Category: News in Brief

Government to lease four islands for resort development

The Ministry of Tourism has made an announcement today inviting expressions of interest (EOI) to develop four uninhabited islands and one lagoon as tourist resorts.

The designated islands were Haa Dhaal Dhipparufushi, Haa Dhaal Kanamana, Haa Dhaal Kudafarufasgandu, Shaviyani Bolissafaru, and a lagoon in Haa Dhaal Atoll with the coordinates 6°42’41”N, 72°54’34”E.

“Dh. Kanamana. H. Dh. Kudafarufasgandu and the lagoon in H. Dh Atoll mentioned above will be developed as a single project,” the announcement noted.

The deadline for submission of EOI is December 4 while an information session would be held on November 27 at the ministry.

President Abdulla Yameen announced plans to develop five tourist resorts in Haa Dhaal atoll during a visit to two northern islands earlier this month.

Haa Dhaal is currently the only atoll in the country without a resort in operation.

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Funds allocated for councils in next year’s budget lower than 2014, says LGA

Local Government Authority (LGA) CEO Dr Ahmed Shukry told parliament’s budget review committee yesterday that funds allocated for city, island, and atoll councils in the 2015 state budget was lower than this year’s budget.

Shukry said the amount allocated for the Malé City Council, six atoll councils and 43 island councils was MVR25 million (US$1.6 million) less than this year.

If the requested amount is not provided, Shukry said many councils would face difficulties paying salaries and utility bills, which was already a recurring issue.

In addition to the LGA, a number of independent institutions, the National University of Maldives, and the judiciary have told the budget committee that the finance ministry has not allocated the requested amount of funds in the record MVR24.3 billion (US$1.5 billion) state budget for 2015.

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MP Nihan claims “no gangs in Maldives” remarks misinterpreted

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Parliamentary Group Leader MP Ahmed Nihan has denied claiming there were no gangs in the Maldives.

Local media had reported Nihan as saying at a PPM gathering on Sunday night (November 16) that there were no gangs in the Maldives and that the government would not allow youth congregating in street corners to be labelled criminal gangs.

“Youth in these small congregations with young blood will have the courage to defend each other. Small things like that will roll over…It’s true, I know while saying this that some incidents have gone beyond bounds,” he was quoted as saying.

Speaking in parliament yesterday, the majority leader accused opposition MPs of twisting his remarks.

“I want to clearly tell the Maldivian people what I said was that every youth in a corner is not a gang member,” he said.

He went on to claim that the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party and former President Mohamed Nasheed should “bear responsibility for all murders in the recent past”.

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59-year-old woman dies of asphyxiation on Flyme flight

A 59-year-old woman died of asphyxiation last night (November 20) aboard a Flyme airline flight.

Local media has identified the woman as Shaida Hasan from Gaa Alif Villingili Sosun Villa. She died while on a domestic flight from Malé’s Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) to Kadadehdhoo.

Media outlet CNM reported a Flyme official as saying that, after noticing the woman was having breathing difficulties, the flight attendants provided the woman with first aid, giving her oxygen through the oxygen masks.

The Flyme official said that air traffic control were informed of the situation before the flight returned to INIA from where Shifa was taken to the airport health facility. The airline was informed of the death at 8.45pm last night.

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Parliament passes amendment to exempt Maldivians from T-GST

Parliament today passed an amendment to the Goods and Services Tax Act to exempt domestic air travel and goods sold at shops in resorts, guesthouses, and hotels exclusively for staff from the Tourism Goods and Services Tax (T-GST).

The amendment submitted by Maldives Development Alliance MP Mohamed Ismail was passed unanimously with 72 votes in favour.

However, the amendment bill does not exempt foreign labourers and tourists from T-GST on domestic air travel or ticket prices.

Following ratification by the president, Maldivians would be charged a six percent GST on airfare.

A T-GST hike from eight to 12 percent – approved by parliament in February as part of revenue raising measures proposed by the government – came into effect on November 1.

Subsequently, local airlines Maldivian and Flyme imposed a 12 percent sales tax on ticket prices and increased airfare by about MVR32 per ticket.

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Majlis approves nominees to Police Integrity Commission, Elections Commission

The People’s Majlis today approved President Abdulla Yameen’s nominees to fill vacancies in the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) and the Elections Commission (EC).

Following evaluation by the independent institutions committee, MPs approved Adam Saeed Moosa to the PIC with 62 votes in favour, two votes against, and two abstentions.

Saeed was a senior official at the PIC. Following approval of his nomination, the president’s second nominee – Fathmath Minhath – was not put to a vote.

Meanwhile, of three nominees to fill two seats on the EC, parliament only approved Amjad Musthafa, from Gaaf Alif Maamendhoo Alivilaage, with 63 votes in favour, one against, and five abstentions.

Former EC Secretary General Asim Abdul Sattar received 23 votes in favour and 47 against while Aishath Hafeez received 22 votes in favour and 47 against.

The committee, however, had awarded Asim the highest marks with 91.4 points following its evaluation.

The five year terms of two current commissioners – Mohamed Farooq and Ali Mohamed Manik – are due to end on November 24.

Amjad’s appointment would still leave three vacancies on the five-member commission. Former EC Chair Fuwad Thowfeek and Deputy Chair Ahmed Fayaz were stripped of their seats by the Supreme Court in March this year.

Parliament subsequently approved Ismail Habeeb to the EC to replace a commissioner who resigned due to poor health – ensuring a three-member quorum for the parliamentary polls to be held as scheduled on March 22.

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MDP condemns government’s failure to fulfil promises to fishermen and farmers

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) hascondemned President Abdulla Yameen’s government for its lack of commitment to promises made towards the betterment of fishermen and farmers in the Maldives.

While speaking at a press conference, MDP Fisheries and Agriculture Committee’s Chair Ibrahim Rasheed said that the government’s lack of commitment is clearly illustrated by the fact that no funds are allocated towards the promised MVR10,000 (US$650) for fishermen.

“Even though President Yameen has promised on multiples podiums to provide fishermen with MVR10,000 and farmers with MVR8000, the budget does not have any allotted funds for this,” said Rasheed.

The committee also expressed concerns over the high recurrent expenditure budget allotted for the fisheries and agriculture ministry while there are only three new programmes to be added to the few ongoing in the upcoming year.

The record24.3 billion (US$ 1.5 billion) budget for 2015 has an allotted MVR134 million (US$8.7 million) as recurrent expenditure for the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture.

Meanwhile, the parliamentary debate for the proposed budget concluded today with 79 out of 85 MPs sharing their thoughts on the budget during the process.

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China donates 200,000 energy efficient lights

China has today pledged to provide the Maldives with 200,000 energy efficient LED lights as part of an MoU for the provision of goods to assist in combatting climate change.

“Approximately MVR300 is estimated to be saved if the LED lights are used for 8 hours per day and if 75% of the LED lights which has been provided are used, MVR49 million would be saved,” read a press release from the Ministry of Environment and Energy.

The ministry last month launched the ‘It’s cool at 25’ campaign to reduce energy consumption in the country and potentially save MVR8,000 (US$519) – or seven percent – from household electricity bills.

Minister of Environment and Energy Throriq Ibrahim signed the MoU on behalf of the government, while Deputy Head of Commission at the Chinese Embassy in Maldives Liu Ching signed on behalf of the Chinese government.

In addition to providing an additional 250,000 LED lights in 2013 – subsequently used across 164 islands – China has more recently donated 200 waste bins worth MVR500,000 (US$32,425) to the Maldives.

As well as a steady stream of grant aid, the Chinese and Maldivian governments have recently penned deals regarding military aid and the development of Ibrahim Nasir International Airport, as well as the Chinese promising to “favorably consider” financing the Malé-Hulhulé bridge project.

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Free airport ferries for the disabled

Free ferries between Malé and Hulhulé will be provided for people with disabilities from midnight tonight, the Airports Ferry Operators Association has announced.

“People with disabilities can show their card at the ticket station and get tickets for free,” Secretary General of the Airports Ferry Operators Association Ibrahim Mohamed told Sun Online.

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