Visiting EU Heads of Mission Delegation call on President

The visiting European Union Heads of Mission Delegation called on President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom Monday afternoon. The President thanked the EU for the close attention that it had paid to issues of importance to the Maldives, in particular for the substantial donor assistance that it had extended towards tsunami recovery efforts in the country. He also acknowledged EU’s keen interest in the progress of his agenda for democracy, Human Rights and reform.Members of Delegation inquired about reform measures that had been implemented recently, as well as those in the pipeline.

The President also briefed the visiting EU Heads on the status of the overall tsunami recovery and reconstruction programme. Reiterating that, in the Maldives, the tsunami had caused greater nationwide and economic damage and destruction than in any other affected country, the President highlighted the fact that the recovery programme remained critically under-funded in certain key sectors due to the existing financing gap. In this regard, the EU Delegation assured the President that they would convey the government’s request to their respective capitals.

Adhaalath Party says no support for government unless religious preaching permitted

Adhaalath Party has, once again, said that they will not support the government unless the government permits religious preaching. Speaking at Adhaalath Party’s general meeting held Friday night at Kalaafaanu School Chief Spokesman of the party Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem said that it was extremely important for the government to withdraw their statement made on banning religious speech by people other than those permitted by the Supreme Council during by-elections. “If the statement is withdrawn tomorrow even, we will provide our support. However if permission is granted by the end of this month, we have to hold discussions with the government regarding this issue,” Shaheem said.

Gayyoom's DRP causing unrest in Addu

Hithadhoo - Confirmed reports say that Gayyoom's Party (DRP) is holding a small meeting in Hithadhoo with the full protection of his militia - the Star Force. Last night their attempt to hold a meeting in Addu also failed and similarly they were not welcome at Hulhumeedhoo today.
In the turn of events tonight, the militia handcuffed some reformist who also were attending the meeting in Muhibbuhdheen School. When this happened, the crowd got outraged and demanded their release. Gayyoom's militia today warned key reformist and threatened them that if they go to DRP meetings they will come into trouble.

Two key reformists from Addu are in fact in detention today in relation to last nights incidents and large crowd are now gathering near the school and calling for there release.
Experts say that Gayyoom is attempting to disrupt the MDP congress scheduled for this month by arresting key people in Addu. We will bring more updates as we get them.

Source: DO

Public money is wasted by Dictator Gayyoom

It was shocking to learn in Haveeru Daily on 1st of December, Hon Deen confirming that substantial number of employees in the government in various levels are without any work to do. What stuck my mind first was do we know how many of them are there in the government? When a minister declares in a news briefing, I am sure this is a serious problem and it appears that even the government does not have a clue how dreadful the problem is? And, do we know how long this has been continuing and the amount of revenue that's being wasted? This is totally unacceptable and I cannot see any justification for it.
Furthermore in the news, the most bizarre statement from the Minister, which I found hard to take on board was that this is a wide spread problem in the government and he was proudly defending his ministry expressing it is not specific to Atolls Ministry. And even worse, was his solution. He had suggested the issue be referred to the parliament.

As far as I understand hiring and sacking for government jobs are made only by the President office. And, I do not see the point how this problem can be referred to the parliament. Of course misuse of public resources is a serious crime and indeed this must be investigated and discussed in the parliament. But it is clear that the president's office must take full responsibility for employing these unwanted staff in the government. We need to find out the depth of the problem? How many of them are there? How long this has been going on? What procedures are there for employing? How do they go about creating jobs and why? Was there any planning? A full investigated into the matter is very important and there must be accountability. Someone has to be responsible for misappropriate use of public funds.

If you think about it, first a job can only come into question when only there is a task to be done. Second the recruitment. And for this the most qualified and experience person that is suitable for the task must be recruited. But what seems to be happening for the past 27 years, is this corrupt government employing unwanted staff. So, how can the government function efficiently?

Technically speaking efficiency is a measure of what you get OUT compared to what you have put IN.

What you put in here is the government budget which seemingly wasted on paying the large number of unwanted employees of this crazy regime.

What you get OUT is the public services. But the public services are provided only by a fraction of the hard working minority. Therefore the quality of service is poor. And most unjustly the large budget goes out to pay for the unwanted employees, which means that the hard working, talented and qualified employees in the civil service are not being paid their rightful wages, leading to lower self-motivation and finally gets forced into corruption.

Source: DO

Mobile telecom provider in the Maldives receives OPEC Fund support

Press Release - OPEC Fund for International Development

An agreement for a US$7 million loan has been signed between the OPEC Fund for International Development and Wataniya Telcom Maldives Private Limited (WTM), the second largest mobile service provider in the country. Despite advances made in improving the availability and quality of fixed and mobile telecommunications services in the Maldives, coverage between the islands is limited. As no competing telecom provider has existed, charges for high-margin services such as cellular and long-distance are prohibitive. As part of its telecommunications policy strategy, government’s key aims are to lower costs, reduce coverage disparities, enhance the mobile services network and promote competition within the sector. These policies led to a bid to become the Maldives’ second mobile operator, and in February 2005 the license was awarded to Wataniya Telecom, which subsequently formed WTM.

WTM will use the Fund loan to co-finance the launch of a GSM network to provide good-quality mobile coverage throughout the country and facilitate the use of services such as text and multimedia messaging, email and the Internet. This will benefit both the local population and the country’s large influx of tourists. WTM will also be part of a group that installs fiber-optic submarine cable in order to develop an international gateway in the Maldives.

The loan represents the OPEC Fund's third private sector operation in the Maldives. Assistance has also been approved to the public sector in the form of balance of payments support and project loans in the transportation, agriculture, water supply and sewerage, education and national development banks sectors. In addition, the country has benefited from several grants. In July 2001, an agreement for the encouragement and protection of investment was entered into between the Fund and the Government of the Maldives. The present loan agreement was signed by Mr. Abdel Hakim, Financial Controller of Wataniya Telcom Maldives Private Limited, and by HE Mr. Jamal Nasser Lootah, Chairman of the Governing Board of the OPEC Fund.

Source: harold doan

MDP Chairman's detention extended by further 30 days

Male' - The extension of MDP Chairman Mohamed Nasheed (Anni) has been extended by further 30 days, without giving any reason. Nasheed was arrested on 12th August for participating in a peaceful demonstration in Male' and has been since charged with terrorism as well as crimes against the state. He was initially kept in solitary confinement in jail but was transferred to house arrest earlier this month. Many were expecting Gayyoom to release Anni unconditionally in order to pave way for multi-party negotiations to take place as the main opposition MDP has refused to engage in any form of negotiations until all political prisoners are released, including Jennifer Latheef, Naushad Waheed and Sandhaanu Didi.

Source: DO

Maldives: Survey helps combat malnutrition

Shafts of sunlight pierced the acrid wood smoke from the open fires. Inside the communal kitchen lunch was nearly ready. Today, as most other days, it was the ubiquitous fish and rice.
The residents of this temporary camp on Kudahuvadhoo island would not have expected the menu to be any different. They - like previous generations who grew up on these sandy, virtually barren atolls - are used to a diet lacking in fresh produce. Due to the widespread displacement of islanders by the tsunami, the extent to which poor diet has affected the health of the population has only now been fully realised.

"People - when they think of the Maldives with this pristine, paradise environment and lobster buffets - would find it very hard to understand that these islands suffer from a chronic malnutrition problem" said Ken Maskall, UNICEF Representative in the Maldives.

In fact, with a quarter of children under 5 suffering stunted growth, the Maldives has one of the worst malnutrition rates in South Asia. Apart from a short supply of greens, a lack of education and too many sugary foods are to blame.

To combat the problem, the biggest nutrition survey of its kind has been conducted here.
Supported by UNICEF, teams from the Maldives' Ministry of Health have been going from island to island on live-aboard boats, carrying out a detailed study among mothers with children under 3 years old, gathering information on what kinds of food they have been feeding them.
Already some of the findings have painted a disturbing picture. Aishath Naaz, of the Ministry of Health, explained: "On those islands [where] they are not getting fruit and vegetables, they are used to [serving] rice with fish. That's the only thing they can get."
She was speaking on the island of Kudahuvadhoo in the camp for people displaced from other parts of the atoll. All around members of her team were busy filling in questionnaires with residents, while others were taking weight and height measurements of infants and children under 3.

Ken Maskall knows the value of this study. "This study will enable us to find out when and how the malnutrition problems start and plan interventions that will lead to a change in the situation"
Maskall believes that, in the long term, sustainable solutions need to be found, utilizing small pilot schemes, to make these sandy islands more fertile. But at least those programmes are underway. It is a problem unexpectedly brought to the fore by the tsunami, and one which might eventually be solved by resources allocated in the wake of the tragedy.
As she was preparing to finish her work on this island and move to the next, Aishath Naaz was similarly optimistic. "We will analyze all the data, and identify the islands that need help," she said. "In the Maldives we don't want to have any islands which do not have good education and health."

Source: Releif Web

Often, when you start to dream about taking a holiday, what you're craving above all is simplicity. You want to strip life down to its essentials, to spend a week or two somewhere far away from the cares of the world. I live in East London, and it's been a stressful year. I've been running around like the proverbial blue-arsed fly, and Islamic radicals seem particularly attracted to my local bus routes. Winter is closing in, and there's no way I'll make it through the grim and slushy months without feeling the sun on my face at least once. I want to chill out. I want to amble from my hammock into the sea, then swim around wondering what to have for lunch.

So the Maldives looked perfect. Where could be more simple? A bunch of green dots in the middle of the Indian ocean. Nothing much to engage with, no great feats of sight-seeing to achieve. Just me and the beach and a few fat novels - the ones I've been saving for an occasion when I could really take a run-up at them. As the official tourist board website puts it, "sun, sand and sea, a thousand 'Robinson Crusoe' islands, massive lagoons with different depths and infinite shades of blue and turquoise, dazzling underwater coral gardens; a perfect natural combination for the ideal tropical holiday destination." Nice, I thought. Where do I sign up?
"However," the tourist board site goes on, "there is more to the Maldives than just that". Too bloody right there is, as I found out the other day when I attended a meeting of PEN, the writers organisation. PEN campaigns for freedom of expression, working with people around the word who've been imprisoned or otherwised abused for writing or saying things their local authorities don't like. The Maldives, while it's one of the world's third-division nations, turns out to be premier league in the torture, imprisonment and disappearance stakes. Since 1978 it's been ruled by the avuncular-looking President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

You can check him out, hob-nobbing with the British High Commissioner, Bill Clinton, and other notables here. President Gayoom was elected for a record sixth five-year term in 2003. Though there were no other candidates, we should still congratulate him on becoming Asia's longest serving leader. His unprecedented popularity is assisted by his total control over the Maldivian media, and his practice of imprisoning anyone who criticises his regime.

Source: Dhivehi Observer

Tons of fresh tuna thrown away in Maldives

From Lhaviyani Naifaru, 29 November 2005
Naifaru - Local fishermen in the island are complaining because dictator Gayyoom of the Maldives has not been able to buy their catch through the monopolised Maldives Industrial Fisheries Cooperation (MIFCO) which is a 100% government company.

"They are just buy 2 tons from each Dhoni (fishing vessel) today, and the rest we are trying to sell in the local markets in the island, but we have more than 50 tons, this is more than what you can sell even in Male' (capital island)," said a fisherman on the phone earlier.

This problem is not new to Gayyoom as it has been happening over the last 7 years. Every time the fishing season gets underway, Gayyoom decides to control the quantity he buys from the people. These skipjack tuna caught with pole and line only, are second to none in the world, yet over the years Gayyoom has purposely ignored the potential of this industry so that our people remain poor. A fresh or chilled 3 kg skipjack tuna weighing 3 kg can fetch more than 30 US$ in EU markets but our fish are being thrown away because there is no market for it and Gayyoo is still controlling the purchase, processing and export of Maldives Tuna. Even the private companies that were given the license recently are unable to buy all the catch from the fisherman, which further proves that the only way forward is deregulation.

Maldivian fisherman across the country are struggling to make ends meet yet Gayyoom and his cronies are living like millionaires.

Below are some pictures from the two local markets of Lhaviyani Naifaru which close to the only fish canning factory in Maldives. The whole area is controlled by Gayyoom. No one else can buy and export fish from this region.

Source: Dhivehi Observer

Commonwealth legal expert says Maldives in need of securities legislation

Mr. Makbul Ibrahim, a legal expert of the Commonwealth Secretariat has said that Maldives currently in need of a securities legislation to develop the capital market of the country.

He made the statement in an interview with Television Maldives. He said that with the passing of the currently formulated securities bill, the capital market of Maldives would develop in many aspects such as providing legal recognition for institutions and individuals like dealers and brokers.

He also noted the listing of a 4th company in the Maldives Stock Exchange as an important step towards development.

President briefs Queen on tsunami recovery efforts in Maldives

President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has briefed Queen Elizabeth II on the ongoing national recovery efforts from the effects of the December 2004 tsunami disaster. Speaking with the British monarch Friday at the official reception given by Queen Elizabeth II for invited delegates and civil society representatives, the President highlighted the extensive damage caused by the tsunami and the ongoing endeavours to attain full national recovery.

Highlighting that the assistance from the donor community had been overwhelming, the President noted that more aid was needed to overcome the nationwide effects of the disaster. He also briefed Queen Elizabeth II on the efforts of the Government to attract more donor assistance towards the reconstruction phase of the programme. He expressed his gratitude to the Government of the UK for its assistance towards the tsunami recovery programme.

The Heaven for Honeymoon - It is not expensive that you thought

PRLEAP.COM) Maldives - The Heaven for Honeymoon - It is not expensive that you thoughtSun, sand and sea, a thousand Robinson Crusoe islands, massive lagoons with different depths and infinite shades of blue and turquoise, dazzling underwater coral gardens; a perfect natural combination for the ideal tropical holiday destination.

However there is more to the Maldives than just that. Male would certainly count as one of the smallest capitals in the world in terms of its physical size. A third of the country population, about 75,000 live in Male. Different from any other island in the country, Male is a city of high-rise buildings and paved roads. Not only do you discover aspects of the planet denied to most people, but you make a lot of good friends as well! The Maldives is famed for its rare underwater beauty. The profusion of psychedelic colours and the abundance and variety of life underwater have fascinated divers and snorkellers since Maldives was discovered as a diving destination.

The room availability in Maldives is very important for travellers because there are limited number of rooms and acoomodations. You have to make the advance booking for this destination.

Newly opened Hilton Maldives garners prestigious awards

Just four months after opening its main island following a 15-month US $30 million total renovation, the Hilton Maldives takes first place amongst luxury resorts in the Maldives.

The resort’s renowned undersea restaurant – the only one of its kind in the world – won the hotly contested ‘Best Innovative Concept’ prize by the internationally recognised Worldwide Hospitality Awards at a glittering ceremony in Paris.

A week later, the prize-giving moved to London where the resort’s General Manager, Carsten Schieck, came on stage at the prestigious Sunday Times Readers’ awards to collect the prize for ‘Best Hotel Worldwide’. That same week, the resort also received accolades from Virgin Holidays, whose clients voted the resort ‘Silver Award for Best Hotel Middle East, Africa and Indian Ocean’.