The Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies in collaboration with The United States Department of State and the Brookings Institution convened a panel at the Johns Hopkins University in Washington DC to discuss the Road to Democratic Reform in the Maldives. read & comment
President Inaugurates ICT Adoption Project in Maldives with Grant Aid from Indian Government
President Mohamed Nasheed has launched the information and communication technology adoption project – ‘Technology for the Future of Next Gen for the Maldives’ – with the grant aid from the government of India. read & comment
STATEMENT FROM CONRAD RANGALI REGARDING RECENT REDUNDANCIES
Conrad Maldives Rangali Island confirms that due to the partial closure of its guest rooms for renovation and lower occupancies during the traditional low season in the Maldives, it has made 29 positions redundant. read & comment
Free trade between Maldives and Bangladesh
Maldives foreign minister, Ahmed Naseem’s visit in Bangladesh has achieved some goals. He and his Bangladesh counterpart Dr. Dipu Moni have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU). In that MoU, they have reached some targets that, Male will withdraw all the taxes of Bangladeshi goods including medicine. It is a positive achievement because country like Bangladesh and Maldives can be more benefited by the free trade. read & comment
Maldives Minister calls for engaging private sector at the ADB 3rd Asia Solar Energy Forum in Bangkok
Minister Mohamed Aslam in his keynote address at the opening session of Third Solar Energy Forum calls the international and financial institutions to consider providing greater opportunities to enable private sector participation in the renewable energy development. Minister further elaborated on the challenges faced in the investments in the renewable energy sector and stressed on the importance of speedy removal of barriers in such investments. read & comment
ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda Calls on President Nasheed
President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Haruhiko Kuroda has paid a courtesy call on President Mohamed Nasheed today. During the meeting held at the President’s Office, the President and the head of ADB exchanged views on the government’s economic policies and on-going development projects in the Maldives, especially with ADB assistance. read & comment
IMF Agrees To 3-Year Support Package For Maldives, Praises Government’s Economic Policies
The International Monetary Fund reached a staff-level agreement with the government of Maldives on Wednesday, agreeing to extend its co-operation programme with the government for a further three years. The IMF mission, who have spent the last three days in Male’ meeting government representatives, said the government’s economic policies “will help stabilize and strengthen Maldives’s economy.” read & comment
Maldives withdraws from New7Wonders of Nature competition, citing concerns over escalating fees
The Maldives has decided to immediately and unilaterally withdraw from the New7Wonders of Nature competition because of the New7Wonders organiser’s demand for expensive license fees and sponsorship packages in order to compete meaningfully in the remainder of the competition. read & comment
Mrf21 Billion a More Accurate Forecast of Real GDP for This Year – President Mohamed Nasheed
President Mohamed Nasheed has said that Mrf21 billion, at 2003 prices, was a more accurate estimation of real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) that Mrf11.3 billion previously estimated, at 1995 prices, for this year. In today´s radio address, the President explained the changes brought to the way real GDP is calculated, including the revision of base year, which is revised every eight years, from 1995 to 2003, and the adjustments in the growth figures as a result of the new changes. read & comment
Government Condemns Violent Protest Organised by Supporters of Former President Gayoom
The Maldivian government has condemned a violent protest held last night in the capital, Male’, by around 300-400 supporters of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Scores of people were injured and shops and private property were damaged when protestors hurled bricks and other projectiles at the police. The police responded to the unprovoked assault with tear gas and made several arrests. read & comment
Cabinet Finalises Mechanisms to Issue Sovereign Guarantee to Private Sector-Funded Infrastructure Development
The Cabinet has today finalised mechanisms to issue sovereign guarantees, in accordance with Public Finance Act, to infrastructure development projects funded by private sector. The paper presented to today’s Cabinet meeting by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury on the matter proposed to issue Guarantees to a limit of Rf125 million annually to support private sector to raise funds as part of the government’s policy to increase private sector participation in national development. However, this Guarantee will not be issued to individuals operating in the private sector. read & comment
Presidential Address to the Parliament – Maldives 2011
Honorable Speaker of the People’s Majlis: The opportunity to outline the state of the country as well as measures seen as necessary for its development, at the first session of this esteemed Majlis each year is a privilege granted to the Head of State. I note that this is the third time I have been bestowed the honor and I call upon all my faculties in praising the Almighty for His Grace. read & comment
Maldives welcomes ‘march of democracy’
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Naseem addressed assembled leaders at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday and used the opportunity to welcome the spread of democracy across the Muslim world and to praise the bravery and determination of protesters in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and elsewhere “for asserting their fundamental rights and freedoms, and for believing in a better future”. read & comment
Maldives Economy Outlook by IMF: Monetary policy has helped stabilize the economy
Active open market operations and the cessation of deficit monetization have effectively reduced excess rufiyaa liquidity. Executive Directors noted that the Maldivian economy is recovering well, fueled by a strong rebound in tourism. read & comment
Maldivian Democratic Party will win the 2013 Presidential Election
This is an editorial with a twist. The statement that I want to make is above. I have posted it on Facebook and I leave it to the readers to react and make their own conclusions or even contribute. In my mind, MDP is the only political party in the Maldives that has the wisdom and energy to deliver a better future for us all, hence the statement. read & comment
India visit a success – President Nasheed
Meeting the Indian press today on his two day visit to India, President Mohamed Nasheed said his visit was a success and he has had fruitful and constructive dialogue with the Indian leadership and the government. read & comment
Renowned Poet and Literary Icon Aminath Faiza Passes Away; President Sends Condolences
Renowned poet and Maldivian literary icon Aminath Faiza has passed away this morning. Upon hearing the news the President Mohamed Nasheed has sent condolences to the bereaved family. Aminath Faiza passed away while being treated at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital for a severe stroke suffered. She was 86. read & comment
The secret to being a successful opposition leader
Those who do it always say it is the worst job in politics. It is certainly one of the most difficult – the ultimate example of responsibility without power. But there is one man at Westminster who does not see it that way. Nigel Fletcher, a former Conservative central office staffer, has made it his life’s work to study the noble art of opposition. read & comment
Addu City Council and Fuahmulak Atoll Council National Administration Office inaugurated by President Nasheed
President Mohamed Nasheed has visited Addu City as part of his tour of Addu City and Fuahmulak that he began today.
During the visit, the President this afternoon inaugurated Addu City Council and Fuahmulak Atoll Council National Administration Office at South Province Office. read & comment
Maldives first national university inaugrated
President Mohamed Nasheed this morning inaugurated the Maldives National University and appointed former education minster Dr Mustafa Luthfy as the university’s first chancellor, presenting him with the institution’s seal. Acting Vice Chancellor Hassan Hameed will remain in the post until the university appoints a new Vice Chancellor. read & comment
Inauguration of the Maldives National University to be Held Tomorrow
Inauguration ceremony of the Maldives National University will be held tomorrow morning at 10 o’clock. At the ceremony, President Mohamed Nasheed will handover the decree on establishing the Maldives National University to Minister of Education Sifa Mohamed. read & comment
President Nasheed Welcomes Mubarak’s Departure, Calls for Democratic Egypt
President Mohamed Nasheed has welcomed Hosni Mubarak’s decision to resign from office. The President’s remarks come as Mubarak finally succumbed to relentless pressure from pro-democracy campaigners, who have camped out in central Cairo and other Egyptian towns for the past 18 days, calling for an end to Mubarak’s 30-year rule. read & comment
Yameen implicated in STO blackmarket oil trade with Burmese junta, alleges The Week
Singaporean police are reportedly investigating former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s half brother Abdulla Yameen for alleged involvement in an international money laundering racket thought to be worth up to US$800 million – if accurate, a staggering 80 percent of the Maldives’ annual GDP. read & comment
President Commends the Role of Independent Institutions in Ensuring a Peaceful Election
President Mohamed Nasheed has commended the role of independent institutions to ensure that the first ever local council elections on February 5 were peaceful. read & comment
Maldives’ 1st Local Council Elections – Who is the real winner?
The first ever local council election in the Maldives was held this Saturday, 5th February 2011. Councils were elected for cities, Male’ and Addu, as well as all the Atolls and individual islands. Candidates were elected for 17 city council seats (Male’ & Addu), 132 Atoll Council and 942 Island Council seats. read & comment
DRP wins seat majority, MDP cities in first local council election
The first local council election to be held in the Maldives has concluded with a clear seat majority for the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) across islands and atolls, however the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) took the majority of seats for almost every major population centre. read & comment
Maldives votes: Local Council Elections 2011
The Maldives votes today in its first local council elections. Minivan News is providing rolling coverage throughout the day. First results are due shortly. updates
Maldives: Pre Election Statement
Transparency Maldives expresses deep concern on the low level of voter education and the backtracking of transparency standards set by Elections Commissions in previous elections. Transparency Maldives is coordinating a nation-wide domestic election observation of the 2011 Local Council Election. The observation will cover, Male’, Hulhumale’, Villingili and 38 other islands, covering 14 atolls spread over all seven provinces. Twenty partner NGOs will be deploying over 105 accredited observers. The observation effort will cover more than a third of the ballot boxes, covering voting at more than two thirds of the electorate. read & comment
Blue VS yellow: election fever comes to a head
Streets of blue and yellow flags and posters of politicians carpeting every available surface leave little doubt that election fever has hit Male’, ahead of the country’s first local council elections. Maldivians will go to the polls on Saturday to elect local councilors in the third major election since the introduction of multi-party democracy. read & comment
President Nasheed Calls on Mubarak to Step Down
President Mohamed Nasheed has called on Egypt’s longstanding ruler, Hosni Mubarak, to step down and “heed the will of the Egyptian people.” In an interview to the BBC on Tuesday evening, the President said that Egypt needed an “interim arrangement” without Mubarak, that leads to free and fair, multi-party elections. read & comment
