Category: News in Brief

Government to build futsal pitch for expats in Lanka

The Ministry of Youth and Sports has announced it will build a futsal pitch for the use of Maldivian expatriates in Sri Lanka, say media reports.

Additionally, Minister of Tourism Ahmed Adeeb is reported to have personally donated a gym for the exclusive use of Maldivians in Sri Lanka, thought to number just under 10,000.

The MVR1 million (US$65,000) futsal pitch is expected to be finished in two months, while the gym was opened yesterday by Ambassador-at-Large Abdulla Hameed alongside officials from Maldives High Commission in Colombo.

President Abdulla Yameen has previously announced his intention to renovate Sosun Villa – formerly the site of the high commission – to provide cultural and educational activities for Maldivians, including Dhivehi language, Islam, and Quran classes.

A youth centre was also opened at Sosun Villa in June for young Maldivians living in Sri Lanka.

Source: Haveeru

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Transparency Maldives launches Majlis-civil society ‘Dialogue Group’

Transparency Maldives (TM) has launched a Dialogue Group between members of parliament and civil society organisations, aimed at increasing public participation in decision making.

In a press release to mark the first meeting today, TM noted that the group has been established “to foster a culture of openness and transparency in the Parliament”.

Recent decisions in the Majlis regarding the reappointment of the prosecutor general and the removal of two Supreme Court judges this week prompted the anti-corruption NGO to express “grave concerns” about undemocratic trends in the country.

The Dialogue Group – which comprised three Majlis members and seven civil society groups – also discussed signing an MoU to clarify the group’s mandate and show commitment to further engagement.

Representing the Majlis in today’s meeting were Maldivian Democratic Party MP Imthiyaz Fahmy, Adhaalath MP Anara Naeem, and Jumhooree Party MP Ali Hussain.

Civil society was meanwhile represented by TM, the Society for Health Education (SHE), the Care Society, the Islamic Foundation, Advocating the Rights of Children (ARC), and Hope for Women, as well as a group from Hirilandhoo in Thaa Atoll.

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MACL chief says airport dependent on foreign workers

The managing director of the Maldives Airports Company Ltd (MACL) has told a Majlis committee that difficulties with local staff have resulted in a dependence on foreign employees, and even military assistance, to keep the airport running.

Bandhu Ibrahim Saleem told the government oversight committee yesterday that over 500 employees were currently on leave, and that 199 had been dismissed, reported Haveeru.

Progressive Party of Maldives MPs had called Saleem to the committee, suggesting that the company had ignored requests for further information regarding the replacement of Maldivian staff with foreigners.

“We loaded and unloaded cargo three times with assistance of army personnel. I don’t think any of you know this. Our employee attendance is low. The process of letting go an employee, so complicated. The foreigners are there to bridge all this,” explained Saleem.

He noted that Maldivians were difficult to recruit, and were often unwilling to carry out the work required.

“Maldives yellowfin tuna export now stand between 20-25 tons per day. These are packed in one ton containers. The youth of today don’t want to load and unload those containers. They will not do it,” he is reported to have told the committee.

“Now when you get older, you can’t do it at 40. Therefore we are forced to bring in people from Nepal,” he said.

The MD said that 3000 passengers and 500 tonnes of cargo were passing through the airport every day.

Additionally, MACL Human Resource Manager Ali Huzeim is reported to have told the committee that foreigners were significantly cheaper and more efficient than local staff.

Source: Haveeru

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MMA to conduct survey on spending by Maldivians traveling abroad

The Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) will be conducting its annual survey on spending by Maldivians traveling abroad from December 25 to 31.

The ‘Maldivians Travelling Abroad Survey’ survey will be conducted at the arrival hall of the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA), the central bank explained in a press release yesterday.

“The survey will mainly gather information about Maldivians spending money abroad for various purposes,” the press release stated.

“Among the information gathered will be the main purpose of the trip, the travel destination, ticket price, cost of food and accommodation, cost of medical treatment, travel expenses, and overall expenses for the whole trip.”

A statistical report would be compiled based on the collected information, it added.

The MMA noted that name, address, and other personal information would not be gathered for the survey and urged cooperation from all Maldivians returning to the country during the survey period.

Last year’s survey – conducted among 65 percent of locals traveling abroad – revealed that Maldivians spent MVR2.9 billion (US$191 million) overseas in 2013.

Maldivians spent US$70 million on medical treatment, US$64 million on holiday expenses, and US$47 million on education, the survey found.

Of the 6,184 respondents, 2,597 people traveled to neighbouring Sri Lanka, followed by 2,473 visitors to India, and 618 visitors to Malaysia.

Of those who traveled to Sri Lanka, holidaymakers spent US$1.7 million while other spent US$2.2 million for medical treatment.

Similarly, Maldivians who traveled to India for medical purposes spent US$2.1 million.

While Maldivians who sought medical treatment in Malaysia spent US$496,872, Maldivian holidaymakers spent US$714,408.

The survey also found that Maldivians spent US$48 million on airfare during 2013.

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Dunya thanks foreign partners for help during water crisis

Minister of Foreign Affairs Dunya Maumoon has written to the foreign ministers of India, China, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Japan, Singapore, and Malaysia to express gratitude for assistance given during the recent water crisis.

“The people and the Government of Maldives are heartened by the strong show of solidarity and humbled by the generosity of our friends,” wrote Dunya.

“With your kind support and the resilience of the Maldivian people, the crisis has been resolved and normal water supply has resumed.”

Relief efforts included the arrival of fresh water supplies in multiple Indian military aircraft as well as passenger aircraft from China and Sri Lanka. Additionally, India sent two naval vessels, with China and Bangladesh also sending ships.

Singapore provided technical assistance in repairing the damaged panels in the Malé Water and Sewerage Company’s desalination plant after a December 4 fire left 130,000 people in the capital without running water for 7 days.

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Japan donates medical equipment worth MVR26 million

Japan has donated medical equipment worth ¥200 million (MVR 25.94 million) to the Maldives, reports Sun Online.

The donation – said to be part of the ¥100 million (US$840,000) non-project grant aid agreement signed yesterday – was announced at the Ministry of Health today.

Acting Minister of Health Colonel (retired) Mohamed Nazim accepted the donation from the Japanese International Cooperation System, reported Sun.

Source: Sun Online

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STO to pay off debts in three years

Managing Director at the State Trading Organisation (STO) Adam Azim has said the state-owned company’s debts will be paid off within three years.

Azim told Haveeru that the STO’s US$144 million (MVR1.7 billion) debt was unprecedented, and that US$51 million had been paid off during his tenure as a result of reductions in expenditure.

Immediately upon assuming office last November President Abdulla Yameen – once head of the STO – declared the company bankrupt.

In January the company announced a campaign to cut operational costs by MVR50 million (US$3,242,542) in 2014 , before posting profits of MVR44 million (US$2.8 million) in May.

The STO is the country’s primary wholesaler, responsible for bringing in the vast majority of basic foodstuffs such as rice and flour, as well as other imported commodities such as electrical goods.

Source: Haveeru

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Majlis passes Green Tax

The People’s Majlis has today approved amendments to the Tourism Act, introducing a ‘Green Tax’ on all tourists.

The US$6 per person levy – part of the government’s plans to raise MVR3.4 billion (US$220 million) in new revenue next year – will be introduced in November.

Tabled last month by Progressive Party of Maldives MP Abdulla Khaleel, MP for Nilandhoo, the bill was passed with the support of 52 of the 68 MPs present during the today’s vote.

Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb has previously said that the cabinet does not believe the green tax will hinder the demand from tourists, who will become “champions” of the Maldivian environment by paying the tax. He added that revenue generated would be spent on resolving the waste management issues in the greater Malé region.

The introduction of the new tax is to come 11 months after the abolition of the bed-tax, which will continue to be charged at US$8 a night until the end of this month.

A recent increase in Tourism Goods and Service Tax prompted some within the tourism industry to suggest the resorts could not withstand further taxation, although the IMF has continued to push for further levies in order to relieve the country’s fiscal imbalances.

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MACL head called to Majlis over expatriate worker issue

Managing Director of the Maldives Airport Company Ltd (MACL) Bandhu Ibrahim Saleem has been summoned to appear before the Majlis regarding the number of expatriate workers at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport.

Saleem has been asked to appear before the government oversight committee with human resources personnel from the company on Wednesday (December 17), writes Haveeru.

The paper reported a Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) member of the committee as saying that the company had ignored requests for further information regarding the replacement of Maldivian staff, after the issue was raised by party members.

“It is one of the current government’s vows to provide Maldivians with job opportunities. But we have learnt that MACL isn’t acting in accordance with this. We have the incriminating information,” the PPM member told Haveeru.

Last December, the Ministry of Youth and Sport said it would attempt to resolve the large youth unemployment issue by replacing expatriate workers with locals.

However, angry staff at the airport soon launched a Facebook page titled ‘Say NO to foreign staffs in MACL INI Airport’, which singled out individual expatriate workers for abuse.

Source: Haveeru

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