Sunday, July 29, 2007

Netherlands donates Euro 9 million as aid to Villingili projects


Netherland’s government has donated Euro 9 million (RF 153 million) as aid to the construction of harbor and land reclamation project in Gaafu Alifu atoll Villingili.

In addition, a loan agreement was signed last month between Maldivian Government and a bank in Netherland, for Euro 8.57 million (RF 148 million) in order to build Gaafu Alifu atoll Villingili as a safe island due to the destruction left by the 2004 tsunami.

According to a press release from Department of External Resources, the donation agreement was signed by Foreign Minister, Dr. Ahmed Shaheed on behalf of the Maldivian Government. On behalf of the Netherland government, the agreement was signed by the Netherland Ambassador appointed for Maldives, R. S. Van Dyke.



Source: Haveeru Online

Saturday, July 28, 2007

A Maldives trip in Delhi...


It was the National Day of the Maldives and the celebrations were attended by many -- diplomats, celebrities and the Maldivian students studying in India .

A happening do:
This was yet another inter-national, inter-cultural do that saw guests from various countries get together to have a good time. On the occasion of the National Day of Maldives, its ambassador to India, Anbaree Abdul Sattar Adam, and his wife Ishusana Ahmed graciously welcomed guests to the celebrations.

With tasty Maldivian cuisine doing the rounds, guests had a great time catching up with each other.

Diplomatically yours :
Diplomats from various countries attended the party. South African ambassador Francis Moloi and his wife Misiwe were among the first to arrive. Misiwe, who was dressed in an orange shirt and traditional headgear, looked relaxed and told us she had just come back from a vacation. “I was away on a long holiday with my family to South Africa and the USA. In fact, we got back to India just last week,” she said.

Pretty faces :
Hadia Amr Saad and Sirena Hackerova caught many an eye at the gathering.

Curly-haired Hadia sported a smart brown dress, while Sirena’s straight blonde hair were the centre of much attention and many compliments. Sirena was accompanied by her father, Col Hacker, from the embassy of the Czech Republic. He looked quite dashing in his uniform, and the father and daughter made quite a photogenic pair.

Football-crazy :
Also present was a group of young students from the Maldives who study in India.
One of them, Shazeen, had cute curly hair and was enjoying himself with his bunch of friends. “I am crazy about football and my favourite is Ronaldinho,” he enthused. “I am studying medicine and intend to become an orthopaedic surgeon in the future,” he added.

A young father:
Col Hacker looked quite handsome in his uniform. Many were surprised to know that Sirena is his daughter. He grinned and said to a guest,“I feel proud to be a young, good-looking father.”


Source: Times of India

Friday, July 27, 2007

Maldives celebrates its Independence Day


Maldives obtained independence on July 26, 1965. Today, the island is a well-known tourist paradise. It is also a campaigner against global warming, which will see a sea rise around the islands.

BEAUTIFUL ATOLLS: No larger on the map than a few ink splashes by a busy cartographer, the Maldive Islands stretch from the south-western tip of India all the way to the Equator.


One of the most attenuated countries in the world, the 1,196 Maldive Islands, in 26 distinct coral atolls, are spread over a total area of 90,000 square kilometres (about 36,000 square miles) of the Indian Ocean, yet less than 0.5 percent of this is dry land. Some 200 of the islands are inhabited.

Until the arrival of tourism, fishing was the main occupation in this nation of seafarers, and the relaxed pace of life in the Maldives seems to have carried over into the twenty-first century.

The graceful sailing dhonis of old may have given way to motorised versions, but fishing with pole and line is still a common sight throughout the Maldives. The Maldives has the most beautiful tropical scenery, graceful coconut palms leaning over crystal-clear lagoons, coral reefs promising great snorkelling and scuba diving, and lots of sunshine. In fact, all the ingredients that make up the classic desert island.

With the increasing need for a break from the fast pace of life in the modern world, the Maldives is now the ultimate getaway for those who like sun, sand, sea and doing nothing the last Paradise.

A key feature of the Maldive Islands is that the islands are small and low-lying with many being no more than two metres above sea level. Common features are tall coconut palms, white sandy beaches and crystal clear lagoons. The protective coral reef surrounding every Maldive island is also home to hundreds of species of tropical fish, countless shapes and sizes of coral sea shell and all forms of marine life.

The Maldive Islands are formed from the growth of coral over long-submerged mountain ranges. These are true coral islands, with no other forms of rocks or minerals visible or within easy reach (drilling results indicate the presence of silica sand, granite and other minerals at depths of over 1000 m). As a result, all beaches in the Maldives are covered with white coral sand with no trace of yellow or black as seen anywhere else in the world.

There are no hills, mountains or rivers in the Maldives. The islands are small, and the totally coral based soil is poor in essential nutrients. Therefore, there is no room for thick jungle. Trees of food value include breadfruit, banana, mango, screwpine, cassava, sweet potato, and millet, but very little is grown in commercial quantities. The coconut palm is the most common food tree, and all parts of the plant are used extensively.

Very few terrestrial fauna are represented because of the difficult conditions. In the Maldives, the major diversity is found in the sea.

The climate, which is determined by two monsoons, is warm and humid. The rainy South-West monsoon begins during April and continues until October, while the generally fine North-East Monsoon prevails from December to March.

The Maldive Islands are located away from any significant seismic activity, and also are situated away from typhoon or cyclone areas. The massive tsunami of December 26 2004 which took place thousands of kilometres away near Indonesia affected the entire Maldives. However, the protective nature of the reefs surrounded by very deep ocean meant that the impact was very much less than in any other area of the Indian Ocean.

The origins of the people of the Maldives are lost in history. Archaeological finds indicate that the islands were inhabited as early as 1500 BC, and there are tales of a legendary people called the Redin who may have been among the earliest of explorers.

Attempts to investigate the origins of human settlement in the Maldives have been difficult, as little or no data exists and there is a lack of facilities or personnel to carry out research among the group of widely distributed islands.

It is believed that permanent settlements were established in the Maldives around 500 BC by Aryan immigrants from the Indian subcontinent.

The early Maldivians were probably Buddhists or Hindus migrating from the Indian subcontinent. However, the archaeologist Thor Heyerdahl has stated that some of the figures unearthed from ancient mounds bore a striking resemblance to figures he had investigated on Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean, almost 12 time zones away.

He has added to the theories of the origins of the Maldivians and a book has been published on his findings. These theories are a matter of controversy and it can be said that the solution to The Maldive Mystery is still many years away.

Since the Maldives is located along the ancient marine trade routes from the West to the East, it was inevitable that early explorers and traders found themselves stopping either willingly (for supplies) or unwillingly (as a result of shipwrecks on the many reefs), and their influence can be seen to this day.

Their records serve as a useful guide to the history of these islands. Among these travellers were the Chinese historian Ma Huan and the famous Arab traveller Ibn Batuta. It is known that Maldivians themselves ventured far beyond their shores, for Pliny records that Maldivian emissaries bore gifts for the Roman Emperor.

As trade along the sea routes blossomed, the Maldives became an important stop for Arab traders on the way to the Far East, and along with these traders came the influence of Islam. The legend of the conversion to Islam remains a popular tale and a matter of controversy.

It is believed that a Moroccan traveller, Abu Barakaat Yusuf al-Barbary, was responsible for this conversion, but another version credits Sheikh Yusuf Shamsuddin of Tabriz, a renowned scholar, for this deed. Yet another theory suggests that the conversion was carried out by a traveller from the Sri Lankan coastal town of Beruwela.

From very early times, the Maldive Islands were famous for two products, the money cowrie cyprea moneta and Maldive Fish. The cowrie was prized as a form of currency in many areas of the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent, and the Maldives was the Mint of the region. Large quantities of the cowrie were exported all over the world, and traders would call over to collect shiploads in exchange for rice, spices and luxury items.

Maldive Fish is produced by boiling, smoking, curing and drying tuna to yield a nutritious, ebony-coloured and textured fillet with astonishing keeping qualities.

It was an ideal source of protein for carrying on long sea voyages, and its rarity made it a prized delicacy in most of the Indian subcontinent, where it is a major ingredient in many dishes.

The economy used to be based on three principal activities: fishing, tourism and shipping. Poor soil and lack of cultivable land limit agriculture. Traditional industries consist of local boat (dhoni) building, handicrafts such as mat-weaving, jewellery-making and lacquer work. Export-oriented industries include tuna fish canning and manufacture of garments.

However, a severe shortage of labour in the tourism sector has resulted in the decline of most of these industries, and a revival seems unlikely.

Tourism remains the major source of foreign currency and the dominant support for the economy.

The importance of the Maldives to early explorers in the 16th and 17th centuries can be seen in the grossly exaggerated size of the islands in relation to nearby Sri Lanka and India on maps of the time.

The tranquillity of the islands was often disturbed by pirates and the superpowers of the day. A Portuguese invasion resulted in their capture of the Maldives for a period of fifteen years after which they were overthrown by a mixture of early guerilla tactics and the difficulty of logistical support for the occupying forces.

Events around this time are recounted by the French sailor Francois Pyrard de Laval, who was shipwrecked in the Maldives in 1602 and lived there for five years.

With the growth of British influence with the expansion of their Empire, the Maldives became a British protectorate, in an unusual arrangement where the British ensured the defence of the islands yet were not involved in any way with the running of the country.

The close relationships with the British ensured a period of peace and freedom from foreign interference. During the Second World War, The British had forward bases in the north and south of the archipelago and, in 1957, the RAF established a base in Gan in the South. This airbase closed in 1976.

The Maldives became a fully independent nation on July 26, 1965, and a Republic on November 11, 1968

Source: www.maldives.com

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Dive school identifies Maradhoo’s “strange fish” as Ocean Sunfish


Maldivers, a PADI-certified 5-star dive school in Male, today identified a “strange fish”, which another local daily said had washed up on Maradhoo island in Addu atoll on Sunday, as the Ocean Sunfish, scientific name Mola Mola.

The rare sighting of the fish caught the imagination of Maradhoo residents, and when it died, it was buried in the island under the care of the police and Maldives National Defence Force, the local daily reported.

An official from Maldivers, said that the Sunfish is occasionally spotted in Maldives but that since sightings are rare, elderly people in Maldives called it “Mas-buri”, which in Dhivehi literally translates to “half a fish” due to the fish’s odd appearance.

The website of Britain’s Natural History Museum last year said that the century-old mystery of what comprises the peculiar tail of one of the largest of all bony fishes had been resolved.

“The sunfish's tail evolved, not from an adaptation of the tail or caudal fin, but when the dorsal and anal fins merged,” the website said.

This is what the website had to say on the sunfish:

“Ocean sunfishes belong to the family Molidae and are amongst the largest of all bony fishes, with up to 1.5 tonnes in weight and 3 metres in length. Instead of a tail fin they have a rudder-like structure called the clavus .

Their large size and peculiar appearance has fascinated scientists since they were first illustrated as early as the mid-1500s.

Dr Ralf Britz, fish researcher (ichthyologist) at the Natural History Museum, and his colleague Dr G David Johnson from the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, wanted to find out why the tail was so unlike those of any other fishes.

There are two previous explanations for how the sunfish tail evolved - one was that the tail or caudal fin had been modified through evolution, the other highly unusual possibility was that the tail evolved from the merging of the dorsal and anal fins.

Britz and Johnson studied the tails of the ocean sunfish in detail by looking at the developing skeleton of the young, or larvae, under a microscope.

They compared its development with that of a less modified relative of the sunfish, the puffer fish.

They found no sign of the caudal fin at any stage of the development of the ocean sunfish and discovered that the dorsal and anal fins grow together to form the clavus. In evolutionary terms the dorsal and anal fins have completely replaced the tail fin.

Dr Britz said 'The colossal ocean sunfish, a pelagic fish (living in the open sea) with a wide distribution, has lost its tail fin, the main locomotory structure in all other fishes. This was a very surprising and unexpected result!'

The details of this research were published in the October (2006) issue of the Journal of Morphology.”

Source: Haveeru Online

Monday, July 23, 2007

Paradise Island Resort Wins Tourism Road Relay 2007


As part of the activities of "Think Tourism" campaign, a Tourism Road Relay was held in Male’ on 14th July 2007. Paradise Island Resort emerged as the winner among 14 teams that took part in Tourism Road Relay 2007.

“Think Tourism” campaign is an initiation of the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation to create awareness and educate the local communities about the tourism industry and its benefits as the country experiences expansion of Tourism to all regions of the archipelago.

The Tourism Road Relay, which was organised by the Ministry of Tourism & Civil Aviation and the Maldives Tourism Promotion Board together with the Athletics Association of Maldives, was the kick-off event for a series of events that would be held under the Campaign “Think Tourism”.

The Relay which took place around Male’ started at the Artificial Beach at 1630hrs. Fourteen Teams from the Tourism Industry participated at the Relay.

A cash prize of 22,000 Rufiyaa was awarded to winning teams at a ceremony held at the Artificial Beach after the Relay. Chief Guest of the Ceremony Captain Ahmed Naseem from the Maldives National Defence Force awarded the trophy with the cash prize of 10,000 Rufiyaa to the winning team from Paradise Island Resort. Holiday Island Resort became the Runner up while Sun Island Resort completed third in the relay.

The audience was entertained by music from Nineteen-Eighty-Four Band and Boduberu performance. Furthermore, a Red-bull drinks stall sponsored by Euro Store and a face paint stall was open for the people who attended.

The event was also attended by Deputy Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Mr. Abdul Hameed Zakariyya.

Source: MTPB

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Maldives wants new airports for resort islands

Maldives is seeking international investors to help build ten regional airports as part of a plan to develop nearly three dozen resort islands, a minister said on Wednesday.

"We plan to build 10 domestic airports packaged with tourist resorts, to make it economically feasible to investors. The tenders will go out later this year," Maldivian tourism minister, Mahmood Shaugee, told AFP.

The government plans to develop the 35 resort islands over the next two years. The exotic South Asian holiday location attracts over 600,000 visitors each year, mostly Europeans.

About 700 kilometres (435 miles) southwest of Sri Lanka, Maldives is a string of 1,192 coral islands scattered across the equator. Some 199 are inhabited with 87 islands developed as tourist resorts, according to a recent World Bank study.

The government last year signed up investors to develop the 35 resort islands, which will help raise the local hotel industry's bed capacity to 23,000 within the next three years from 20,000 currently.

Maldivian resorts, favoured by celebrities, report over 90 percent occupancy.

"We're confident we can easily fill the new resorts," Shaugee said.

The low-lying atoll nation has a population of 369,000 and the region's highest per capita income of over 2,300 dollars.


Source: LBO

Maldives wants new airports for resort islands

Maldives is seeking international investors to help build ten regional airports as part of a plan to develop nearly three dozen resort islands, a minister said on Wednesday.

"We plan to build 10 domestic airports packaged with tourist resorts, to make it economically feasible to investors. The tenders will go out later this year," Maldivian tourism minister, Mahmood Shaugee, told AFP.

The government plans to develop the 35 resort islands over the next two years. The exotic South Asian holiday location attracts over 600,000 visitors each year, mostly Europeans.

About 700 kilometres (435 miles) southwest of Sri Lanka, Maldives is a string of 1,192 coral islands scattered across the equator. Some 199 are inhabited with 87 islands developed as tourist resorts, according to a recent World Bank study.

The government last year signed up investors to develop the 35 resort islands, which will help raise the local hotel industry's bed capacity to 23,000 within the next three years from 20,000 currently.

Maldivian resorts, favoured by celebrities, report over 90 percent occupancy.

"We're confident we can easily fill the new resorts," Shaugee said.

The low-lying atoll nation has a population of 369,000 and the region's highest per capita income of over 2,300 dollars.


Source: LBO

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Red Crescent, UNDP sign MoU for social centre in Maldives

The United Arab Emirate Red Crescent Authority (RCA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Wednesday for building a social centre for fishermen in the island of Male in the Maldives, WAM news agency reported.

This is part of several humanitarian and development projects to assist those affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

The RCA said it has earmarked Dh 736,000 for construction of the social development centre. The MoU, signed by RCA Director of Projects and Development Abdullah Al Mohammed, and Melaia Vatucawaqa, deputy resident representative of UNDP in the Maldives, says the UNDP will oversee the implementation of the centre that will be opened after six months.

Speaking after the signing ceremony, Vatucagawa highlighted the importance of such projects, as many islands in the Maldives were poorly equipped in terms of social services desperately needed by fishermen.

She added that the two-storey and flood-proof facility will serve more than 2,000 fishermen and their families, and will also act as an emergency centre for crisis management, providing shelter, health services, relief and psychological support.

RCA representative Mohammed said that the project was chosen after a thorough study. "The RCA highly values its partnership with the UNDP and the joint cooperation in the Maldives is complementing previous experiences in a number of international disaster-affected regions," he added.

Source: Indian Muslim Info

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Four LTTE terrorists to be sent for trial in Colombo - Maldives

Four Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres who are currently in a Maldivian jail, caught while smuggling weapons to Sri Lanka in a hijacked Indian trawler will be sent to Sri Lanka to stand trial as terrorists soon.

Maldivian Foreign Minister Dr. Shaheed has announced that he would not stand in the way of transferring the LTTE cadres jailed for smuggling guns through Maldivian waters, also to stand trial in Colombo on additional charges of terrorism under Sri Lanka law.

The Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Male Mohamed Farooq has confirmed to a Maldivian news agency that he has had successful talks with the Maldivian Foreign Minister about the transfer of the prisoners and the Maldivian Foreign Minister has indicated that he would not stand in the way of a transfer of the terrorists to face a trial in Colombo.

Both men have played down the concerns of some pro-Tiger NGO's that the LTTE prisoners would be at the risk of their lives in a Sri Lankan jail.

The international gun running fiasco occurred when the LTTE terrorists, hijacked an Indian trawler with 12 crew members, on March 29, while the DMK party was blaming that on Sri Lanka.

According to later evidence it was commandeered on high seas, to be used for gun running purposes for the ongoing LTTE terrorist atrocities in Sri Lanka.

The hijacked trawler was sunk by the Maldivian Coast Guard vessel twenty fours after one of the LTTE members on board had shot at a Maldivian fishing boat that approached the hijacked Indian trawler. Four surviving LTTE cadres were captured by the Maldivian authorities.

During a six week investigation, according to the Maldivian foreign ministry officials the four cadres confessed they were men of the LTTE .In early July they also pleaded, according to Maldivian authorities, guilty of gun running in the Maldivian waters. A Maldivian court sentenced them to a jail term of 15 years.

At first the Maldivian authorities were reluctant to extradite them to Sri Lanka. But later, following discussions between the two governments the government reportedly change their view.

The Sri Lanka High Commissioner in Male Farooq has said, "If we find they intended to commit terrorist acts in our country, we have the right to charge them with further crimes."

Sri Lankan High Commissioner Mr. Farooq, denying that they will be tortured said there are many LTTE prisoners spending their time in Sri Lankan jails and none of them are harmed.

Indian and Sri Lankan investigations have confirmed the trawler sunk by the Maldivian authorities was in fact the India registered "Sri Krishna" belonging to fishermen in Tamil Nadu. According to the Kerala mechanic, Simon Soza, who had been taken by the Tamil Tigers on their gun running adventure to be used as a mechanic , before abandoning others as LTTE prisoners in an LTTE dominated jungle area in Sri Lanka, the Tamil Tiger terrorist group hijacked the vessel. After sinking of the trawler, the other crewmen who were prisoners under the Tigers were released following some secret negotiations between the LTTE and the DMK authorities in Tamil Nadu.

The Maldivian authorities came to know the truth about the vessel when the mechanic jumped from the boat and told authorities it had been hijacked by the LTTE. (Tamil Tigers). As usual the LTTE denied they hijacked the vessel. But both the fishermen and the mechanic have given vivid descriptions about the hijacking . During the intended trial in Colombo more details of the gun running are expected to be heard.

Source: Ministry of defense (Sri-Lanka)

UN rights expert welcomes appointment of first female judges in the Maldives


A United Nations independent expert on judicial independence today welcomed the appointment of the first-ever women judges in the Maldives and called on authorities in the Indian Ocean archipelago to continue to take steps towards “an appropriate gender balance within the judiciary.”

Leandro Despouy, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, issued a statement in Geneva after the Maldives appointed two female judges on Wednesday and announced that a third woman was due to be appointed next week.

The appointments are being made a month after Mr. Despouy tabled his report to the UN Human Rights Council, following his five-day official visit to the Maldives earlier this year, in which he stressed the urgent need to end gender discrimination within the country’s judiciary and promptly nominate women judges.

Today Mr. Despouy welcomed the Maldivian authorities “for having promptly implemented this very important recommendation, which is part of the broader judicial reform,” and reflects the international obligations to which the Maldives have subscribed.

Mr. Despouy also welcomed the decision of the Special Majlis, or the constitutional assembly, to adopt a new constitution by 30 November this year. A previous Government-set deadline of 31 May had not been met because the ruling Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) and the opposition Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) could not reach agreement on some parts of the draft constitution.

“The adoption of a new constitution is essential in order to guarantee to the Maldivian people the establishment of democratic institutions and the respect for human rights in their country,” Mr. Despouy said, adding it is also “a key prerequisite” for the nation’s first ever multi-party elections to be staged by the end of 2008.

The Special Rapporteur called for “a successful transition towards a democratic system of governance based on a separation of powers.”

But he voiced concern about the pace of the constitutional reform process after the Speaker of the Special Majlis indicated last Sunday that he did not plan to resume the work of the assembly for 10 days – even though the Special Majlis had previously agreed to convene four times a week so that it can meet the 30 November deadline.


Source: UN News

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Clean-up and sustainable waste management program complete, Australian Red Cross closes Male office


Approximately a third of the Maldives' population of 300,000 were severely affected by the tsunami, which left scores of people dead and displaced over 20,000.

Australian Red Cross and Canadian Red Cross have completed an AUD$9.5 million clean-up and sustainable waste management program in the Maldives.

The handover of this program to communities and the Ministry of Environment Energy and Water in July 2007 saw the completion of activities implemented directly by Australian Red Cross in the Maldives.

The clean up program has benefited almost 100,000 people, removing the equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks of tsunami debris and creating long-term environmental solutions for waste management on 74 islands.

Michael Legge, Vice-Chairman of the Australian Red Cross Board spoke at a ceremony marking the closure of the office. 'For the people of the Maldives the completion of the project is merely the end of one chapter in a much longer story. While the labour of Red Cross and its contractors is finished, the torch will be passed to passionate and well prepared communities, who stand ready to keep their islands healthy and clean,' he said.

In addition to the removal of debris, thousands of people have been educated and trained in sustainable waste management, including almost 1,500 island representatives and more than 2,000 students.

Francois Couillard, Deputy Secretary-General of operations representing Canadian Red Cross at the occasion, said 'This handover signifies that the work of Red Cross and its contractors is completed and communities will be the ones to maintain the momentum to keep the islands healthy and clean.'

Despite the completion of the clean-up and sustainable waste management program and the subsequent closure of the Australian Red Cross Maldives office, Australian Red Cross continues to support two tsunami recovery programs managed by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in the Maldives.

These are support for the construction of supplementary water supply systems through the Maldives, and support for the Federation's largest single relocation and construction project in the world. Australian Red Cross is building 25 houses and installing a solar power system as part of the construction of 600 houses and all related community infrastructure on Dhuvaafaru Island.

Source: Relief Web

Sumatec's Unit Secures RM5.75 Mln Project In Maldives


Sumatec Resources Bhd's unit Sumatec Corporation Sdn Bhd has secured a project worth RM5.757 million in Maldives, said Sumatec in a filing to Bursa Malaysia here, today.

The contract, which is scheduled to be completed in May 2008, is for the design, fabrication, testing and supply of new Aviation Fuelling System for Maldives Airport Company Ltd, a government-owned company of the Maldives.

The contract is expected to contribute positively to the overall earning and shareholder value of Sumatec for the financial year ending Dec 31, 2007.

Source: BERNAMA

Cape Verde Attracting Property Investors


More Brits are opting to holiday in Cape Verde rather than the Maldives, which is good news for property investors.

Destinations such as the Maldives are being disregarded more and more by people choosing to visit the similar but much closer paradise of the Cape Verde islands. More and more people are discovering the former Portuguese archipelago and last year saw 26.4% more tourists than during 2005.

The islands are also encouraging property investors. There is little chance for buying in the Maldives, but Cape Verde and its government are doing everything they can to encourage foreign buyers.

And it’s not just the travelling time that suits travellers from the UK to Cape Verde; the time difference is just one hour, whereas there’s a five hour difference in the Maldives. Not great for those who suffer from jet lag.

The Maldives is also a no-go zone for almost six months of the year due to the annual monsoon season, but tourists are attracted to Cape Verde year-round, so owners will be able to get almost constant occupancy of their property.

Activities on the islands include diving, bird watching, history, music, trekking, mountain biking, astronomy and botany to name but a few. Several championship golf courses are planned and the sandy beaches and clear waters also offer perfect conditions for sailing, surfing, wind and kite surfing, and fishing.

Purchasing your piece of paradise does not come with a huge price tag either; the average property price for a frontline four-bed villa in a Cape Verdean resort area is £403,495. Meanwhile the average two-bed apartment is only £94,149.

Source: Homes World Wide

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Maldives To Choose Government System Aug 18

The Maldives will hold a referendum Aug 18 to decide if the country is to run by a presidential or parliamentary system of government.

Election commissioner K.D. Ahmed Maniku announced Tuesday that voting will be held in all inhabited islands of the Maldives, Male newspaper Miadhu reported.

About 125,000 voters are eligible to vote in the referendum.

The People's Special Majlis passed a resolution June 18 to hold the referendum and to lower the voting age to 18. As a result, 24,000 people between 18 and 21 will be able to take part in the referendum.

Maniku has invited observers from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), the Commonwealth, the European Union and Maldives Human Rights Commission to observe the referendum.

Political parties have started their campaign already. The ruling Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) is supporting the presidential system while opposition parties, including the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), are in favour of the parliamentary system.

DRP leader and Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom announced June 28 that he would be running for presidency in 2008.

Source: News Post India

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Regent Hotels & Resorts To Open Luxury Resort In Republic Of Maldives In 2008


Regent Hotels & Resorts announces plans to open a new luxury resort on Maalefushi Island, Republic of Maldives in 2008. The Regent Maldives will be a 50-villa luxury resort on the secluded coral island, just 50 minutes by seaplane from the capital city of Male. Regent Hotels & Resorts is part of Carlson Hotels Worldwide.

The Regent Maldives will occupy the entire Maalefushi Island, an unspoiled 8-hectare (hectare=107,639 square feet) island paradise with lush tropical vegetation fringed with flawless white sand beaches. This magnificent villa development will redefine the concept of luxury resort hospitality, with its superb facilities, exclusive ambiance and world-renowned Regent service.

Paul Kirwin, president and managing director of Carlson Hotels Worldwide - Asia Pacific comments, "Everything about this resort – from the breathtaking location and distinctive architecture to the spectacular beautiful spa – will be the embodiment of The Regent Experience.”

Maalefushi Island sits at the heart of the Thaa Atoll, a natural wonderland of crystal clear waters, coral reefs, brilliant white beaches and spectacular sunsets. The Regent Maldives will feature 23 beach villas and 27 over-water villas, including two presidential villas, which will allow guests to observe the abundant marine life directly beneath their rooms. All villas are designed with private plunge pools and expansive timber decks offering breathtaking views across the turquoise lagoon.

The individual villas are designed to maximize privacy and comfort, and combine traditional Maldivian architecture with internationally-sourced materials and contemporary fabrics and furnishings selected by renowned interior designers Hirsch Bedner Associates. The bathroom of each villa opens to either a lush private garden area or ocean vistas and features indoor and outdoor showers. The two exclusive Presidential villas set over the coral lagoon include extra indulgences such as a luxurious dining pavilion with a viewing and relaxation platform, spacious bedroom suites with walk in wardrobe and private sun decks.

Integral to the theme of indulgence is the 850 square-metre Spa which resides over the lagoon, with the eight private treatment pavilions open to the ocean breezes. Specializing in innovative spa treatments, each pavilion will feature a plunge bath, outdoor shower and relaxation deck.

Dining options at The Regent Maldives will include the Maldivian Chic over-water signature grill restaurant/bar, showcasing local seafood prepared using variations of grill cuisine from nations surrounding the Maldives. Complemented with spectacular views over the water and to the sunset, The Café will offer continental style buffet for breakfast and a wide range of a la carte dishes while a more casual dining experience by the pool is available at the Ocean Terrace and Lounge. For private dining each guest villa features both indoor and outdoor dining facilities.

For recreation, a myriad of water sports and activities are available such as scuba diving, with a fully equipped dive school and qualified dive masters, snorkelling on the reef, wind surfing, parasailing, deep sea fishing or romantic picnics on nearby uninhabited islands. There will also be a fitness centre with state-of-the-art exercise equipment.

On the beachfront is a 38 metre infinity pool, while the lush sculpted gardens include a tennis court, volleyball court and yoga pavilion. Those with a taste for adventure can explore the remote and seldom-visited atolls of the Maldives in the comfort of the resort’s luxury motor launch. A library and lounge will also provide a full range of business services.

The Regent Maldives joins the growing portfolio of new Regent hotels and resorts under development around the world. Regent Hotels & Resorts currently has eight hotels and resorts worldwide.

Source: Hotel Interactive

Maldives signs torture treaty, to host UN visit

The Maldives, after being named as one of the first signatories of the UN Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT), will host a visit by the international Subcommittee for the Prevention of Torture later this year.

The Maldives was chosen by lot from among 34 OPCAT signatories to receive the subcommittee, which has a mandate to work with governments, law enforcement agencies, penal institutions, human rights commissions and civil society to strengthen national torture prevention safeguards, practices and mechanisms.

This visit would represent a landmark in the construction of the United Nations' torture prevention architecture, which has been over two decades in the making. It will also be the first time that a UN human rights treaty body visits State Parties in a preventive capacity - reflecting OPCAT's purpose - to focus on prevention rather than to investigate allegations of torture.

Following the visits, the Subcommittee will make recommendations to the Maldivian authorities on establishing effective measures to prevent torture, and to improve the conditions of detention of all persons deprived of their liberty.

The UN subcommittee has already held provisional consultations with the Maldivian authorities late June, regarding the modalities for the visit, and the government has committed itself to engage with the body in an open and constructive manner to improve torture prevention practices in its places of detention.

Speaking of the upcoming visit, chief government spokesman Mohamed Hussain Shareef said, "The government's goal is to attain the very highest standards of torture prevention, and we welcome international and national scrutiny of our progress towards that goal. We therefore look forward to receiving the Subcommittee later this year".

In response, Subcommittee chair Silvia Casale, congratulated the Maldives for its early ratification of the OPCAT and for its continued commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights.

The OPCAT was adopted by the United Nations on December 18, 2002 and entered into force on June 22, 2006. The Maldives was one of the 20 original members of OPCAT, having signed the instrument on September 14, 2005 and formally acceded on February 15, 2006. The Maldives was also the first country in Asia to ratify OPCAT.

--- IANS
This time round, Maldives will be Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s vacation spot for his birthday!

Snorkelling, scuba diving and lots of swimming are on the cards for Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy who will be celebrating a quiet birthday on the beaches of Maldives on July 8. He will turn 58 on the day.

Dr Reddy will leave for Bangalore on Friday evening after the UPA presidential candidate leaves for New Delhi. The next day afternoon, Dr. Reddy will embark on a two-day family vacation for Maldives. He will return to the city on July 9 evening. Dr. Reddy will be accompanied by his family members. (EOM)


Source:

Sunday, July 8, 2007

Iraqis choose Sweden as new home

If rising sea levels force the people of the Maldive Islands to seek new homes, who will look after us in a world already turning warier of in Iraq is already close to unbearable, with neighbours and marriages split apart by sectarian violence and people on all sides living in dread of car bombs, kidnappings and landmines.

By Stina Backer
BBC News, Amal

Halim Ibrahim and his family are among the half of all Iraqis who choose Sweden as their destination when they flee to Europe from their war-torn homeland.

"We wanted to get as far away from Iraq as possible," said 50-year-old Halim, standing outside his ground floor flat in southern Sweden.

"Everyone wants to go to Sweden, it has always been good to Iraqis. They respect human rights here. I wanted my children to grow up in a safe country, that's why we chose Sweden," said Halim.

The Ibrahims are not alone in coming to Sweden to make a new home.

Financial strain

Last year Sweden received 8,950 asylum applications from Iraqis, nearly half of the 22,200 who came to Europe. The United Kingdom received only 1,305, according to UN statistics.

With only nine million inhabitants, Sweden is feeling the financial strain of receiving such a high proportion of refugees.

During an EU meeting of justice and interior ministers in April, Swedish Migration Minister Tobias Billstroem urged other European countries to share the responsibility of providing protection to Iraqi refugees.

"There are many reasons why so many Iraqis choose Sweden," says Mr Billstroem. "There are more than 80,000 Iraqis in Sweden, so many have relatives here. They also know that we generally grant asylum to those from central and southern Iraq."

A long-term opponent of Saddam Hussein and a Shia Muslim from southern Iraq, Halim would get taken away by the police to be interrogated on a regular basis.

For days he would be gone without his family knowing if he was still alive.

"The police harassed anyone who was related to me because they knew I had been politically active. I had to leave to save myself and my family," he said.

Reunited

Halim had to flee Iraq in 2001 without his wife, Wafa, or his four children. The family was reunited a year later in Sweden, where Halim had been granted asylum.

"We had to sell everything we owned and borrow a lot of money to be able to get out of Iraq. We had to bribe many officials on our way. We're still in a lot of debt," said Wafa.

The family now live in a small Swedish town called Amal. The family likes it here. "It is quiet and safe, good for the children," said Halim.

In Iraq both Halim and Wafa worked, in Amal it has not been so easy, and both are unemployed.

"Most Iraqis in Sweden can only get a job as a taxi driver, it's quite sad," says their 21-year-old son Karrar who has just finished his school-leaving exams and is going to university in the autumn.

Amal Council has just been asked by the government if they can double their intake of Iraqi refugees this year to 60 people.

But council leader Kurt Svensson wishes it was that easy: "Like the rest of Sweden we're finding it difficult to find jobs for Iraqis."

"The government has no system in place to convert their qualifications, and many can't or don't want to retrain. Some don't get hired because they are foreign."

"On the whole it's costing society a lot of money, and it's a waste of talent. When they're unemployed it makes it harder to fully integrate them into Swedish society," Svensson says with a sigh.

This year the Swedish government estimates they will receive 20,000 asylum applications from Iraqis, more than 50 a day.

"It's therefore vital that the EU will get a harmonised asylum policy by 2010 as promised," says Tobias Billstroem.

"We don't want any quotas for how many refugees Europe should accept, on the contrary we want the common EU rules to be more similar to the Swedish, because it is vital to ensure the right to asylum is not infringed."


Source:

China, Maldives agree to boost cooperation in economy, technology


Foreign ministers from China and Maldives on Friday agreed to deepen traditional friendship and enhance cooperation of mutual benefits.

The China-Maldives relations have witnessed sound growth since the two nations established diplomatic ties in 1972, said Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi during a meeting with his Maldives counterpart Ahmed Shaheed.

The China-Maldives relationship has set a good example for the relationship between big and small nations in terms of equality, sincere cooperation and harmonious coexistence, Yang said.

Yang thanked the Maldivian government's firm support of China on the Taiwan, Tibet and human rights issues, adding China will be "a good neighbour, friend and partner" of Maldives.

Based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence, China is willing to join hands with Maldives to deepen traditional friendly relations, Yang said.

Echoing Yang's views, Shaheed expressed his thanks for Chinese government's large quantities of assistance to Maldives, which has played an active role in the country's economic and social development.

Shaheed reiterated the Maldivian government's adherence to the one-China policy, saying based on the UN Charter Maldives will push forward its friendly cooperation with China.

After the talks, the two ministers signed an agreement on further cooperation between China and Maldives in economy and technology.

Source: Xinhua

Saturday, July 7, 2007

Maldives grants visa on arrival to Macao passport holders


The Republic of Maldives has granted visa on arrival to the passport holders of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR), according to a press release issued Friday.

The release from the MSAR Information Bureau said the granting was informed by the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Maldives in Hong Kong.

It added that a total of 76 countries and territories have agreed to grant visa-free access or visa-on-arrival to the MSAR passport holders.

Source: Xinhua

Thursday, July 5, 2007

Maldives Promoted Via Hong-Kong Based Network

Maldives has been promoted via Phoenix Satellite Television of Hong-Kong.

A 15 second television advertisement of Maldives was aired daily during June. The advertisement was subtitled in Chinese. The main objective of this campaign is to promote Maldives in the Chinese market. Phoenix channel reaches over 42 million households, including more than 140 million viewers in mainland China.

China accounts for 4.4 percent market share of arrivals to Maldives. Maldives welcomed 26,396 visitors from China in 2006.

Source: MTPB

Boat driver back home after four-month ordeal

Fisherman Simon Souza, who was held captive by the LTTE and then detained by the Maldives police over the past four months, returned here on Wednesday to an emotional welcome by members of his family and friends.

Souza, hailing from Kochi, had gone to sea from Kollam with 12 fishermen from Colachel in Tamil Nadu, but ran into the LTTE in March. While the 12 others were released some time back, his captors detained him in a boat they used for arms smuggling, officials said.

Souza, however, escaped from the LTTE during a shootout in the sea between the LTTE and Maldives police patrolling the area. His release from Maldives was secured with the state government taking up his case with the Centre.

Narrating his experience, Souza said the LTTE sought to use him for arms smuggling as he was an expert boat driver and mechanic. Though it was a bitter experience to be in the militant outfit's captivity, they did not torture him, he said.

"In the first few days, I refused to take food offered by them. They threatened me that I would be shot if I continued to starve myself. Then I said, I should be allowed to pray first before taking any food. They accepted my plea," he said.

Souza said he did not face any harassment at the hands of the Maldives police as they were quite friendly. They lodged and fed him properly and he was even allowed to move freely there. Before taking the flight home, they even gave him some gifts to be taken home.

State Fisheries Minister S Sarma, Souza's wife and his three sons were present to receive him.

Source: DNA

Boat driver back home after four-month ordeal

Fisherman Simon Souza, who was held captive by the LTTE and then detained by the Maldives police over the past four months, returned here on Wednesday to an emotional welcome by members of his family and friends.

Souza, hailing from Kochi, had gone to sea from Kollam with 12 fishermen from Colachel in Tamil Nadu, but ran into the LTTE in March. While the 12 others were released some time back, his captors detained him in a boat they used for arms smuggling, officials said.

Souza, however, escaped from the LTTE during a shootout in the sea between the LTTE and Maldives police patrolling the area. His release from Maldives was secured with the state government taking up his case with the Centre.

Narrating his experience, Souza said the LTTE sought to use him for arms smuggling as he was an expert boat driver and mechanic. Though it was a bitter experience to be in the militant outfit's captivity, they did not torture him, he said.

"In the first few days, I refused to take food offered by them. They threatened me that I would be shot if I continued to starve myself. Then I said, I should be allowed to pray first before taking any food. They accepted my plea," he said.

Souza said he did not face any harassment at the hands of the Maldives police as they were quite friendly. They lodged and fed him properly and he was even allowed to move freely there. Before taking the flight home, they even gave him some gifts to be taken home.

State Fisheries Minister S Sarma, Souza's wife and his three sons were present to receive him.

Source: DNA

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

Leela to make luxury rooms in Mauritius and Maldives

Hospitality major Leela Group’s overseas alliance with Kempinski is set to kick off in Maldives and Mauritius. Leela, which has had a long-standing tie-up with Kempinski in India, is expected to jointly manage luxury projects in these markets, C P Krishnan Nair, chairman of The Leela Palaces & Resorts, told ET.

It is learnt that Leela, which was offered land by the governments of these two countries sometime back, has now decided to go in for project development. “These ventures will be developed by Kempinski, and will be co-managed between us,” Mr Nair said.

“We will take a final view of Leela’s exact role in the venture once the project is ready,” he added. The financial details, including the possibility of Leela taking a stake in these ventures, will be discussed as the project gets underway.

The two ventures are expected to be ready for operations in two to three years. This marks Leela’s much talked about overseas foray.

Earlier, Leela stated that it would opt for an alliance with Kempinski rather than making a solo foray that was discussed initially.

Various locations across south east Asia to the Middle East were under consideration for the overseas debut. On the domestic front, Leela could look at a new property in Jaipur. The company is evaluating two properties and is expected to take a final
call shortly.

It is in the midst of completing a 90-suite Udaipur project, which is slated for opening in early 2008. The other projects in the pipeline cover locations like Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Chennai and Pune.

Mr Nair said the group’s Delhi project, it recently acquired a three acre plot in the city for over Rs 600 crore, is likely to be ready by 2010. It is expected to be a 225-room project with targeted room rentals of over $700 per night (by the time it gets ready), he added.

Besides the existing projects in Mumbai, Goa, Bangalore and Kovalam, Leela also has a marketing tie-up with Kumarakom Lake Resort, one of top-end properties in Kerala.

Meanwhile, Jamavar, the specialty Indian restaurant at The Leela palace Kempinski, was recently featured among the world’s top dining places ranking by Forbes.

Source: The Economics Time

Leela to make luxury rooms in Mauritius and Maldives

Hospitality major Leela Group’s overseas alliance with Kempinski is set to kick off in Maldives and Mauritius. Leela, which has had a long-standing tie-up with Kempinski in India, is expected to jointly manage luxury projects in these markets, C P Krishnan Nair, chairman of The Leela Palaces & Resorts, told ET.

It is learnt that Leela, which was offered land by the governments of these two countries sometime back, has now decided to go in for project development. “These ventures will be developed by Kempinski, and will be co-managed between us,” Mr Nair said.

“We will take a final view of Leela’s exact role in the venture once the project is ready,” he added. The financial details, including the possibility of Leela taking a stake in these ventures, will be discussed as the project gets underway.

The two ventures are expected to be ready for operations in two to three years. This marks Leela’s much talked about overseas foray.

Earlier, Leela stated that it would opt for an alliance with Kempinski rather than making a solo foray that was discussed initially.

Various locations across south east Asia to the Middle East were under consideration for the overseas debut. On the domestic front, Leela could look at a new property in Jaipur. The company is evaluating two properties and is expected to take a final
call shortly.

It is in the midst of completing a 90-suite Udaipur project, which is slated for opening in early 2008. The other projects in the pipeline cover locations like Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Chennai and Pune.

Mr Nair said the group’s Delhi project, it recently acquired a three acre plot in the city for over Rs 600 crore, is likely to be ready by 2010. It is expected to be a 225-room project with targeted room rentals of over $700 per night (by the time it gets ready), he added.

Besides the existing projects in Mumbai, Goa, Bangalore and Kovalam, Leela also has a marketing tie-up with Kumarakom Lake Resort, one of top-end properties in Kerala.

Meanwhile, Jamavar, the specialty Indian restaurant at The Leela palace Kempinski, was recently featured among the world’s top dining places ranking by Forbes.

Source: The Economics Time

Maldives, Lanka working on extraditing LTTE suspects

The Maldives and Sri Lanka are working towards extraditing to Colombo, the four LTTE suspects convicted of several crimes including smuggling of arms and currently in prison here.

An extradition treaty between the two friendly countries will enable the Maldives to transfer the four LTTE suspects to Colombo but when the decision would be taken was not known yet, Foreign Minister Ahmed Shaheed said.

“There are no legal snags in extraditing the prisoners to Sri Lanka since there is a treaty between the two countries to that effect,” the Foreign Minister told the Maaloafaanu website.

“There is no definite time as when the decision will be made and we are working on the matter now,” he said.

Sri Lankan High Commissioner Mohamed Ali Farook said Colombo government’s request to the Maldives to extradite the prisoners still stood.

“Sri Lanka is ready to ensure that the prisoners serve the same sentence in Colombo, if they were handed over” Mr. Farook said.

The Foreign Ministry is scheduled to send a copy of the official court verdict to the Sri Lankan High Commission today to be delivered to the Sri Lankan Government.

The court on Sunday sentenced the four suspects to fifteen and a half years in jail after they were captured by the Maldives Coast Guard in May 17 in Maldivian territorial waters while smuggling arms to Sri Lanka.

On May 22, a team from Sri Lanka arrived here for its own investigations into the incident and requested the Maldives to hand them over to Sri Lanka following the court procedure.

Source: Daily Mirror

Four LTTE arms smugglers sentenced to jail in Maldives

Four LTTE cadres who were recently seized in Maldivian waters when sailing in a hijacked Indian fishing trawler carrying weapons for the LTTE, have been sentenced to 15 years and 6 months imprisonment by the Maldivian criminal court.

The accused are Mahindhra Rasa Kajeevan (20), Ramesh Raja Chandhan (20), Muthalingam Yogaras (24), and Navarathna Rasa Ranjeeth (21). They pleaded guilty to the charges of illegally crossing international waters into Maldivian territory, "disobedience to orders" and firing at Maldivian security forces.

The hijacked trawler carrying weapons for the LTTE terrorists was destroyed by Maldivian coastguards on 17th June, when intercepted off Gaaff Alif atoll in Maldivian waters.

The suspected trawler flying a Sri Lankan ensign was first observed by the Maldivian fishermen. Maldivian coastguard vessels later ordered the suspected trawler to stop for inspection. When it ignored this order and started firing at the Coastguard vessel, they carried out a retaliatory attack and destroyed the trawler following a hot pursuit.

Maldivian officials indicated that five crew members, including the LTTE terrorist cadres, who had jumped overboard from the destroyed boat, were rescued by the Maldivian coastguards. A crewmember speaking the South Indian Malayalam language had identified himself as a South Indian fisherman and told the Coastguards that the trawler was smuggling arms and ammo for the LTTE.

He has further revealed that the four LTTE terrorists had hijacked the fishing vessel and threw the other crew members overboard along with their fishing gear. He had also claimed that he was spared because he is the Technical Officer on the vessel, and was needed by the crew in case of breakdown.


Source: Defence Srilanka

Four LTTE arms smugglers sentenced to jail in Maldives

Four LTTE cadres who were recently seized in Maldivian waters when sailing in a hijacked Indian fishing trawler carrying weapons for the LTTE, have been sentenced to 15 years and 6 months imprisonment by the Maldivian criminal court.

The accused are Mahindhra Rasa Kajeevan (20), Ramesh Raja Chandhan (20), Muthalingam Yogaras (24), and Navarathna Rasa Ranjeeth (21). They pleaded guilty to the charges of illegally crossing international waters into Maldivian territory, "disobedience to orders" and firing at Maldivian security forces.

The hijacked trawler carrying weapons for the LTTE terrorists was destroyed by Maldivian coastguards on 17th June, when intercepted off Gaaff Alif atoll in Maldivian waters.

The suspected trawler flying a Sri Lankan ensign was first observed by the Maldivian fishermen. Maldivian coastguard vessels later ordered the suspected trawler to stop for inspection. When it ignored this order and started firing at the Coastguard vessel, they carried out a retaliatory attack and destroyed the trawler following a hot pursuit.

Maldivian officials indicated that five crew members, including the LTTE terrorist cadres, who had jumped overboard from the destroyed boat, were rescued by the Maldivian coastguards. A crewmember speaking the South Indian Malayalam language had identified himself as a South Indian fisherman and told the Coastguards that the trawler was smuggling arms and ammo for the LTTE.

He has further revealed that the four LTTE terrorists had hijacked the fishing vessel and threw the other crew members overboard along with their fishing gear. He had also claimed that he was spared because he is the Technical Officer on the vessel, and was needed by the crew in case of breakdown.


Source: Defence Srilanka

Monday, July 2, 2007

President announces World Culture, Heritage Day to be celebrated in Maldives next year

President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has announced that the international World Culture and Heritage Day is to be celebrated in the Maldives starting next year. He made the statement at the inauguration ceremony of the four day seminar on Maldives History and Heritage organised by the National Centre for Linguistic and Historical Research.

The inauguration ceremony was held Sunday afternoon at Dharubaaruge. In his opening remarks, President Gayoom stated that the reason behind this was to create awareness and interest among the people on the historical sites and landmarks of the Maldives. World Culture and Heritage Day is celebrated on April 18.

President Gayoom stated that every nation’s history and heritage was very important and that Maldives too, has a very significant history. He noted that awareness programmes on Maldivian historical sites had not been conducted sufficiently and emphasized that all sectors need to work collectively and diligently in promoting awareness in this field.

In his speech, the President highlighted that the most significant of our heritage is the Holy Quran. The President also noted that like many other Muslim countries, some hand written scriptures of the Holy Quran have been preserved in the Maldives too.

During the ceremony, President Gayoom was presented with a commemorative plaque by the National Centre for Linguistic and Historical Research. The Plaque was presented by the President of the Centre Abbas Ibrahim.

On arrival at Dharubaaruge the President and the First Lady were greeted by Abbas Ibrahim and his wife. The senior members of the Centre for National Linguistic and Historical Research were also present to greet the President and the First Lady.

After the inauguration, the President also met and spoke with the participants of the seminar.

Source: Haveeru

Maldives sentences 'Tamil Tigers'


A court in the Maldives has sentenced four suspected Tamil Tiger rebels from Sri Lanka to 15 years in prison. The charges included trying to import illegal firearms and weapons.

In May, the Maldives coastguard sank a boat carrying suspected Tamil Tigers in its territorial waters near an atoll, south of the main archipelago.

At the time, the rebels' military spokesman Rasiah Llanthiriyan had denied the Tamil Tigers were involved in the incident.

Source: BBC

President extends congratulations to the new Prime Minister of UK

President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has sent a message of congratulations to Gordon Brown, on his assumption of office as the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

In the message, the President extended warm congratulations and sincere good wishes of the Government and people of the Maldives, and that of his own, to Mr. Brown. The President further expressed is confidence that the friendly relations that existed between the two countries would continue to strengthen in the years to come.

Source: Haveeru