News

Zareer appointed as new Commissioner General of Taxation

Published

1 month ago

23/05/2024

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has appointed Hassan Zareer as the new Commissioner General of Taxation.

Zareer was presented with his letter of appointment in a ceremony held at the President’s Office on Thursday morning.

The appointment came shortly after the Bank of Maldives (BML) announced that Zareer had resigned from his post as the bank’s chairperson, in order to assume his new post.

The position of Commissioner General of Taxation fell vacant after Fathuhulla Jameel resigned from the post in February, to contest the parliamentary elections.

The President’s Office made an open call for interested candidates, and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu submitted the names of eligible candidates to the Parliament on March 13.

The names were ranked based on his preference, with former tax commissioner Yazeed Mohamed on top of the list, followed by Zareer, who had served as Yazeed’s deputy.

Both Yazeed and Zareer had lost their positions following a 2019 amendment to the Taxation Act.

But the Parliament’s Economic Committee, which vetted the candidates, approved Zareer for the post, instead of Yazeed.

Yazeed received four votes, while Zareer received 10 votes.

Zareer’s appointment was approved by the Parliament with the unanimous consensus of 45 members on May 13.

Zareer holds a Master of Science in Finance and a Bachelor of Accounting from International Islamic University, Malaysia. He is also a fellow member of Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, United Kingdom and a certified member of Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA), Australia.

Zareer was appointed as the chairperson of BML’s board of directors in an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held on March 25.

He replaced Yooshau Saeed, who had held the post of the bank’s chairperson since 2021.

Prior to his appointment to BML, Zareer served as the Director of Finance and Group Chief Compliance Officer at Villa Shipping and Trading Company Pvt Ltd. Before that, he was the Deputy Commissioner General of Taxation at the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority, a position he held from August 2010 to September 2019.

He also served in various capacities at the Finance Ministry, including Chief Public Accounts Executive and Operations Manager of the Public Finance Reform Project from March 2007 to August 2010. He also served as the Assistant Director (Head of Public Enterprises Monitoring and Evaluation Board) and Assistant Under Secretary at the Ministry of Finance from July 2006 to March 2007.

He has served on the boards of various public and private companies, including the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority, Maldives Tourism Development Corporation, Maldives Post Limited, State Electric Company Limited, Solarelle Insurance, and Maldives Entertainment Company Limited. He also served as the chairman of Maldives National Oil Company.

Source(s): sun.mv

News

Malaysian company expresses interest to manage drug rehab centre

Published

11 hours ago

22/06/2024

Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusaan has revealed a Malaysian company has expressed interest to establish and operate a drug rehabilitation centre in the Maldives.

Speaking in an exclusive interview to PSM News, Minister Ihusaan stated the Malaysian company which expressed interest to establish and manage a drug rehabilitation centre in Maldives is a multinational company which operates several rehabilitation facilities worldwide. The minister disclosed the company had submitted a proposal expressing interest in the development and operation of a rehabilitation centre, adding that the proposal was submitted at a substantial expense. He revealed that efforts are underway to hold discussions on the proposal and to review other options that ensure the provision of rehabilitation services.

The government opened opportunities for private firms to establish and operate rehabilitation centres for drug addicts in January. The opportunity was in accordance to the Drug Act. Minister Ihusaan expressed confidence that the opportunities given to private firms would increase competitiveness in providing efficient and quality services, therefore providing mutual benefits. The minister hopes that private enterprises will commence offering services in the nation in the near future.

Rehabilitation centres established under the opportunity given by the National Drug Agency (NDA) are to provide a wide range of services to provide treatment to drug addicts. This includes outpatient detoxification services, psychiatric evaluation, counselling services, psychosocial therapy, drug testing and psychological assessments.

Source(s): PsmNews

News

Met Maldives predicts heavy rain through Monday

Published

11 hours ago

22/06/2024

The Maldives Meteorological Service (MMS) has forecasted heavy rain showers across most parts of the Maldives through June 24. Central and northern atolls are expected to experience significant rainfall and rough seas, while islands in the southern atolls will mostly enjoy fine weather with scattered showers and generally slight seas.

In response to the adverse weather conditions, MMS has issued several alerts, including a recent one for heavy rain and thunderstorms from Haa Alifu Atoll to Baa Atoll. The forecast predicts strong winds ranging from 19-24 miles per hour, with gusts reaching up to 50 miles per hour, resulting in rough sea conditions.

Over the past 24 hours, the Maldives has seen heavy rainfall, with Gaafaru Island in Kaafu Atoll recording the highest amount at 67.6 millimeters. Goidhoo Island in Baa Atoll also experienced significant rainfall, recording 49.4 millimeters.

MMS advises seafarers in the central and northern atolls to exercise caution due to the severe weather conditions. For the next three days, strong winds of 12-22 miles per hour, with gusts up to 50 miles per hour, are predicted across the country. The showers are expected to subside by Monday, but strong winds are likely to continue into Tuesday and Wednesday.

Source(s): PsmNews

News

Tourism minister announces development plans for abandoned resorts

Published

12 hours ago

22/06/2024

Minister of Tourism Ibrahim Faisal has announced strategic decisions to expedite the development of abandoned islands leased for resort development.

In an exclusive interview with PSM News, Minister Faisal revealed that the Economic Council has approved two key measures from a proposal aimed at accelerating the development of these islands.

One approved measure involves reclaiming the islands that have seen no development activity, returning them to the state without any conditions. The tourism ministry will collaborate with the Ministry of Finance and the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) to negotiate concessions on the substantial fees owed by lessees to the state.

The second measure focuses on finding solutions for islands where development has stalled due to various issues. The tourism ministry will assist in securing the necessary funds or facilitate the sale of these islands to new developers.

The tourism minister emphasised that accelerating the development of these islands will require legal adjustments. He noted that the state incurs significant financial losses when leased islands remain undeveloped.

According to the ministry’s statistics, there are 63 islands leased for resort development that have yet to be developed. Some of these islands have been leased for over 30 years.

The minister also highlighted that more islands will be developed and opened as resorts during this tenure. He projected that 12 to 15 new resorts will be opened over the next five years.

Source(s): PsmNews