Tag: male

Three arrested in connection with drug cases

Police have arrested three persons in connection with three different drug related cases.

In a statement issued today the police said a 36 year-old man was arrested from the island of Dhaandhoo Island in Gaafu Alifu Atoll.

Police said the man had thrown away something on seeing police officers on patrol on the street, and when police officers examined the items they found it was a cellophane packed with illegal drugs.

Another 26 year-old man was also arrested from the island on May 6 with five cellophane packets containing illegal drugs.

The third person was arrested in Malé on May 5 with six rubber packets containing illegal drugs. The man had run away from the police when he was stopped on suspicion of possessing illegal drugs.

But police officers managed to arrest him and take him to Maafannu Police Station.

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BML makes first quarter profit of MVR 199 million

The Bank of Maldives (BML) has published it’s first quarter results with an operating profit of MVR 199 million, an increase of 35% over the previous quarter.

Income grew by 10% and costs were controlled, the BML said.

The loan book grew by MVR 199 million in the quarter and loan book quality continued to strengthen, and deposits were up 17%, their press statement read.

Speaking on their success, CEO and Managing Director Andrew Healy stated, “we must not get carried away, however. Our Bank still has work to do to build a sustainable earnings base – much of our growth in profits over recent times has been due to loan recoveries – and we know that customer service standards are not yet at the level that we and our customers expect.”

Referring to the Bank’s IT modernisation programme, Healy continued “We are in the middle of a major IT and Training investment programme which will help transform how we deliver our services, including in the Atolls. Much of our technology was outdated and inflexible and is being replaced.”

“The changes we are bringing about will take time to bed down and there will inevitably be some disruption to services as we implement new systems over the rest of 2014. However, ultimately we will have a much better bank that is capable of meeting the highest international standards in every way”.

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Malé night market to continue despite alleged corruption

The Malé night market will continue despite the Anti Corruption Commission’s (ACC) instruction not to continue with the deal, the Malé City Council has said.

Deputy Mayor Shifa Mohamed told Minivan News their legal advisors had told them that the ACC does not have the authority stop the agreement with GoMedia from going ahead.

“They asked us to stop certain things, but it has to be finalised from the court,” Shifa said.

“So according to legal officers the Supreme Court has taken a role in saying the ACC is not a place to stop any projects,” she stated.

Shifa referred to a Supreme Court verdict in September 2013 in which the apex court said the ACC does not have the authority to stop a contract between the Maldives government and a Malaysian mobile security firm Nexbis to establish a border control system.

The ACC is consequently planning to take legal action against the Council and GoMedia.

Speaking to Vnews, ACC President Hassan Luthufee said that the Go Media agreement should not be followed by any means and that the agreement’s maintenance was a direct attempt to abet a criminal offense.

“We have forwarded the Go Media case to PG (Prosecutor General) Office for prosecution. If the present Malé City Council members are speaking with this intent, we have to investigate and prosecute them as well,” Luthufee said.

Council disputes corruption allegations

The ACC had stated that the agreement made between Malé City Council and Go Media was compiled in manner that favored some parties and paved way for possible corruption.

However, Shifa yesterday stated that investigations into corruption had not been carried out sufficiently, and questioned the thoroughness of the ACC’s research.

“The Major has sent letter telling [ACC] to redo the whole investigation,” revealed Shifa.

“When the ACC started looking there was one single letter, by a single councilor. The ACC have not really gone into depth,” she added. “They need to check all the documents.”

The arrangements for the market are well underway with many of the stalls already let out to traders, and stopping the plans now could damage many small business owners, Shifa said.

GoMedia has rented out 450 stalls and three canteens at the rate of MVR 4000 (US$ 259) each.

“Small business have already bought tables,” she explained, “we should not disappoint them. We have to consider the fact that agreement was signed.”

“The ACC’s main responsibility is to check if the project is going on properly,” Shifa continued.

She explained that any grievances the ACC may have should be put forth to the Prosecutor General.

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Red Bull reveals plans for ‘Catch the Ferry’ road race

Runners in the Maldives can expect a new challenge unlike any seen in the Maldives before. The Red Bull Catch the Ferry (RBCF) road race is set to commence on May 31. Unlike other road races previously held in the Maldives, the RBCF road race will see participants compete in a 12.6km race across Malé, Hulhumalé and Vilingili.

To progress, runners will need to make it around each of the routes on the island and catch the ferry before it departs for the next leg of the race. Ferries will leave at progressively quicker intervals before departing for the next leg, reads the press statement.

“This very unique concept, offering Maldivian runners to a new challenge. Red Bull Catch the Ferry combines challenge, excitement and fun in one competition. Athletes are really looking forward for this exciting event,” Half Marathon record holder Naseer Ismail states on the press release.

Accordidng to the statement, the fastest male and female of the race will win an opportunity to attend the Almáty edition of the Red Bull 400, which is scheduled to be held inKazakhstan in August this year.

Red Bull 400 is the steepest uphill race that takes place in Europe, and was created by former world-class sprinter Andreas Berger.

The race will take place from 15:50 – 18:00, May 31 2014, starting at the Raalhugandu Helipad Area, Boduthakurufaanu Magu in Malé.

Other races in the Maldives include the Dhiraagu Maldives Road Race, which will take place on June 6.

One of the largest athletic events in the country, the Dhiraagu Maldives Road Race comprises of 5km and 10km. The run is dedicated for a social cause, and this year’s theme is ‘Help Protect Our Children’. Local telecoms company Dhiraagu initially started the event in 2007 as a way of promoting healthier lifestyles for Maldivians.

The race is scheduled to take place in the afternoon of June 6 2014, at Male’ City (Raalhugandu Area), accompanied by live music and children’s activities. Since its inception in 2007, this is the 8th consecutive year of the event.

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NGO Kickstart completes free TechTalk lectures

Local NGO Kickstart completed it’s free TechTalk lectures at Madhu College, Malé on Monday.

The TechTalks are free monthly events organised to share knowledge about important concepts in computer science and the latest developments in software development.

Previously, Kickstart organised the Maldive’s first 24 hour Hackathon, an event that brought together web developers from the local community to create new software or applications. The Hackathon aimed to inspire participants to develop products that could have a high social impact, or ‘kickstart’ a viable business.

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Government plans massive operation to deport undocumented workers

The government today announced a massive operation to detain and deport undocumented workers.

“Within three to four months the whole Malé will be cleaned,” said the Minister of Defence and National Security Mohamed Nazim – also in charge of the Immigration Department.

“They can’t live in Malé. When I say this, it will happen – I am not just saying it.”

Nazim told media the government is planning a “very strong operation” to reduce the number of undocumented migrant workers in Maldives “for the safety and security of everyone and for the economy”.

He said the operation would be carried out jointly by Maldives National Defence Force, the Maldives Police Service, the Department of Immigration and Emigration, and other relevant institutions.

Those detained in the operation are to be be deported using the money deposited by their employers when they were recruited.

A special facility has now been assigned to keep those who will be detained in the operation. Local councils will implement the operation in the atolls.

Nazim said the operation will begin before Ramazan and will target all undocumented workers – from those at the local market, to those wiping motorcycles.

Those deported will have to wait 5 to 10 years before being allowed to enter Maldives again, as opposed to those recently deported through a special voluntary repatriation program, who have the option to return in six months.

The defense minister noted that the capacity of institutions will be considered when carrying out the operation, as the government “does not want to detain so many people and take care of them”.

Actions such as imposing fines and restricting quotas will be taken against those who employ such workers, while a public awareness programme will be carried out simultaneously.

Limiting quotas for agencies

Nazim today announced that, within the year, the recruitment of foreign workers will be limited only to employment agencies.

In this regard, quotas – the maximum number of foreign nationals that can be employed by a single employer – will be issued only through employment agencies.

“Instead of individuals requesting for a quota, they should go through [recruitment] agencies to get the quota. They should apply to agencies and do it through those agencies,” he said, noting that individuals can still employ foreign workers, but can also only do so through agencies.

Nazim said the main reason for the change is the current difficulty in holding individuals accountable.

When the government allowed individuals to recruit foreign employees directly, in 2009, the Association for Employment Agencies expressed concern that the move would increase the number of undocumented workers.

In addition to the approximately 110,000 migrant workers employed in the Maldives, the number of undocumented workers have been estimated to be as high as 44,000. Many workers live at congested labor quarters owned by locals.

Authorities reported a good response to the recent voluntary repatriation scheme, with over 4,000 workers reported to have left the Maldives between December and the end of March.

Meanwhile, the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) today announced that, starting from Sunday, immigration related payments such as the visa fee and fines will be collected from the newly established ‘Huravee Collection Center’ on the third floor of the Huravee Building.

Commissioner General of MIRA, Yazeed Mohamed said that similar collection centers will be established around the country to make such payments easier. And said that the authority is working to establish a tax collection center in Hulhumale as well.

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Three persons arrested for prostitution in Maafannu

Police have arrested two females and a man on charges of prostitution.

The police said that the two females arrested were aged 29 and 30 while the man was 26 years-old. They confirmed that all those arrested were Maldivians.

According to a police statement, they were arrested in a special operation conducted by police to raid a house in Maafannu called ‘Beauty’ last night at about 11 pm.

When police officers entered their apartment the three of them were involved in sexual activities and they were naked, police said.

Furthermore, the police said that when police officers searched the house they discovered five packets containing illegal narcotics.

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Negotiations to re-home slow loris continue

Negotiations for the re-homing of the slow loris are continuing after another offer for relocating the illegally imported animal appeared to have stalled.

After new inquiries from the UK regarding the possible re-homing of the endangered animal, the Ministry of Environment has revealed that communication with prospective new carers has broken down.

The mission to re-home the slow loris has proven difficult since the illegally trafficked animal – who was discovered in the Maldives during a drugs raid by police in January – has no formal paperwork or certified country of origin.

The Ministry of Environment subsequently considered euthanasia based on a number of factors which made re-homing the animal both difficult and costly.

The media coverage of this decision and an online petition drew further attention to the matter, resulting in various international partners expressing an interest in rehoming the endangered primate.

The Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN) had originally offered a home at the Slow Loris Rehabilitation Centre in Jakarta, though recent correspondence obtained by Minivan News has revealed that they are unable to repatriate the creature as it is not native to Indonesia.

More recently, an offer was received from the UK-based Monkey World Ape and Rescue Centre, who suggested that the Jim Cronin Memorial Fund for Primate Welfare & Conservation may be able to cover the costs if a location could be secured.

Correspondence between JAAN and the Maldives government had previously revealed that the country was unprepared to meet any of the costs for sending the animal abroad.

“We do not have loris at Monkey World, nor do we have empty facilities that could taken long-term,” wrote an official from Monkey World. “However we would be very happy to assist and I have already contacted colleagues in the zoo world to find out if there is a good home for this individual.”

“I am also happy to organise the paperwork on this end (if UK CITES authorities will give us an import licence) and we could possibly even do the quarantine period (4 months) here at the park if there is a permanent home in another location thereafter.”

Despite these initial positive emails exchanged, the Ministry of Environment has confirmed with Minivan News today that no further correspondence has since been received from Monkey World.

Meanwhile, the Maldives National Defence Force has denied reports that new parties have shown an interest in relocating the corocodile – or ‘Kinboo’ – currently under its care in Malé.

A protest took place last week outside the enclosure – in the children’s park – where the Kinboo has been kept since its discovery on the coast of a local island in 1998.

“Some groups have shown interest in the crocodile since the day it was caught, but it quickly faded away,” said MNDF Deputy Spokesman Captain Ali Ihusaan. “We have not received any new interest recently.”

The crocodile has attracted a number of protests, including one led by the Billabong International school in 2010, which drew attention to the small cage and bad conditions the animal has been kept in.

Speaking with Minivan News today, an official from the Ministry of Environment said that promises to rehome the Kinboo had repeatedly run into problems.

“In the past years there have been many unsuccessful attempts to send it abroad,” the source stated.

“One of the reason being that it needs to be air lifted by a specialised air craft which costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. Another reason again is that it is of unknown origin.”

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Addu City Council passes resolution to develop guest house tourism

Addu City Council has passed a resolution to create an ‘Addu Guest House Venture’ which will develop and expand the guest house tourism industry within the city, under the guidance of a a ‘Guest House Promotion Board’.

The resolution – passed on Tuesday (April 15) – states that it is important to have the opportunity to develop guest houses and city hotels on the large joined islands of the city, and that it will benefit the tourism industry in general.

Noting that it will create more jobs and new opportunities for start-ups, the resolution stated that it will also increase the number of tourist arrival for the country.

In the past few years the guest house businesses boomed on many islands – growing from just 22 registered businesses in 2009, to 171 currently listed – particularly in close proximity to the capital, Malé.

The list of guest houses available via the Tourism Ministry shows just one registered business in Seenu atoll – home to Addu City, the country’s second largest urban area.

Recent annual figures (2012) show Malé’s Kaafu atoll was home to 39.9 percent of the tourism industry’s bed capacity, while Seenu – the country’s southernmost – had just 3.6 percent.

Addu City Council this week declared that, in order to develop the industry, the Addu Guest House Venture has to be created jointly as a business transaction by the council, members of the public, businesses, and banks.

A five-member guest house promotion board is also to be created under this resolution to represent the council and to communicate on its behalf.

The council is expected to announce applications for the board membership very soon, which according to the council will comprise of technical and experienced persons.

Guest house development on inhabited islands was a key election pledge of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party, to which all members of the Addu City Council belong.

The party also campaigned in all recent elections with the pledge to strengthen decentralisation, pushing to increase the role of councils in development.

Political supporters of guest houses have pointed out that mid-market tourism creates opportunities for small businesses while economically empowering local communities.

The current government, led by the Progressive Party of Maldives has announced alternative plans for developing mid-market tourism, with the prospect of  guest house islands replacing the idea of guest houses on inhabited islands.

Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb has said that various businesses will invest in providing different services on these islands.

“For example, common restaurants can be managed by one party, water sports by another party, twenty rooms by one company, another twenty rooms by another company and so on. In that way, we are creating numerous businesses there,” Adeeb told Minivan News earlier this year.

Adeeb explained that the government was reluctant to market mid-level tourism as it risked damaging the country’s image as a high-end destination.

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