Tag: maldives news

Airport development begins, with “no chance” of GMR returning to project

The Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) has begun a program to further develop the airport, to be done in multiple phases.

Launching a program worth US$5 million to develop Ibrahim Nasir International Airport’s (INIA) ground handling on Thursday, MACL Managing Director ‘Bandhu’ Ibrahim Saleem revealed that various plans had been set in place for the development of INIA.

President Abdulla Yameen has today been quoted in Indian media as stating that any future management of the airport will not be carried out by foreign companies – with the Maldives government itself the preferred overseer.

Saleem told local media that, in addition to the introduction of new baggage tractors – launched during Thursday’s event – the company will also be introducing four new passenger carrier buses, heavy load vehicles for baggage carrying, a new baggage staircase and a mechanism to assist with boarding and unboarding patients with medical conditions within a period of 60 days.

He added that the projects are being conducted under the government’s 100 day policy implementation plans.

The record US$511 million development of the airport under Indian infrastructure giant GMR was prematurely terminated under the previous administration, prompting the filing of a US$1.4 billion arbitration case in Singapore.

Saleem explained that the ground handling equipment currently in use is old and damaged, which causes unnecessary delays in operations, assuring that the introduction of new equipment will allow passengers to observe a “remarkable improvement” in the speed of service.

“We are spending company money on these programs. We have not been able to purchase any such equipment since 2007,” he was quoted as saying.

Many projects underway

According to Saleem, the program is one among many development plans the company is undertaking.

Stating that the biggest challenge faced by the airport today is the issue of flight trafficking, he said that a permanent solution to overcrowding in the airport can only be found through the building of a second runway. He did, however, note that such a project would take a “tremendous amount of time”.

Adding that a review of the previously compiled Scottwilson development master plan of the airport would commence in the next two weeks, Saleem said that compiling such a plan anew would take around one year. He stated that global experts will be arriving within two weeks to assist in reviewing and updating the plans.

While the government is deliberating on undertaking such a project, said Saleem, reclaiming land and building a new runway would itself take at least two years to reach completion.

“Flyme is bringing in a new plane. Maldivian is also bringing in another new plane. So we need a runway upgrade at the airport as soon as possible. Nevertheless, it is not an easy thing to do,” he said.

The managing director added that, while these projects are pending, the airport is currently implementing smaller development projects immediately. As an example, he revealed that the construction of a new 35,000 square meter flight apron will be contracted to an external party in the next two weeks.

“We cannot do airport development in bits and pieces separately. It must be done all together. Once the Stockwilson plan is reviewed, we can begin the main work,” he said.

Saleem added that in 2014 itself, the airport traffic will increase immensely, and that the government will be focusing on reviewing the Stockwilson plan with a focus on connecting the airport to Malé.

GMR welcome to engage in other projects, not airport development: president

Meanwhile, President Abdulla Yameen has told Indian media that the Maldivian government is not even considering resuming the airport development contract with Indian infrastructure giant GMR.

While he repeated that the government is seeking an out of court settlement regarding the arbitration case concerning the cancellation of the GMR contract in the Waheed administration, Yameen said that the Maldives “had nothing against the GMR itself”.

“I am not saying we are saying no to GMR. What I am saying is total management of the airport is far too important for the Maldivian government (to hand over). We have nothing against GMR of any Indian company. It is just that the international airport is far too important for us, commercially and from a security point of view,” Yameen is quoted as saying to Indian publication The Hindu.

“The total operation of our airport will probably not go to any foreign party. Probably not even go to a Maldivian company. It will be undertaken by the MACL, a 100 percent government company,” he stated.

Yameen affirmed that deliberations of settling the GMR issue out of court has already begun, adding that the company is welcome to pursue other projects in the country.

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Two men reported missing found alive

Two men reported missing after going diving for sea-cucumbers have been found alive.

According to police, the two men aged 21 and 28 went diving near the surfing point in Baa Atoll, later being found 900 meters off Fendhoo island in Baa Atoll.

Police said that they were reported missing at noon but were found at around 2pm today.

The two were found by a speedboat belonging to Royal Island resort – Baa Atoll police are is further investigating the case.

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Court release man arrested for threatening police speedboat

The court has released a man arrested after he allegedly threatened a police speedboat captain and crew who were conducting a special operation in the island of Fares-maathoda in Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll.

Police alleged that the man told the boat captain that he would set fire to the boat.

According to the police, he was released under condition that he will not communicate with the speedboat captain or the crew.

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Masked men attack sleeping girls and rob apartment

Local media has reported that two masked men broke in to an apartment in Henveiru ward where two girls were sleeping, attacking the girls before fleeing with a laptop, mobile phones and other valuables.

Police confirmed with local media. stating that the incident occurred at about 6:30am this morning.

According to local media reports, the two girls were aged 21 and 13 – both being admitted to ADK hospital for treatment.

Details of the injuries were not revealed.

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President ratifies Right to Information Act

President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has ratified the landmark Right to Information (RTI) Act today.

Advocacy NGO Transparency Maldives has hailed the ratification of the act as “major step forward for good governance and transparency.”

The act (Dhivehi) aims to widen and improve the scope for the citizen’s rights to information in order to increase transparency and accountability.

Within six months of ratification, the president is mandated to appoint a Commissioner of Information to enforce the act, while the government is obliged to appoint an Information Officer at every government office to facilitate access to information.

The Commissioner of Information’s tenure is five years. The act also provides for the establishment of an Office of the Commissioner of Information.

The commissioner has the power enforce a fine on information officers who deliberately refuse access to information. Such a fine may not exceed MVR5000 (US$324).

The commissioner may also fine any individual who destroys requested information, obstructs a public authority or the Information Officer’s from providing access to information. Such a fine may not exceed MVR25,000 (US$ 1621).

The act also provides protection to whistleblowers if the whistleblower publicises information regarding corruption or breach of the law.

Under the act, any public authority is obliged to comply with a request for information within 21 days. However, if the request is relevant to an individual’s liberty or protection of a person’s life, information must be provided within 48 hours.

Any request for information must state the request is being submitted under the RTI Act, details of the requested information, details of the applicant, an address for receipt of requested information, as well as the designated fee.

A request for information can be declined if the Information Officer deems the request to be incomplete, incorrect, or purposeless. However, the Information Officer must notify the applicant before declining the request and grant enough time and assistance to the applicant to revise their application

The state is not required to disclose any information designated confidential by law, or information that could cause legal action against the government for breach of confidence, or which could prevent future communication of such information to the government.

Furthermore, the state is not required to disclose information which could have an adverse impact on the government’s ability to manage or administer the economy or  information whose premature disclosure could put a person at an unfair advantage or disadvantage

Neither is the government obliged to reveal information that harms the immunities of the parliament and the courts, information of a closed trial, personal or judicial records which could harm the dignity of a child below 18 years, and information regarding victims of sexual abuse.

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Police arrests drug lord during special operation

Police have this morning conducted a special operation, raiding the house of an individual alleged to have been supplying the illegal drugs trade in the Maldives.

The police issued a statement today revealing that the operation was conducted this morning at about 8:20am, with officers raiding the premises of Woodpecker house in Maafannu ward – the home of the alleged drug lord.

According to police 500 grams of suspected illegal drugs were found inside the house.

Police did not reveal the identity of the suspect arrested in the case, but stated that he was 23 years old and involved in a wide network of drug business in the Maldives.

Official statistics reveal drug-related offences reported to police had risen by 84 percent between 2012 and 2013.

On December 5, police searched the premises of Henveiru Fahaageaage after obtaining a search warrant, on suspicion that the house was related to a local drug network operating in Male’.

During the operation police discovered drugs and money inside the house.

Police said that persons believed to be involved in the network were apprehended inside the house during the operation.

According to police, a total of four persons have been arrested in connection with the case including a Pakistani and a Sri Lankan national.

At the time, police said that more places involved in the drug network were being searched.

No further details of the operation were provided in the statement, though it was said that further details will be divulged later.

Yesterday, police told local newspapers that a special operation had been conducted in Male’ to reduce criminal activities conducted by gangs operating inside cinamale’ flat area and its surroundings – discovering four knives and suspected illegal drugs.

The raid was reported to have followed numerous complaint from residents. Police dismantled huts and bird cages inside the premises that had been built without permission from Male’ City Council, on suspicion that these areas may have been used by the gang members to store drugs.

During an interview with Minivan News last week, Home Minister Umar Naseer said that the main targets of his ministry for the next five years would be to curb the drug-related crimes occurring in the country.

Umar Naseer said that due to the increase in drug related offenses the criminal justice system has been overloaded – as had the work of police and customs.

He told Minivan News that the main cause of this overload was the increase in drugs being smuggled and the amount of drug abusers and peddlers.

Naseer said that he intended to give high priority to enhancing the customs services in order to stop illegal drugs and other contraband from being brought in to the country.

Speaking about reducing drug-related crimes, he said that he would focus more on major drug dealers, rather than those further down the criminal hierarchy.

The home minister also pledged to find ways to enforce Maldivian law on the drug lords abroad who are involved in the drug trafficking cases occurring in the Maldives.

According to Naseer, the police intelligence department has been widened by training more intelligence officers

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Week in review: January 4 – 10

The law and order aims of the new administration took centre stage this week as the Home Minister Umar Naseer announced his desire to introduce mandatory government service for young people in order to produce a well-disciplined generation.

The Home Ministry also revealed that fifty prison inmates were to begin work on road construction on the industrial island of Thilafushi as part of efforts to improve reintegration.

With the same end in mind, the police announced its decision to expunge the criminal records of over 1000 young offenders, as the juvenile court revealed that only 6 young people had completed reintegration programmes the previous year.

In an interview with Minivan News, Umar Naseer described the desire to fight illegal drugs that had originally brought him into politics – and now into the cabinet. Naseer expressed his intention to relieve the pressure the drugs problem places on the criminal justice system.

This pressure on the system seemed set to rise this week as the Criminal Court said it would halt all existing cases following the Majlis’s failure to confirm a new prosecutor general. The Supreme Court, however, quickly stepped in to order the resumption of activity.

The government’s plans in the education sector also continued to take shape with the formation of the Council of Higher Education. The scholarship policy of the previous administration took a blow, however, as the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) ordered a review of the vetting processes for tertiary scholarships.

Additionally, the ACC revealed that laptops were given to immigration department staff as bribes to encourage cooperation with the later-terminated border control project.

Returning from his state visit to India, President Abdulla Yameen described bilateral ties as being as strong as they had been under the thirty-year leadership of his half-brother Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. The vice president lauded the visit as a panacea to all of the countries’ previous problems.

After Yameen had discussed the amicable settlement of the GMR dispute with the Indian Prime Minister, the Maldives Attorney General this week claimed that the Mohamed Nasheed administration had broken finance laws when guaranteeing loans to the infrastructure giant in 2011.

Nasheed himself rounded on the Yameen cabinet during campaigning for the approaching local council elections, criticising the president’s decision to split ministerial portfolios between different parties.

Earlier in the week, Yameen’s Progressive Coalition had launched its own local election campaign, calling upon voters to enable the government to fulfil its pledges by supporting its local candidates.

Meanwhile, in the first of a series of interviews with MPs ahead of March’s parliamentary poll, Maldivian Democratic Party MP Hamid Abdul Ghafoor told Minivan News that the Nasheed government’s decentralisation policy had been his proudest achievement.

The Elections Commission this week announced that all ten parties with less than 3,000 members would be dissolved.

Elsewhere, a leading member of the Fiqh academy – advisory council – this week publicly criticised the recently passed Sexual Offences Bill for partially criminalising marital rape.

The government’s passing of anti-trafficking legislation was commended by visiting officials from the US State Department, though a government source questioned the decision to move responsibility for implementation to the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

Finally, the bankrupt State Trading Organisation has announced plans to cut operational costs by MVR50 million in 2014 (US$ 3,242,542).

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Majlis will reconvene to discuss revenue raising measures

The People’s Majlis has agreed to return from recess on Tuesday (January 14) in order to discuss urgent amendments to tax and tourism legislation that will enable the government to raise vital revenue.

Local media has reported that the session will begin at 9am.

President Abdulla Yameen last week called upon the legislature to reassemble in order to facilitate the record MVR17.95 billion budget passed last month – of which MVR3 billion is reliant on new revenue raising measures.

“God willing, when the revenue related bills are passed next week the projects in atolls will speed up”, he said.

The measures include hiking Tourism GST from 8 percent to 12 percent, revising import duties, continuing tourism bed tax for one more year, raising airport departure charge for foreign passengers from US$18 to US$25, leasing 12 islands for resort development, introducing GST for telecommunication services, and obtaining resort lease payments as a lump sum.

Following the Majlis’s failure to extend tourism bed tax before the start of the current recess, Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad told local media that the resulting losses to state revenue would be MVR100 million a month.

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Supreme Court orders Criminal Court to restart trials

The Supreme Court has ordered the Criminal Court to restart trials following the court’s decision to suspend all cases in the absence of a prosecutor general (PG).

In a statement today, the Supreme Court said it had told the Criminal Court that the criminal justice system must proceed in order to maintain constitutional rule.

The apex court ordered the Criminal Court to “continue with all ongoing cases without any obstruction, and continue issuing rulings such as that on [pre-trial] detentions as before.”

The Criminal Court had announced yesterday it will halt all ongoing cases as the PG’s position has been vacant for more than 30 days.

Former PG Ahmed Muizz had resigned from his position shortly before the parliament was set to debate a no confidence motion against him.

Speaking to Minivan News, deputy PG Hussein Shameem condemned the Criminal Court for its decision, alleging the court had not discussed the matter with him or the parliament.

Further, people held in pre-trial detention may have to stay in remand centers if cases do not go ahead, Shameem said.

“So what do they do now, it would not be fair to keep them in there until the parliament comes back to work from recess after three months and appoint a new PG,’’ Shameem said.

“That is one of my biggest concerns over this issue, it is a responsibility of the PG office to uphold constitutional rights of the people.’’

There were no laws stating that the deputy PG cannot fulfill the responsibilities of PG in the case of the position being vacant, Shameem added.

He argued that PG’s office’s work must not come to a halt because the parliament had failed to appoint a new PG.

On December 10, President Abdulla Yameen proposed his nephew Maumoon Hameed for the post of Prosecutor General and submitted the name to the parliament for the MPs to approve.

The issue was sent to parliament’s Independent Commissions Committee and the committee decided to seek public opinion on him before sending it to the parliament floor for voting.

However, the parliament is now on recess and will not start work until March.

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