Tag: minivan

Indian High Commission hosts Republic Day ceremony

The Indian High Commission hosted a function on Friday (January 25) at the Dharubaruge conference hall to celebrate India’s 64th Republic Day.

The ceremony, which included a dinner and different cultural dances from across India, was attended by an assortment of Maldivian dignitaries including Foreign Minister Dr Abdulla Samad and members of the cabinet.  Representatives of Male’s Indian expatriate community were also in attendance.

Speaking during the ceremony, Indian High Commissioner to the Maldives Dnyaneshwar M Mulay conveyed greetings “to those Indian expatriates who are in Maldivian jails”.

“After the Independence of Maldives in 1965, India was among the first countries to establish diplomatic relations and a full-fledged mission started working in the 70s. In the early days the State bank of India and Air India performed pioneering roles in project finance, banking and connectivity,” Mulay observed. “Old timers would remember the first telecommunication line between Mumbai and Malé known as Bombay line which was at that time Maldives’ only connection with the outside world,” he said.

“India believes in maintaining cordial relations with all its neighbours. We are proud of our special relationship with Maldives nurtured carefully for decades both by political leadership and the people of both countries. We are connected through several threads like economic, cultural, historical and above all geographic. Our destinies are tied and we share aspirations as well as concerns regarding the collective future of mankind.

The first contacts between India and Maldives go beyond two millennia. The messengers of peace and prosperity were sent to Maldives by Emperor Ashoka in 3rd century BC. The Buddhist culture of Maldives continued till the arrival of Islam in 12th century. Throughout history, our maritime contacts have been very strong, as testified by many Arabian as well as Chinese travellers,” Mulay said.

Mulay outlined India’s contemporary contributions to the Maldives, and announced that the new eight storey Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism in Male’ would be handed over by the Indian government in several months.

“Our cooperation in the health sector and education sectors is well known. Indian teachers, doctors and nurses are serving the Maldivian people in many remote islands. A large number of Maldivians visit India for health services, education as well as tourism and recreation. I would like to appeal to both Indians and Maldivians to strengthen this partnership in the future,” Mulay added.

“Currently the Maldives is facing certain challenges, but we are confident that the wise people of Maldives will be able to choose a stable government that works further to strengthen these relations. India has always wished for a peaceful, prosperous and progressive Maldives since the security and peace in Maldives would have direct implications for our own security and peace,” he said.

“We are optimistic that the people of the Maldives will vote for the political and economic stability of the country. The hard earned democracy needs further support from all quarters.”

Mulay also noted that India has offered its assistance to the country’s Election Commission.

“Maldivians are dear to our heart. I would like to convey our assurances that no Maldivian would ever be denied visa to India and we will work very closely with the Maldivian authorities to resolve all the outstanding issues in a spirit of cooperation and goodwill,” he concluded.

Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Samad kept his address short, stating that Mulay had covered his topic thoroughly.

“The contributions of India to the Maldives, particularly towards security, and our socio-economic and human resources development, are too numerous to enumerate,” Samad said. “Many of our doctors and nurses are educated in India, as well as our civil servants, and likewise our military and police force have received significant support and training in India.”

“None of us can forget the support india promptly provided when we have had security problems in our country, or natural disasters during the past few decades,” Samad said.

Samad also thanked the Indian government for its support “during the past 10 months, following certain changes that have taken place in this country on the political front.”

“I should mention that the government of India was almost the very first country to recognise the changes that took place, and extended their support very quickly. In this regard, our gratitude to the government of India and his excellency [High Commissioner] Mulay is too significant to address,” he concluded.

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The future of motor racing in the Maldives: The Piston Cup Challenge

Additional reporting by Leah R Malone

Amateur and professional racers took to the streets of Hulhumale’ this weekend to compete in the Maldives’ first official motorsport competition.

The Piston Cup 2013 racing challenge, organised by both Maldives Motor Racing Association (MMRA) and Piston Group, marked the beginning of what competition organisers are hoping to be a future of sponsored motorsport racing in the Maldives.

Over 100 drivers and motorcyclists competed in the Piston Cup 2013 racing challenge, which attracted over 4000 spectators to the two-day event.

Piston Group Director Mohamed Mauroof told Minivan News that events like the Piston Cup take street racers out of Male’ and puts them in a professional and disciplined environment where they can hone their talents.

“We are trying very hard to encourage motor racing in the Maldives. At first, the public were not very supportive of us as we used to be racing on the streets. However, now they are supporting us because we are doing it in a controlled environment.

“This is the start and it will be better from here on in. We are planning to host another race event in June this year and one next year too,” Mauroof added.

The aim of the Piston Cup was not only to increase interest in motor sport, but to set a benchmark for future events with the festival-style atmosphere that included fire dancing, Maldivian rock bands, boduberu (traditional singing and drumming) and fireworks.

Former street racer Ahmed ‘Dada’ Aiman Abaas, who won twice driving for team Rannamarianes, said that organised racing events are the best way to tackle street racing in Male’.

“I started illegal racing when I was 18, but when the government gave us permission to race in Hulhumale’ it all changed. These events give us a chance to race the right way.

“Illegal street racing has stopped now. If the government continues to give us the opportunity to race here, everyone will wait for that. I hope to have the opportunity to one day go professional,” Abaas said.

According to the MMRA website, individuals who held a valid licence and are “physically and mentally fit” were able to compete in the event.

Event Organiser Ismail Agleem told Minivan News earlier this month that while anyone who meets the race requirements could enter, motor cyclists will be required to have five days worth of practice and car drivers will need to attend a practice session prior to the race. Any competitor who failed to attend these sessions would be deemed a “non-qualifier”.

Mohamed ‘Afu’ Afsah, who has international racing experience and won four races – jointly for teams B Bros and Rannamarianes – in the motorcycle events at the Piston Cup, spoke of the difficulty aspiring Maldivian motor sport competitors face living on the islands.

“I have only been racing for the last two years, and it has been very difficult to practice because we are riding on an island with soil roads. We desperately need a track.

“I am so grateful for events like this, because now we have the chance to practice every week. I really appreciate it,” Afsah added.

High speed concern

With the speed limit in Male’ limited to 30km/h for cars and 25km/h for motorcycles, the Maldives Police Service had previously raised concerns over inexperienced racers driving at high speeds during the event.

Asked whether there was a risk that the competitors – some of whom who may have only driven in the speed controlled zones of Male’ – risked an accident, event organiser Ismail told Minivan News prior to the race there had been “no serious accidents” in previous events.

During the weekend races, Piston Group Director Mauroof said that there had been only one major incident during the event.

“For some of the car drivers this is their first event, and the track is not very big for car racing. That was the reason for the accident.

“We have had no other major accidents where the fire and medic teams had to attend. The driver [who crashed] is fine. However his car is not,” Mauroof said.

MNDF involvement

Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim said that the MNDF assisted with the event to promote partnership with Maldivian youth.

“We worked with the youth because they came and met me a few days ago and requested me to organise this. It’s good that we meet with youth, so I took initiative.

“I have enjoyed it, the youth have enjoyed, the racing teams have enjoyed it too, it is a very good event, I’ll always be a partner for the youth, and if they request again, I’ll be happy to host it,” he added.

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Maldives must pay India US$50 million next month: Finance Minister

Additional reporting by Luke Powell

The Maldives government has to pay US$50 million to State Bank of India (SBI) next month, Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad has stated.

In December 2012 the Maldives government paid US$50 million to SBI, who refused to extend the period of the treasury bonds issued by the bank during the previous government, local media reported.

Speaking to local newspaper Haveeru, Jihad said the government is yet to come to an arrangement to pay the next US$50 million installment to SBI, explaining that the money will have to come from the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA).

“The US$50 million due in February will have to be paid from the reserve. We have been ordered to pay the amount. There has been no change to the order so far. So it must be paid,” Jihad was quoted as saying in local media.

Following increased tensions between the Indian government and Maldives government over the airport dispute with Indian infrastructure giant GMR – which was evicted from the country by the present government in December 2012 – India turned down a request to extend the treasury bond period.

Payment of the debt will see the state’s reserves fall below US$140 million – less than a month of imports.

On top of the debts due to SBI, GMR is currently seeking compensation for the contract termination in the Singapore Court of Arbitration, which it has calculated at US$800 million.

The company’s lenders, including Axis Bank, have meanwhile called in their loans, for which the Maldives’ Finance Ministry is the guarantor.

Attorney General Azima Shukoor recently claimed that although the previous Attorney General may have signed the guarantor document, the government would argue that is could not act as a guarantor under the Public Finance Act without  parliament’s approval, which was allegedly not obtained.

“The State is acting as the guarantor to the loans taken based on the transactions between GMR and Axis Bank. I believe that is not something permitted under the Finance Act. It is like a blanket sovereign guarantee,” Shukoor told local media in December.

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Gayoom’s half-brother Yameen “unconcerned” by other PPM candidates

Presidential prospect MP Abdulla Yameen believes no other candidate is of any concern unless his half-brother, former Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, contests the President Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) primary, local media has reported.

“People contesting in the primary are not of any concern to me. I only have to be wary of President Maumoon. And that is not because he is my brother,” Yameen said to Haveeru.

Yameen’s rival in the primary, PPM Interim Vice President Umar Naseer is facing rumors he will “step aside” for Gayoom’s brother-in-law Ilyas Ibrahim, according to local media.

Umar had said if a more capable candidate decides to contest the primary, he was ready to “step back” or “sideways,” reports local media.

Gayoom will not confirm his intentions to contest the presidential ticket until the final PPM candidates are announced and has maintained he will “not take sides” during the primary.

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Maldives to establish offshore finance center with ADB assistance

An offshore finance center (OFC) is being established with Asian Development Bank (ADB) assistance, the Ministry of Finance and Treasury has announced.

The ADB has offered its expertise to the Maldives for formulating the legal framework and building the necessary technical capacity to create the OFC, Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad told local media.

“As this is entirely new to the Maldives, we will need to build technical capacity and formulate the required strong legal framework,” Jihad explained to local media.

He further stressed that establishing a OFC would assist with developing the banking and insurance sectors and majorly boost the financial sector in the Maldives, reports local media.

Jihad previously traveled to Mauritius to discuss their country’s OFC practices with bank officials.

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Maldivian man alleges beating in Indian prison after attempting to export peacock feathers

A Maldivian man arrested in Trivandrum, India for attempting to take a bag of peacock feathers back to Maldives has alleged he was beaten in prison, local media reported.

Ahmed Rufwaan Ali, 23, was arrested at Trivandrum Airport in December 2012 before spending 13 days in an Indian prison.

Speaking to media on his arrival back into Male’ yesterday (January 26), Ali alleged that officers in the prison tortured him due to his refusal to “subject himself to their instructions”, Sun Online reported.

Rufwaan subsequently clarified that he had been “beaten” in custody.

“Using the word ‘torture’ insinuates that I was exposed to extreme violent treatment which was not the case. It is also the ‘cultural’ language barrier that the Dhivehi language consists of limited vocabulary which when translated to English, can fit to a variety of synonyms,” he said, in a subsequent statement.

Rufwaan said he had been asked by reporters as to whether he was beaten in custody, to which he “regretfully responded, “It is a jail after all, and we will get beaten. Yes I was beaten. The rules of the officers there is that, once jailed we have to beg for mercy at their feet. I refused to do that, which is why I got the beating.”

Ali blamed the Maldivian consulate in India for the way he was treated in prison, claiming that Indian authorities had been about to release him before the Maldivian Consulate “communicated to Indian Customs authorities in an inappropriate manner”.

He also claimed the Maldivian consulate in India did not help to  bail him out of prison, and instead he had to rely on his family for the money.

“I first paid 25,000 rupees, and then 10,000 rupees as fine. All the help I got came from my family. The consulate there did not concern itself with me,” Ali was quoted as saying in local media.

Ali claimed that he was not aware of the ban on buying and selling peacock feathers, adding that he was unaware if the feathers were fake or not, according to local media.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Abdul Samad Abdulla was not responding to calls from Minivan News at time of press.

Clarification: Initial reports in local media quoted Rufwaan as saying he had been “tortured” in custody. Rufwaan subsequently issued a statement claiming he had been mistranslated and that he was in fact only “beaten”.

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Harbour construction project begins in Gemanafushi

The Maldives Transport and Construction Company (MTCC) has begun a 10-month harbour construction project on the island of Gemanafushi in Gaafu Alif Atoll.

The project aims to reconstruct a 304 metre long and 91 metre wide harbour in place of the old habour, which is in ruin and insufficient for use, local media reported.

President of Gemanafushi Council Asim Mohamed told local media that work on the project begun on January 24, adding that MTCC were given 10 months to complete the project.

Asim thanked president Waheed for starting the project soon after making a promise to do so on a recent visit to the island.

“When President Waheed visited this island a while ago, he promised that a new harbour would be constructed here. Within a short period of time, work on what will be one the best harbours in the Maldives has begun here.

“I thank President Waheed in my own name, as well as on behalf of the people of this island”, Asim was quoted as saying in Sun Online.

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Supplementary budget to be proposed in first half of 2013: President Waheed

A supplementary budget is to be proposed to parliament before the end of the first half of 2013, President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik has announced.

Speaking at Henbadhoo in Noonu Atoll, the President claimed the country’s economy “is not as bad as it is perceived to be”, adding that the decline in global economy was affecting the Maldives in an adverse way, local media reported.

Waheed stated that that priority will be given to projects such as health centres and other basic services on islands, and that he intends to make the necessary changes to the supplementary budget in order to address these issues, he was quoted as saying in local media.

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Commonwealth Special Envoy visits following MDP allegations of “coup cover-up”

The Commonwealth Secretary General’s Special Envoy to the Maldives, Sir Don McKinnon, is presently in the Maldives as part of a visit that will conclude tomorrow (January 27).

“A key objective of Sir Donald’s visit will be to discuss efforts to strengthen democratic institutions and processes in Maldives, and how the Commonwealth can further assist in this regard,” said Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma in a statement.

McKinnon’s visit follows the publication last year of a report by the Commonwealth-backed Commission of National Inquiry (CNI) into the controversial transfer of power on February 7 2012.  The report concluded that there was no mutiny by police or the military, and that former President Mohamed Nasheed’s resignation was not made under duress.

The CoNI was subsequently disbanded by President Waheed and the website containing the report was taken offline. The report is downloadable here.

“The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) noted the CNI report’s conclusions about the transfer of power. Going beyond that, CMAG highlighted the need to investigate acts of police brutality, and welcomed the government’s commitment to reform and to strengthen the independence and quality of key institutions. These remain core concerns and priorities for the Commonwealth,” Sharma stated.

“The Commonwealth continues to work towards consolidating multi-party democracy in Maldives. The year 2013 will be a critical one for Maldives, given the forthcoming presidential elections,” the Secretary-General said.

“It is essential for democracy in Maldives, and for lasting national reconciliation, that this year’s elections be both credible and inclusive. The Commonwealth expects there to be political space and a level-playing field for all candidates, parties and their leaders.”

McKinnon’s visit follows a recent parliamentary inquiry into the CNI report, during which senior military and police intelligence figures gave evidence to the Executive Oversight Committee (EOC) alleging that the transfer of power on February 7 “had all the hallmarks of a coup d’etat”.  The same sources also claimed that the final CNI report had not reflected their input.

Those figures included Brigadier General Ibrahim Didi, Commander of Male’ area on February 7, Police Head of Intelligence Chief Superintendent Mohamed Hameed, Chief of Defense Force Major General Moosa Jaleel, Head of Military Intelligence Brigadier General Ahmed Nilaam, Chief Superintendent of Police Mohamed Jinah and Commissioner of Police Ahmed Faseeh. All six have since resigned or been suspended from duty.

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) subsequently accused the Commonwealth Secretariat of complicity in a “systematic government cover-up designed to subdue testimonies from key witnesses to the coup d’etat”.

“The CNI, established by [President] Waheed shortly after he came to power, was originally made-up of three people – all well-known sympathisers of former President Gayoom – and chaired by President Gayoom’s former Minister of Defence,” observed the MDP in a statement.

“After an international outcry, the government was forced to agree to reform the CNI. The Commonwealth Secretary-General’s special envoy to the Maldives, Sir Donald McKinnon, was subsequently sent to the Maldives to mediate an agreement, but eventually gave-in to government demands that President Gayoom’s former Defence Minister must remain as Chair, and that the other two members must remain in-place.

“Unsurprisingly, the CNI’s final report claimed that there was absolutely no wrong-doing on the part of the opposition or Gayoom loyalists in the police and military. This was despite widespread evidence to the contrary,” the statement added.

“The testimonies of all the main witnesses summoned to the Committee demonstrate a remarkable degree of consensus about what happened in early 2012, and a common understanding of the legality of the change in government. All witnesses stated, unequivocally, that the change in government bore all the hallmarks of a coup d’etat.

“All named the same individuals as being central to the coup – with foremost among these the current Commissioner of Police and the current Minister of Defense. All made clear that following a meeting between opposition leaders and the-then Vice President, Mohamed Waheed, in the weeks preceded February 7, those planning the coup swore their loyalty to him and thereafter he was fully implicated in the plot.

“All saw widespread evidence of collusion between elements of the police and army loyal to former President Gayoom and the main leaders of the coup. All had seen evidence that the plot to remove President Nasheed included the possibility that he would be assassinated if he did not leave willingly. And all claimed that the evidence and testimony they presented to the CoNI was either ignored or misrepresented,” the party claimed.

MDP Spokesperson MP Hamid Abdul Ghafoor said the respective accounts from the CNI and the UN concerning the transfer of power on February 7 were “not reflective of the experiences of Maldivians who witnessed and lived through the event both out on the streets and through their TV screens.”

“The letters sent to the government [concerning the transfer of power] represented a real shoddy job by these organisations. It is clear they did not do their homework.  It is embarrassing,” Ghafoor said.

President’s Office Spokesperson Ahmed ‘Topy’ Thaufeeq meanwhile told Minivan News this week that the CoNI report was a “transparent” process undertaken by “qualified Maldivian people”.

“Because of this, the CoNI report is accepted by the government. We have a judiciary, if anyone has a problem with this affair they can go to the courts themselves,” he claimed.

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