Tag: maldives news

Religious scholars oppose SAARC monuments, Israeli flights

Religious scholars spoke out against controversial monuments erected in Addu City for November’s SAARC summit and government authorisation for Israeli national airline El Al to operate scheduled flights to the Maldives at the ongoing symposium at the Islamic Centre.

Newspaper Haveeru reports that most participants at the two-day symposium organised the Ministry of Islamic Affairs opposed erecting the monuments as well as plans to allow Israeli flights to land in the country at this morning’s debate sessions.

However a proposal by Transport Minister Adhil Saleem to debate the issue of the Israeli flights was voted down by a majority of the religious scholars yesterday as the item was not on the official agenda for the first day.

Most religious scholars argued today that authorising Israeli flights to the Maldives posed a threat to national security while fostering “relations with Jews” was discouraged in Islam.

The symposium, which was held to debate contentious religious issues in Maldivian society, concludes tonight with a special ceremony at the Islamic Centre.

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New resort to feature local life in Laamu Gan

The mid-market Reveries Boutique resort opening on Laamu Atoll Gan intends to benefit local agriculture and industry while offering tourists a new level of access to Maldivian culture, management claims.

The resort will open in February. It will be one of the first resorts to open operations on a local inhabited island.

With a standard of “comfortable deluxe”, the resort aims to “explore the idea that parts of the Maldives are open for people of all types”, said a management official.

The Tourism Ministry recently endorsed mid-market tourism as a significant factor of economic growth, and an important innovation for the tourism industry.

In addition to water sports, good dining and excursions, Reveries Boutique management has expressed an interest in supporting local archaeological research. Known for its barely-explored Buddhist-era remains, Gan could prove an attractive destination for tourists interested in “real life” Maldives.

However, management has said it will only support archaeological work if there is a demonstrated local interest.

Management adds that Gan’s 20 kilometre length makes it an appealing place for tourists wishing to eat locally and explore Maldivian community life. Noting that “resort life is not real life”, the team intends the resort to foster healthy and responsible living along with guest independence.

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Maldives forges diplomatic ties with Burkina Faso

The Maldives has signed a joint communiqué declaring diplomatic relations with Burkina Faso, a landlocked West African country known exporting gold.

The communiqué was signed by Maldives’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Mr. Abdul Ghafoor Mohamed, and Burkina Faso’s UN Permanent Representative Mr. Der Kogda, at a ceremony in New York.

In his speech, Ambassador Ghafoor expressed the Maldives’ commitment to establishing ties with friendly African nations and hoped that these ties would foster a close relationship between the nations and their people.

Both countries are members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

Burkina Faso is the 161st country to establish diplomatic relations with the Maldives.

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Three bills ratified at end of 2011

President Mohamed Nasheed today ratified three bills passed by the People’s Majlis.

The Partnership Bill, stating the guidelines for the formation, registration and operation of business partnerships in the Maldives, categorises partnerships into ‘General’ and ‘Limited Liability’.

The First Amendment Bill to Tax Administration Act (Act number 3/2010) was also  passed during the Parliament’s sitting on 19 December 2011, and ratified today.

The National Health Insurance Scheme Bill passed during its sitting on 21 December 2011, and was ceremoniously signed by the Health Minister at the Artificial Beach. It has been ratified, and the insurance scheme Aasandha will go into effect tomorrow, January 1, 2012.

The bills have been published in the government gazette.

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Procedures to include private clinics in Aasandha underway

The government is working to modify the stipulation that private clinics will not be included in the universal health insurance scheme Aasandha, due to become active tomorrow, January 1.

President Mohamed Nasheed this morning announced that the government is trying to set procedural standards for including clinics in the scheme, Haveeru reports.

Health Minister Ibrahim Waheed told local media that, “We haven’t planned to include private clinics in Aasandha in 2012. The government doesn’t want everyone to set up clinics in their houses but rather wants the people to be able to receive treatment from a single place.”

He added that clinics must upgrade their services to hospital standard in order to be included in the Aasandha scheme.

Details have not been revealed.

The Aasandha scheme does include provisions for Maldivians seeking medical treatment abroad, and offers financial support for those in need.

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President discusses security with Sri Lanka

President Mohamed Nasheed has discussed plans to enhance defense cooperation between the Maldives and neighboring Sri Lanka during his official visit to the country.

The two governments are considering joint naval operations as a means to counter the increasing threat of maritime terrorism and piracy. Identifying South Asia as a “conflict-stricken region”, he commended the work of the Sri Lankan Security Forces.

President Nasheed was chief guest at a ceremony to recognise 194 cadet officers, including one Maldivian cadet officer. It is the President’s third visit to Sri Lanka this year.

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Three arrested in Addu with suspected narcotics

Police have arrested three persons possessing suspected narcotics in Addu City.

According to local media the three were arrested on suspicion of possesing 42 packets of illegal narcotics.

Media reports that one individual was arrested while he was on his motorbike.

The other two have been arrested in a separate case.

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One Maldivian and three expats arrested brewing alcohol

Police have arrested three expatriates and a Maldivian while they were allegedly brewing alcohol in a house in Male’.

According to local media the individuals were caught in the act inside a house named Gerevi in Mahchangolhi.

Media reported that police discovered 28 bottles of vodka, 20 liters of brewed alcohol, 38 bottles containing 500ml of alcohol and two 5 liter bottles and a 20 liter bottle which was also containing alcohol.

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Tourism Ministry issues circular to close spas and massage parlors

After thousands of protesters gathered last Friday and demanded the government “close the spas and massage parlors and such places where prostitution is conducted”, the Tourism Ministry has today published a circular asking all the resorts to shut down their spas and massage parlors.

Press Secretary for the President Mohamed Zuhair today confirmed to Minivan News that the Tourism Ministry had issued the circular.

The circular informs that the government has decided to shut down all the spas and massage parlors in accordance with demands made by the general public during last Friday’s protest to “defend Islam.”

Speaking at a press conference held yesterday, Zuhair said the protesters did not specify where exactly the prostitution was conducted but mentioned that prostitution was conducted inside spas and massage parlors.

He said the government does not know how to differentiate between the spas and massage parlors that are complicit with prostitution and those which are not.

Therefore, Zuhair said the government has decided to shut down all such locales because Maldivians, including high-profile individuals, have been visiting tourist resorts and having spa treatments.

He said the government does not want those high-profile individuals’ good names being damaged by visiting places accused of such crimes.

Zuhair added that some of the individuals making these demands last Friday also conduct business in the tourism industry. Therefore, the government believes that, given their insider understanding of the resort and spa industry, their accusations are well-founded and there is not much to investigate.

This week, five spas run in five resorts owned by opposition Jumhoory Party (JP) Leader ‘Burma’ Gasim Ibrahim were asked by the Tourism Ministry to shut down operations over similar allegations.

The company subsequently sued the government. Meanwhile, the Civil Court issued a warrant permitting those spas to continue operations until the suit has reached a verdict.

Tourism Minister Dr Maryam Zulfa was unavailable for a comment.

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