Previously our 100 or so resorts had paid a nominal fee for each night a bed was occupied, submitting the details to the government themselves, with no verification.

“Since the coup these bills have been buried and the new government shows no interest in pushing them through. Nasheed was deposed by his deputy Mohamed Waheed Hassan, who joined with Islamists uneasy at the president’s liberal credentials.

“Less well publicised are Waheed’s links to the tourism tycoons. His (unelected) deputy, Waheed Deen, who has never held political office, owns the Bandos Island Resort & Spa. Another Baron, Sonu Shivdasani, owns The Sixth Sense Resorts, a small exclusive chain that boasts the highest eco credentials.

“No fan of Nasheed’s tax proposals, Sonu was keen to help the new administration spruce up its image. In April he e-mailed Britain’s well known PR guru Matthew Freud, saying: ‘I just spoke to President Waheed. He is happy to engage your services (for tourism PR) on a barter basis whereby Reethi Rah and Soneva Fushi would offer accommodation at our resorts in lieu of the barter. Did you manage to speak to Alan Leibman from One and Only?’

“Freud initially appeared thrilled at the prospect of free holidays: ‘We greatly look forward to working with you and the president.’ But by the time President Waheed had got in on the act later in the month, writing to Freud: ‘We had discussed along with Sonu that a contract will be signed first among SixSenses, One and Only and Matthew to assist us with tourism promotion in the UK. Matthew will send us an outline a proposed activities as discussed’ – the legendary PR guru had developed cold feet: ‘I am sorry that the adverse political climate prevents us from being more directly involved but going to a doctor who will make you sicker is rarely a good idea.'”

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Mega Maldives expands fleet with Boeing 757

Mega Maldives has announced an expansion of its fleet with the acquisition of a Boeing 757-200ER aircraft to aid the possible operation of services to a wider number of destinations from the country.

According to the company, which presently operates two 767 jets, the new aircraft is set to come into service this month to support the groups’ existing services from Male’ to Hong Kong, Chongqing and Chengdu.

In April, Mega Maldives joined forces with the Maldives government and the wider tourism industry to conduct a travel roadshow to promote the destination on a whistle-stop tour of five Chinese cities in one week.

The tour was part of attempts to counter the negative impacts of international news coverage concerning the destination after February’s controversial transfer and help the industry meet its aims of attracting a record 1 million visitors to the Maldives during 2012.

MEGA Maldives Airlines CEO George Weinmann claimed that as well as bolstering the group’s ability to provide existing services, the aircraft could also form part of plans to expand to new markets.

“The 757 will allow us to serve markets with more frequency and to open up smaller markets with non-stop direct service,” he said. “The aircraft’s long range capability – which can reach as far as Beijing, China; Perth, Australia; and Johannesburg, South Africa make it a very flexible choice as well.”

The company said it remained committed to expanding mew routes “to widen” the aviation and tourism industries in the Maldives.

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How Nasheed could not sustain a coalition: Dr Hassan Saeed

“No doubt many will be watching some of the sporting events at the Olympics. At the opening ceremony an athlete, judge and coach take an oath on behalf of all the competitors and those involved to abide by the spirit of the Olympics and the rules of the sport,” Dr Hassan Saeed, Special Advisor to President Waheed, writes for Haveeru.

“Whilst there may be a few people who break the rules, by and large the Olympics is full of sportsmanship and fair play. Some watching it might wish that our politics could resemble that sporting outlook more.

This brings me back to the issue of trust. Last week I talked about the inconsistencies in Nasheed’s position in the run-up to the last Presidential elections. He made all sorts of commitments at various points, but then did not deliver on them.

However, having arrived in office by making all sort of quickly withdrawn promises, it meant that there was little trust when it came to sustaining a coalition. It’s important to state this, because the current National Unity Government, whilst having been quickly assembled has now been in office for 6 months – something worth reviewing in a future article.

As I recounted in my last article, we in the New Maldives movement and others had decided to support Nasheed in the second round of the elections after he had come a poor second to President Gayyoom.

Shortly after Nasheed took the oath of office, I met him at Hilaaleege, the current official Presidential residence, to share some thoughts I felt were important. He had just come from a joint press conference with his predecessor President Gayyoom in which the new President told those assembled that democracy in the country will be judged on how well the former President was treated.

As part of his winning coalition I wanted to raise a few points with him.

Firstly, I told him that although coalition governments are not easy to manage it was important to make the effort to ensure that the coalition did not break up.

There was some public goodwill after the change and it was important that those people, who had made a leap into the unknown after 30 years with the same president, were not disappointed.

My suggestion was to set up a coalition committee chaired by the President himself to discuss important policy issues. Perhaps in response to this idea he did set up an informal coalition committee – but only to negotiate on cabinet composition.

In fact even before the cabinet was formed, for all practical purposes, the committee ceased to function. As a result his ill-fated coalition lasted barely three weeks!

Honourable Qasim resigned just 21 days after its formation and I left on the 100th day. Despite all efforts to stay the Adaalath party also did not last long in the coalition either.

Secondly, I suggested that he should get the best economic brain in the country as the finance minister. I told him that I foresaw serious financial and economic trouble – both domestic and international – the signs of which were already visible at the time. He told me that he had Ali Hashim in mind. I told him that he was a decent man but probably not the best choice for that time.

The subsequent huge deficit budgets, mismanagement of public finance and flight of the best brains in the Ministry shows my concerns were right.

My third suggestion was for coalition partners to commit to fight the 2009 Parliamentary election under a coalition banner. He told me that the MDP wouldn’t agree. I told him that it was his job to get the party’s approval.

After all it seemed to me that his own party could agree to him being a Vice-Presidential candidate or a Presidential candidate depending on who he was talking to. It was clear to me then that the MDP could not win that election in its own right and the coalition would face an early crisis. Subsequent events proved that I was right.

Not only did the MDP – that after all had only polled a quarter of the vote in the first round of the presidential elections – not win in the Parliamentary elections; but also allowed the opposition which was battered, bruised and bankrupt, to make a spectacular comeback.

Ever since, Nasheed had to battle with the Parliament that his own arrogance created. And the consequences also contributed to his downfall.

His supporters would regularly harass MPs, stage protests outside Parliament and occasionally invade the building.

Police commissioner designates July 23 as “Police Memorial Day”

The Maldives Police Service has announced that July 23 will be set aside to commemorate the lives of officers who have fallen in the line of duty, according to local media.

Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz said that a Police Memorial Day would be held every year on July 23 in honour of those officers who had lost their lives.

The Sun Online news service yesterday reported that the comments were made during a special commemoration service for Lance Corporal Adam Haleem, who was killed after trying to arrest his suspected killer. The attack occurred on July 23, 2012.

According to Commissioner Riyaz, Haleem’s murder was the first murder of an on-duty officer since 2008. The murder has been politicised by supporters on both sides of the country’s political divide, even as investigations into the death were ongoing.

The commissioner also used yesterday’s ceremony to draw attention to the deaths of other officers killed on duty.

These officers include Lance Corporal Ali Nazim, killed by an accident at sea during a rescue mission on September 21, 2006 and Constable Yoosuf Zameel, who died while travelling on March 13, 2007 as he travelled from Male’ to Dhoonidhoo.

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Applications opened for Broadcasting Commission board role

Applications were opened today to fill a position on the Maldives Broadcasting Commission’s (MBC’s) Board of Directors.

The President’s Office has said it will be accepting applications for the position until August 15. An application form and declaration can be found on the President’s Office website.

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Unrest rising with no reconciliation in sight: Eurasia Review

In the current tense situation prevailing in Male, one would have expected President Waheed to make the initial move towards reconciliation during the national day address last week on the 47th year of independence. It was not to be, writes Dr S Chandrasekharan for the Eurasia Review.

In his speech President Waheed appealed to the people to offer full cooperation to the State’s relentless peace efforts while maintaining high regard for the country’s laws and legislature. While highlighting the need to safeguard the religion, consolidating the military forces and further unifying people, a conciliatory gesture on his part would have gone a long way in defusing the current tensions.

On the other hand his position is seen to have hardened. On 17th July he said that he ( he meant his party) will not participate in the All Party talks while the MDP continues to going back to street protests in Male. Earlier the President’s spokesperson condemned the MDP protests as “acts of terrorism.”

President’s Adviser Dr. Saeed who holds a very important post and who is expected to show some restraint declared very categorically that there is no benefit in continuing the “All Party Talks” and does not believe that Nasheed’s participation would reap any benefit!

Earlier the chairman of the All party talks- Ahmed Mujuthaba announced that 16 previous attempts at talks among the top political leaders had not resulted in any breakthrough! It looks that the talks have been given a decent burial. So much for the Indian initiative!

In the last few days, over 200 protestors have been arrested and this included many MDP MPs and even a former cabinet minister. Many of those released after arrests have been ordered to remain indoors in the evening and the night till the next morning! Quite a strange order!

Not all the protests have been peaceful either. In many instances the protestors are seen to have broken the barricades and rushed towards the security forces. The security forces have also been subjected to verbal and filthy abuses.

The Police are also seen to be using “pepper spray” indiscriminately. There is a video footage doing the rounds showing the security forces aiming the spray at Nasheed! The government has publicised the statements of the bodyguards provided by the government from the forces that they did not see any spray being aimed at Nasheed. They have to say this if they are to keep their jobs!

With the government pushing for prosecution of Nasheed, the latter has called on all the population to be present at the trial to witness what happens in the court while alleging that he whole case is being politically motivated.

The MDP has already declared that it will not participate in an election where its presidential candidate ( here Nasheed) is prevented from contesting.

An unfortunate incident of a killing of a lance corporal of Maldivian police by a criminal while he was being arrested is being given a political twist by none other than the Home minister himself that the MDP protests and abuse of Police by the demonstrators have led to the killing!

UK Foreign Office Spokesman Alistair Burt made a very balanced statement. He said -” I call on all sides to show restraint in the interest of achieving a sustainable political solution to Maldives’ recent problem. Protests must be peaceful and security forces’ response should be professional and proportionate. Violence and any cases of excessive use of force should be investigated and those responsible held to account.”

The Special Envoy of the Commonwealth made a similar call for restraint. He expressed his concern at ‘rising political tension’ in Maldives and specifically over the ongoing protests and criminal charges filed against Nasheed. He called for dialogue among political parties urging all parties to show restraint and restore calm.

The European Union made a similar observation. Their High Representative said – continued political unrest, heavy-handed response of security forces and charges filed against political leaders will only lead to further deterioration of the political climate of the country and will adversely affect the lives of all Maldivian citizens.

India on its part has also called for restraint and dialogue. These appear to have fallen on deaf ears of both sides.

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President Waheed extends CNI deadline, provides personal account of transfer of power

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan has extended the deadline by which the Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) must conclude its report into February’s transfer of power to August 30, 2012.

The deadline to submit the report of the CNI – which was established, and later reconstituted to investigate events during and leading up to the controversial transfer of power on February 7 – had been initially been set for July 31.

However, the President’s Office confirmed yesterday that Dr Waheed had issued a decree approving the extension of the report’s deadline. Once complete, the findings are to be submitted to President Waheed, Parliamentary Speaker Abdulla Shahid and the prosecutor general and attorney general.

Earlier this month, CNI Co-Chair – retired Singaporean Judge G P Selvam – said a deadline extension was required in order to conclude the report due to the hundreds of people wishing to provide information.

The extension was granted the same day that President Waheed gave further information to the CNI regarding his own views on what transpired during the transfer of power, according to local media. The president had previously given information to the CNI before it began conducting its investigation under a new composition.

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BML posts MVR 40 million profit in half year results

The Bank of Maldives (BML) has posted a MVR 40 million (US$2.6 million) net profit in its half year results to June 2012.

“This is after allocating MVR 224 million (US$14.5 million) to loan loss provisions during the first five months of the year,” the bank stated.

“At the half year operating profit reached MVR 263 million (US$17 million), an increase of 15 percent over the same period last year. Net interest income increased from MVR 223 million (US$14.5 million) in June 2011 to MVR 247 million (US$16 million) in the six months to June 2012, an 11 percent increase compared to the same period last year.”

BML stated that the results “reflected the strength of the bank and its success in dealing with non-performing loans.”

“I am very pleased to inform all our shareholders that we have returned to profit and that our Non Performing Net Assets (NPNA) provisioning is at a very comfortable level. I have for some time been very encouraged by our strong growth at an operating profit level, which has come about as a result of diversified income streams and strong cost control. We are now seeing all of these factors manifest in retained profits for the business,” said BML CEO Peter Horton.

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