The Maldivian government said that it would connect neighbouring countries including Sri Lanka and India to its growing ferry transport network, the Minivan News reported.
Quoting Minister for Transport and Communication Adhil Saleem it said “the government was engaged in discussions with South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to add its member countries to the Maldives Transportation Network, under phase two of the rollout of its ferry network.”
It was reported that there is currently no scheduled passenger ferry service operating between the Maldives and other SAARC countries, with travellers often forced to fly to their destinations in the Maldives. Minivan News understands that domestically all provinces have at least a skeletal ferry service in place, while the ministry’s statistics show that the new ferry transportation network had completed over 311,000 ferry trips since it began operation last year.
Source: http://print.dailymirror.lk/news
Friday, January 14, 2011
ECONOMIC FREEDOMS of Maldives
The Maldives’ economic freedom score is 48.3, making its economy the 154th freest in the 2010 Index. Its score has decreased by 0.7 point from last year, with modest declines in half of the 10 economic freedoms. The Maldives is ranked 34th out of 41 countries in the Asia–Pacific region, and its overall score is below the world and regional averages.
Despite the sharp downturn in 2009, the Maldives has undergone average economic growth of over 6 percent over the past five years. However, continuing measures to enhance competitiveness will be vital. The Maldives scores relatively well in business freedom and fiscal freedom. The overall regulatory environment is streamlined and transparent. With no system of direct taxation, government revenue relies on import taxes, tourism taxes, and income generated by state-owned enterprises.
The Maldives’ weaknesses include chronically high government spending, inefficiency of the outsized public sector, and widespread corruption. The government still plays a large role in the economy through state-owned enterprises, limiting and crowding out private-sector activity. Public ownership is widespread in every sector except tourism, and the public sector remains the largest source of employment, hiring over one-third of the labor force.
BACKGROUND
The Maldives held its first multi-party presidential elections in October 2008. President Mohammed Nasheed was sworn into office on November 11, 2008, succeeding Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who had ruled the country for 30 years. The Maldives has largely recovered from the devastation caused by the 2004 Asian tsunami. Tourism is the centerpiece of the economy, contributing 30 percent of GDP in 2009. Fishing employs about 11 percent of the labor force, and manufacturing provides less than 7 percent of GDP.
BUSINESS FREEDOM
The Maldives’ regulatory framework has been streamlined and has become more conducive to entrepreneurial activity. However, impediments to sustained private-sector growth and diversification remain considerable, in large part due to other institutional deficiencies such as corruption and weak protection of property rights.
Read more
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Amari heads for the Maldives
Thai residential property developer, Amari Estates Company, has won the lease management contract for the four star Herathera Island Resort in the south Maldives, a twenty minute speedboat ride from Gan International Airport.
Refurbishing and rebranding the resort will cost over 100 million baht (USD3.31 million) and an official agreement will reportedly be signed on January 15th 2011.
The Herathera Island Resort forms part of Amari Estates’ expansion plans in Asia. Future projects include the development of a six hundred million baht (US$19.8 million) three star, two hundred room hotel, under the Ozo brand name, in Koh Samui, Thailand, set for completion in 2012.
This year, Amari Estates will invest in three other properties in Thailand with a total project value of almost 5 billion baht (US$166 million); Oriental Residence in Bangkok, Amari Residences Hua Hin and Amari Hua Hin.
Source: http://www.property-report.com
Refurbishing and rebranding the resort will cost over 100 million baht (USD3.31 million) and an official agreement will reportedly be signed on January 15th 2011.
The Herathera Island Resort forms part of Amari Estates’ expansion plans in Asia. Future projects include the development of a six hundred million baht (US$19.8 million) three star, two hundred room hotel, under the Ozo brand name, in Koh Samui, Thailand, set for completion in 2012.
This year, Amari Estates will invest in three other properties in Thailand with a total project value of almost 5 billion baht (US$166 million); Oriental Residence in Bangkok, Amari Residences Hua Hin and Amari Hua Hin.
Source: http://www.property-report.com
Negotiations underway to set up Sri Lankan University in Maldives
The Sri Lanka Ministry of Higher Education for the first time is negotiating with the Maldivian government to setup a branch of the Sri Jayewardenepura University in Maldives.
It has recently transpired that a delegation from the Sri Lankan Ministry of Higher Education will be making plans to travel to the capital Male to discuss the proposal with the Maldivian government.
The Sri Lanka Ministry of Higher Education plans to first establish a Management Faculty affiliated to the Sri Jayewardenepura University. The Faculty will be providing postgraduate degrees and diplomas in subjects such as business management, business administration, marketing, finance and IT.
Sri Lanka’s Minister of Higher Education, S.B. Dissanayake told Haveeru Daily that the proposal to set up a University in Maldives will further strengthen ties between both countries and will give an opportunity for Maldivian students to take up Sri Lankan degree programs.
“There is a large number of Maldivian students doing their higher studies in Sri Lanka. This university will help students who want to pursue their higher studies but cannot afford to do a degree in Sri Lanka and those who want to complete their higher studies in Maldives itself,” he said.
“This move will definitely strengthen ties between both our countries. We have been sharing a very close relationship with Maldives and we want to take an initiation in setting up a Sri Lankan university for the first time there,” he said.
“I recently met with the Maldivian High Commissioner and other senior officials from the Maldivian High Commission in which we spoke about the university project. The proposal has been sent to the Maldivian Ministry of education,” Minister Dissanayake said.
The plan to set up the university comes in the backdrop of the Maldives High Commissioner in Colombo Hussain Shihab paying a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Higher Education in which he discussed the matter with Minister S.B Dissanayake on December 30.
At the meeting they also discussed expanding the scholarship exchange programme between the two countries.
The First Secretary of the Maldives High Commission Ahmed Mujthaba, Vice Chancellor of the Sri Jayewardenepura University Dr. N.L. A Karunatahne were also present at the event.
Establishing the Sri Jayewardenepura University in Maldives is viewed as Sri Lanka’s move to upgrade its universities into international standards.
Currently the number of students studying in Sri Lanka is around 3,000 and is rapidly growing with the emergence of several private institutions offering post graduate degrees and diplomas in Sri Lanka.
Source: HNS and Haveeru Daily
It has recently transpired that a delegation from the Sri Lankan Ministry of Higher Education will be making plans to travel to the capital Male to discuss the proposal with the Maldivian government.
The Sri Lanka Ministry of Higher Education plans to first establish a Management Faculty affiliated to the Sri Jayewardenepura University. The Faculty will be providing postgraduate degrees and diplomas in subjects such as business management, business administration, marketing, finance and IT.
Sri Lanka’s Minister of Higher Education, S.B. Dissanayake told Haveeru Daily that the proposal to set up a University in Maldives will further strengthen ties between both countries and will give an opportunity for Maldivian students to take up Sri Lankan degree programs.
“There is a large number of Maldivian students doing their higher studies in Sri Lanka. This university will help students who want to pursue their higher studies but cannot afford to do a degree in Sri Lanka and those who want to complete their higher studies in Maldives itself,” he said.
“This move will definitely strengthen ties between both our countries. We have been sharing a very close relationship with Maldives and we want to take an initiation in setting up a Sri Lankan university for the first time there,” he said.
“I recently met with the Maldivian High Commissioner and other senior officials from the Maldivian High Commission in which we spoke about the university project. The proposal has been sent to the Maldivian Ministry of education,” Minister Dissanayake said.
The plan to set up the university comes in the backdrop of the Maldives High Commissioner in Colombo Hussain Shihab paying a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Higher Education in which he discussed the matter with Minister S.B Dissanayake on December 30.
At the meeting they also discussed expanding the scholarship exchange programme between the two countries.
The First Secretary of the Maldives High Commission Ahmed Mujthaba, Vice Chancellor of the Sri Jayewardenepura University Dr. N.L. A Karunatahne were also present at the event.
Establishing the Sri Jayewardenepura University in Maldives is viewed as Sri Lanka’s move to upgrade its universities into international standards.
Currently the number of students studying in Sri Lanka is around 3,000 and is rapidly growing with the emergence of several private institutions offering post graduate degrees and diplomas in Sri Lanka.
Source: HNS and Haveeru Daily
NTPC India Makes Initiatives to Install Renewable Energy Projects in Maldives
NTPC, the government owned power company of India, is engaged in talks with the Maldivian government to set up renewable energy projects in Male, the capital city of the country. The company has plans to conduct feasibility studies to understand the power generation potential of the country before initiating the projects.
The Indian government considers Maldives, which lay south-west of India, as an important country to maintain the security of the country. Maldives has a population of around 320,000, living all over the 1,192 coral islands of the country.
NTPC occupies the 317th ranking the in the Forbes Global 2000 companies list and generates 33,194 MW power every year. The company has plans to double its power generation to achieve 75,000 MW by 2017. Recently, the company has unveiled its plans to produce 35,840 MW by utilizing non-fossil fuel sources and achieve 70% of its total power generation from renewable energy sources by the year 2032. The company presently produces most of its power utilizing coal. The company has plans to install 1,000 MW power generation capabilities by 2017 from renewable energy sources such as geothermal, wind, solar and small hydro power generation plants.
Earlier NTPC had constructed a 500 MW power project in Sri Lanka and the project was delayed by four years due to variances in financial agreements and internal squabble of the country. Its unsuccessful attempts in overseas countries include securing of coal mines in Africa and gas supply positions in Yemen and Nigeria.
Source: http://www.azocleantech.com
The Indian government considers Maldives, which lay south-west of India, as an important country to maintain the security of the country. Maldives has a population of around 320,000, living all over the 1,192 coral islands of the country.
NTPC occupies the 317th ranking the in the Forbes Global 2000 companies list and generates 33,194 MW power every year. The company has plans to double its power generation to achieve 75,000 MW by 2017. Recently, the company has unveiled its plans to produce 35,840 MW by utilizing non-fossil fuel sources and achieve 70% of its total power generation from renewable energy sources by the year 2032. The company presently produces most of its power utilizing coal. The company has plans to install 1,000 MW power generation capabilities by 2017 from renewable energy sources such as geothermal, wind, solar and small hydro power generation plants.
Earlier NTPC had constructed a 500 MW power project in Sri Lanka and the project was delayed by four years due to variances in financial agreements and internal squabble of the country. Its unsuccessful attempts in overseas countries include securing of coal mines in Africa and gas supply positions in Yemen and Nigeria.
Source: http://www.azocleantech.com
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