Tag: maldives

MMPRC to further boost Chinese visitors with tourism roadshow

The Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation (MMPRC) has today launched a three-city tour of China in an effort to further boost the number of Chinese tourists.

Taking in Chongqing, Chengdu, and Guangzhou over the next five days, twelve industry groups will also take part in the roadshow

“This road show is the perfect platform to establish a more extensive contact with the China travel trade,” read an MMPRC press release today.

“It is also an opportunity for the Chinese market to be educated on Maldives, its serene beauty and the delicate surroundings.”

After becoming the market leader in terms of visitors to the Maldives in 2011, Chinese visitors now represent nearly one third of all arrivals, totalling 331,000 in 2013.

“Maldives is now positioned to seize the market opportunity created by China’s increasing demand for luxury outbound travel. Hence, this is a great opportunity to promote the destination and to continue to strengthen the image of Maldives in the Chinese Market,” said the MMPRC.

The rapid growth in tourist arrivals has preceded a strengthening of diplomatic relations, with Xi Jinpeng becoming the first Chinese head of state to visit the Maldives last month.

Among a number of MoUs signed during the visit was an agreement to introduce mechanisms to deal with the issue of safety and security of Chinese tourists in the Maldives.

While a Chinese national died last month following a motorcycle accident in the capital Malé, the most common cause of injuries and fatalities among Chinese visitors are related to water sports.

Responding to anecdotal reports of Chinese visitors’ eating habits while visiting the Maldives, Jinpeng was said to have called upon his countrymen to “eat less instant noodles and more local seafood”.

The Maldives’ President Abdulla Yameen expressed his hope that Chinese arrivals would increase three-fold over the next four years.

“Hosting this road show will result in continuous boost in arrivals from China in the years to come,” said the MMPRC today.

The MMPRC conducted a similar event in China in 2012, while a similar event was carried out by the MMPRC in Australia last May in an attempt to break
into the relatively untouched Australian market.

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16-year-old girl now missing for 49 days

Police have yet to reveal any information on the missing 16-year-old girl, Fathimath Malha, who was reported missing on August 25.

Local media has reported the case as being a ‘runaway’, though police media have declined from explaining on what basis the case is being investigated.

“I can only confirm that the matter is being presently investigated. We will not be revealing any further details to media,” an official told Minivan News.

A description of the missing girl on the police website states that she is dark eyed, curly haired, slim, and tall.

Police have sought public assistance on the case, appealing to citizens to contact them on 3322111 or their Family and Child Protection Department on 9790163 if anyone possesses any information regarding the case.

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Addu Council to prioritise dealing with waste management issue in 2015

Addu City Council has announced that they will be prioritising a waste management programme when drafting the budget for 2015.

The council stated that there is an even higher need for this at present due to the development of guest house tourism in the city.

Addu City Mayor Abdulla Sodiq also reflected on the importance of increasing public awareness on waste management, local media reports.

The council stated that the waste management system they intend to introduce will facilitate the conversion of recycling and the production of fertilisers through the burning of waste.

The council had previously discussed conducting a waste management program in Addu with the assistance of the Ministry of Environment.

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Civil Court orders DRP to pay over MVR1.1 million to MTCC

The Civil Court has on Sunday ordered the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) to pay MVR1,111,438.96 (USD72,406.45) to Maldives Transport and Contract Company Plc (MTCC).

The party was taken to court by the MTCC after its failure to pay this amount for services rendered to the party during the 2008 presidential elections, in which the party’s then-leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom lost to the Maldivian Democratic Party’s Mohamed Nasheed.

The Civil Court verdict in the case orders the party to split the payment and complete payments within a period of six months.

Earlier in April, the Civil Court ordered the party to pay back a debt of over MVR700,000 (USD45,602.61) to HUB Company. The DRP was later fined by the court for ts  failure to complete payment as per court orders.

Island Aviation Services are also currently suing the party seeking repayment of debts. After backing unsuccessful candidates during the 2013 presidential election, the DRP failed to win any seats in the 2014 Majlis elections.

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Government announces expenditure cuts to curb ballooning budget deficit

The Finance Ministry has cut back on planned development projects and reduced recurrent expenditure by 20 percent in an effort to curb a ballooning budget deficit.

A circular issued by the ministry on September 28, and publicised today, has assured that wages and allowances will not be affected.

The initially projected MVR1.3 billion deficit in this year’s record budget is now expected to rise to over MVR4 billion due to shortfalls in revenue and increases in unplanned expenditure – in particular the raising of pensions from MVR2300 to MVR5000.

Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb had pledged to raise revenue for elderly pensions through T-bill sales, but Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad admitted in August that the government had been forced to rely on the state budget for the handouts.

In the same month, Jihad also warned that the deficit may affect the government’s ability to pay civil servants.

“We try to make regular salary payments even if we have to take loans in order to do so,” he said.

The government currently employs just under 25,000 civil servants, representing over 7 percent of the population. This high figure has long been identified as one of the causes of country’s fiscal imbalances.

According to Maldives Monetary Authority figures, while the government had spent MVR10.1 billion by June 2014, it only raised MVR6.3 billion in revenue during the same period. Meanwhile, government spending in June rose 58 percent compared to the same period in 2013.

Opposition leader and former President Mohamed Nasheed in a rally last night contended the deficit was plugged with the public’s savings at banks, and expressed concern over the impact on the financial sector should the government find itself unable to pay back treasury bills.

Meanwhile, the government is also facing the prospect of a potentially crippling payout to infrastructure giant GMR after a Singapore court of arbitration ruled in favour of the Indian company in a dispute over the premature termination of its airport concession deal.

The MMA’s 2013 Macroeconomic Development report said that shortfalls in revenue and overruns in expenditure could jeopardise the country’s debt sustainability – currently 81 percent of GDP.

President Abdulla Yameen’s economic development plans have focused almost solely on attracting foreign investment for large infrastructure projects and special economic zones (SEZs).

The recently passed SEZ Act is a “landmark law” that will “transform” the economy through diversification and mitigate the reliance on the tourism industry, Yameen has said.

The government maintained that SEZs with relaxed regulations and tax concessions were necessary to attract foreign investors and launch ‘mega projects’ for economic diversification, which would create jobs and elevate the economy to a “new production frontier.”

Meanwhile, Nasheed has noted that attempts to attract investment in the government’s 11 months in power have failed. Nasheed last night claimed foreign multi-national companies were reluctant to invest in the Maldives.

“We are saying the [Progressive Party of Maldives’] government has failed because they are not practicing what they preach at all,” he said during a speech in Fuvahmulah.

Nasheed also criticised the PPM’s failure to provide a pledged MVR10,000 a month to fishermen during lean periods and the failure to provide MVR8000 to farmers.

Both the outgoing and incoming governors of the MMA have this year called on the state to reduce expenditure alongside increases in revenue.

Successive governments have imposed similar spending cuts, while an IMF delegation visiting the country in February expressed surprise at the economy’s continuing resilience.

“For a long time we’ve been saying that reserves at the MMA are very low and that the fiscal deficit is quite difficult and we expect the economy to run into some problems,” said resident representative Dr Koshy Mathai.

“But somehow the economy has shown resilience, a lot of resilience, and we’ve been surprised – happily surprised but surprised nonetheless.”

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Broadcasters Lobby Group calls on president to investigate ‘riding fees’

The Broadcasters Lobby Group has appealed to President Abdulla Yameen to look into the matter of cable TV provider Medianet charging a ‘riding fee’ to broadcast local channels while it charges no such fees to show international channels.

The Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC) on Thursday approved a provision whereby Medianet can charge MVR4 for each household as a ‘riding fee’ when local channels are viewed in Seenu and Kaafu atoll if channels are hosted through their network.

In the appeal to the president, the lobby group alleged that MBC is discriminating against local broadcasters and that it was an attempt to eradicate local channels, local media reports.

“As things have reached this point, we believe that it is obligatory for the head of state to look into this matter,” a press release by the lobby group read.

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MP’s police brutality hearing cancelled due to defendant’s absence

No additional reporting by missing journalist Ahmed Rilwan

Today’s hearing into the alleged assault of Mahchangolhi Uthuru MP Mariya Didi has been cancelled after the defendant’s failure to attend court.

Police officer Ibrahim Faisal is accused of assaulting the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP during the demonstration held on February 8, 2012, following the controversial change of power on February 7.

The MDP maintains the transfer of power to was an illegal, with the resignation of former President Nasheed having come under duress.

The hearing was cancelled today (October 12) when the accused failed to attend despite having received a summons sent to police headquarters.

The Criminal Court has rescheduled the hearing to be held on October 19. Mariya Didi confirmed to Minivan News that she has received summons from the Criminal Court to be present at the newly scheduled hearing.

Faisal has previously denied the charges against him, although another police officer has given a witness statement supporting the assault claims against Faisal.

Following the cancellation of today’s hearing, Mariya Didi held a press conference during which she expressed concern that the accused is allowed to continue working without suspension despite the serious charges lodged against him.

She said that she was worried about her safety after having appeared in court to testify against the officer.

“The man that the prosecutor general is prosecuting with evidence still remains in his position at work. And as I saw on that day, it was not just one individual police officer who assaulted me,” Mariya told the press.

“On both February 7 and 8 they attacked me as a group. Based on this, I am worried about the fact that he [Faisal] gets to stay on in his job,” she added.

Previous investigations into the events of February 8 by the Human Rights Commission of Maldives stated that the police crackdown of MDP supporters marching on February 8 was “brutal” and “without prior warning”.

An HRCM team visiting the MP while in detention after the February 8 march observed “bruises all over [Mariya’s] body and her eyes bloodied and swollen”.

In its concluding observations, the commission concluded that police officers “acted very harshly” towards the politicians “in ways that could cause physical and psychological harm” despite their having been no resistance on the part of the politicians.

Amnesty International also documented the assaults on both Mariya and fellow MDP MP Eva Abdulla in its September 2012 report titled, ‘The Other side of Paradise: A Human Rights Crisis in the Maldives’.

The Criminal Court is also separately looking into a case of alleged brutality on MP ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik by police officer Mohamed Waheed of RosyVilla in Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll Thinadhoo.

In 2013, Amnesty released a statement saying that failure to prosecute police officers accused of human rights abuses and serious failings in the justice system entrenched impunity.

Commonwealth-backed Commission of National Inquiry – established by then President Mohamed Waheed to investigate the transfer of power – had taken note of “allegations of police brutality and acts of intimidation”, calling for “investigations to proceed and to be brought to public knowledge with perpetrators held to account”.

Speaking in parliament on August 6, Attorney General Mohamed Anil stated that five cases involving four police officers accused of committing acts of brutality in February 2012 were ongoing at the Criminal Court.

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Airport runway resumes operations after fuel leakage shutdown

Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) has resumed runway operations early Sunday morning after a shut down on Saturday night due to a fuel leakage.

Maldives Airports Company Limited officials told local media the runway had been closed down to a hydraulic fuel leakage from a Singapore Airlines flight that had landed on Saturday night.

Operations resumed at about 12.45am on Sunday.

The airport’s runway was closed on September 6 due to a leakage from a Singapore Airlines flight.

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MNDF website hacked

The website of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) was hacked this morning and is currently offline.

MNDF Spokesperson Major Hussain Ali told local media that control of the site has since been regained.

“It’s going to happen again,” reads a message on the hacked home page under the date ‘7-11-2014.’

“There are only two ways to live. One is though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle,” read the rest of the message.

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