Local

Finance Minister, MPs spar over GMR issue

Published

3 years ago

18/10/2021

Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer and Members of Parliament have exchanged heavy words over the Government of Maldives’ decision to terminate the lease of Velana International Airport to India’s GMR.

ޖީއެމްއާރު އަތުން އެއަރޕޯޓު އަތުލުމަކީ ރާއްޖޭގެ އިޤްތިސާދީ ކުރިއެރުމަށް މިހާތަނަށް އެޅުނު އެންމެ ބޮޑު ހުރަސް. pic.twitter.com/y6lIdPVo2I

— Ibrahim Ameer (@iameeru) October 16, 2021

In 2010, under the administration of former President Mohamed Nasheed, the airport was first put up for lease. The bid was won by a consortium between GMR Group and Malaysia Airports who provided MVR 1 billion as an upfront fee to the government for the expansion and modernization of the airport by 2014, and its operation for 25 years.

NPV ge mingadah balaairu enme faidha bodu kamugai faahaga kurevunee GMR-MAHB ge hushaelhuvvun. Kuriah adhaa kuravva fee ge gothuga GMR-MAHB ge gulhifaiva kunfunin eh faharaa adhaa kurevvi $78m e ee beelan hushahelhuvvi hurihaa faraathehge therein hushahelhuvvi enme mathee adhadh pic.twitter.com/2rxfKg0VX5

— Mohamed Nasheed (@MohamedNasheed) October 17, 2021

By the end of the year, Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) officially handed over the aerodrome license of the airport to the newly formed GMR Malé International Airport Ltd (GMIAL). GMAIL announced that the development plans included reclaiming more land at the eastern end of the runway; where a new terminal is to be built. This terminal would consist of three separate bridged buildings. Plans for a separate cargo terminal were also announced. However, the project faced numerous delays.

In late 2012, the new government of Maldives under the administration of Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hussain Manik declared that the concession agreement was void ab initio and on 27 November 2012 gave GMIAL a deadline of seven days to ‘evict the airport’. At the time the Government had reassumed control of the airport, none of the planned expansion projects had begun.

In a tweet posted late on Saturday evening, Finance Minister Ameer said the termination was ‘the biggest bar’ to development in the Maldives. In his tweet, the Minister said the Government had to pay US$ 270 million in the arbitration process, which in turn, hampered the planned projects.

If the Government had continued to work with GMR, Minister Ameer said the country would have been able to cater to 6.7 million tourists before the pandemic hit the country. He added that had the lease not been terminated, then Maldives would have seen a US$ 10 billion economy instead of a US$ 5 billion.

The then President and current Speaker of Parliament, Mohamed Nasheed had also defended his administration’s decision to hand over the airport.

MP for Vilingili Constituency Ahmed Usham defended the Waheed administration’s decision to nullify the agreement. At that time, Usham was a lawyer in the Attorney General’s Office. He said the decision was one of the most critical ones taken by any administration and beneficial to all citizens.

Usham said if GMR had been allowed to continue expansion, then the opportunity to create a new terminal in the airport would have been completely shelved. Lack of a new terminal and a runway, he said, would negatively impact arrivals.

Opposition aligned MPs have also challenged Minister Ameer’s statements, adding that the issue of the airport was tied to the sovereignty of the country.

Local

Nasheed to form new party

Published

11 months ago

17/05/2023

The main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s leader Mohamed Nasheed has decided to form a new political party.

Nasheed initiated a separate political movement within MDP, ‘Fikuregge Dhirun’, following his loss in MDP’s presidential primary held back in January. After major conflicts with the government and its policies – all lawmakers from the faction tendered their resignation from MDP on Wednesday.

The move came after Central Henveiru MP Ali Azim was expelled from the party on Tuesday and banned from rejoining for at least one year over involvement in opposition political activities surrounding the Chagos archipelago dispute.

The 12 members who resigned from MDP on Wednesday are;

Parliament’s Deputy Speaker, North Galolhu MP Eva Abdulla
Ungoofaaru MP Mohamed Waheed (Wadde)
North Maafannu MP Imthiyaz Fahumy (Inthi)
West Henveiru MP Hassan Latheef
Hulhudhoo MP Ilyas Labeeb
North Kulhudhuffushi MP Yasir Abdul Latheef
Vilufushi MP Hassan Afeef
Central Maafannu MP Ibrahim Rasheed (Bonde)
Madaveli MP Hussain Firushan
Thoddoo MP Hassan Shiyan (Gita)
North Mahchangoalhi MP Mohamed Rasheed (Boadhigu)
Gadhdhoo MP Ahmed Zahir
All 12 members are close acquittances of Nasheed. MP Hassan Latheef, during a meeting at Bodufenvalhuge on Wednesday, announced Nasheed’s decision to form a new political party. The meeting was attended by supporters of Nasheed.

Should Nasheed form a new political party, that party would be the largest opposition party in terms of members in the parliament, thereby, the minority party. The minority party at present, opposition PPM-PNC coalition has only eight members in the parliament.

Despite the resignation of the 12 MPs, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih continues to hold full control of the Parliament with 56 MPs.

Source(s): sun.mv

Local

MPs loyal to Nasheed leave MDP

Published

11 months ago

17/05/2023

Multiple members of the main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) loyal to the party’s leader Mohamed Nasheed have left the party.

The members who resigned from MDP include 12 MPs. They include Deputy Speaker Eva Abdulla, MP Mohamed Waheed, MP Imthiyaz Fahmy (Inthi), MP Hassan Latheef, MP Ilyas Labeeb, MP Yasir Abdul Latheef, MP Hassan Afeef, MP Ibrahim Rasheed (Bonde), MP Hussain Firushan, MP Hassan Shiyan, MP Mohamed Rasheed (Boadhigu), and MP Ahmed Zahir.

They submitted their resignation letters Wednesday.

The move comes after MDP’s parliamentary group had requested action against Inthi, Hassan Latheef, Ilyas, Yasir, and Central Henveiru MP Ali Azim earlier this week, for forming an alliance with the opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Jumhoory Party (JP) and Maldives National Party (MNP), after accusing the government of failure to protect the interests of the Maldivian people in the case lodged with the International Tribunal of the Law of the Seas (ITLOS) over the disputed maritime territory between Maldives and Mauritius.

The party’s disciplinary committee decided to expel Azim from the party on Tuesday.

They are all members of Nasheed’s ‘Fikuregge Dhirun’ faction.

However, Nasheed has yet to resign from the party.

Despite the resignation of the 12 MPs, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih continues to hold full control of the Parliament with 56 MPs.

Source(s): sun.mv

Local

The Cambodian Prime Minister arrives in the Maldives on an official visit

Published

1 year ago

15/01/2023

The Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, arrived Sunday morning on an official visit to the Maldives at the invitation of H.E. President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. It is Samdech Techo Prime Minister Hun Sen’s first visit to the Maldives.

The Cambodian Prime Minister and accompanying delegation were received at Velana International Airport (VIA) by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdulla Shahid (ODRI). The government will hold a ceremony on Monday to officially welcome the Cambodian Prime Minister to the Maldives.

During the visit, President Solih would meet with Samdech Techo Prime Minister Hun Sen and hold official talks on strengthening bilateral cooperation, followed by the exchange of memoranda of understanding (MoUs) between the two countries. President Solih and the Cambodian Prime Minister would also deliver a joint statement on the outcomes of their discussions.

The Maldives and Cambodia established diplomatic relations on September 21, 1995.

Source(s): President Office.