adduveshi

IFC finances Shangri-La Resort hotel to spur development in southern Maldives

2009-03-22T20:31:00.000-07:00

Travelbizmonitor
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is helping Shangri-La Asia Limited finance the construction of a 142 room resort hotel in the southern Maldives that will help create jobs, strengthen tax revenues and attract tourists and investors to an underdeveloped region of the country. IFC will provide USD 50 million in long-term financing to help the company complete construction of the high end hotel on Villingili Island in the Addu Atoll, about 400 km from the capital city of Male. The investment will strengthen the local economy by directly creating more than 300 jobs and indirectly facilitating the creation of 2000 jobs, while the resort is being constructed.

Madhu Rao, Executive Director and CFO, Shangri-La Asia, said, “The investment will provide important support to the local economy. Shangri-La strongly supports the Maldivian government's commitment to sustainable tourism.” Tourism accounts for about 70 percent of Maldives’ economic activity. However, tourism development is largely concentrated around Male, in the north. The Maldivian government has been working to ensure that tourism activity is more widely dispersed, especially in the southern atolls. The government has a 30 percent equity investment in the joint venture implementing the Shangri-la project.

Dimitris Tsitsiragos, Director - Global Manufacturing and Services, IFC said, “As it will be the first high-end resort development in the south of Maldives, the project will help to attract other private investors into the area, thus benefiting the local economy.”

Work underway to establish Addu International School

2008-12-29T22:04:00.000-08:00

miadhu
Work is underway to establish an international school in Addu atoll, Education Minister Mustafa Luthfy has said.

He made the statement to Miadhu Daily when asked about government plans to strengthen devlop primary and secondary education in Addu atoll.

Mustafa Luthy said the government’s plan is to provide adequate and quality education to all parts of the country and that to this end efforts are underway to set up an international school in Addu atoll so that students of the atoll and the region can access quality education at home.

“Work is underway to establish an international school in Addu , the main reason we are embarking on such a project is provide the opportunity to students of the atoll and the nearby region to access quality education from home; we have plans to establish international schools in Sothern and Northern province” Mustafa said.

Mustafa who took over as Education Minister when the government of President Mohamed Nasheed came in to power has revealed plans to develop and upgrade education system of the country. He has worked in the education sector for over 22 years.

While efforts are underway to establish international schools in Southern Province and Northern Province , international schools will open in Male’ and Hulhumale’ as the new academic year begins in 2009.

Link Road accident victim brought to Male’

2008-11-23T02:47:00.001-08:00

haveeru
The man who was seriously injured in a pickup truck accident on Link Road in Addu has been brought to Male’ for treatment.

The accident occurred last Thursday evening near the Gaukendi area of Link Road and the man who was injured in the accident was a 30-year-old named Noorulla Ali, of Suthulimaage in Seenu atoll Feydhoo. There were two others with him at the time of the accident; the driver and another person who fled the scene following the accident. Nasrulla was first admitted at the ICU ward of the Hithadhoo Regional Hospital but was later transferred to Male’ on Friday. A person speaking on behalf of the victim's family said on Saturday that Ali had not regained consciousness since the accident and that his condition had not changed while undergoing treatment at the Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Male’.

“His condition is still serious and he has not regained consciousness,” the family friend said. “He is breathing with the help of a machine. He has suffered a small cut on his head but other than that he doesn’t seem to be too serious injured from outward appearances. However, doctors say that there is internal bleeding in his head.”

The driver of the vehicle, Ahmed Azim, 25, of Dhirimaage in Seenu atoll Feydhoo, suffered some injuries to his thigh and shoulder in the accident but doctors say the injuries aren't serious.

Police are now looking for the third man who had fled from the accident site.

According to eyewitnesses, the accident had occurred when the driver lost control of the pickup truck as it was speeding down the road and crashed into a coconut tree on the side. There had been several sandbags loaded onto the back of the vehicle at the time of the accident. The windshield of the pickup was smashed and the front of the vehicle bent out shape in the collision.

The Addu Police team that had investigated the accident said that Nasrulla Ali had most likely suffered the injuries after being run over by the vehicle when he was thrown out through the smashed windshield by the force of the crash.

Shangri-La Villingili Resort to be opened in April

2008-11-17T21:26:00.001-08:00

miadhu
The luxury hotel being developed in Villingili of Addu atoll is expected to open in April next year, according to Jens Moesker General Manager of Shangri-La Villingili Resort and Spa.

After showing the on going development efforts to media, General Manager of Shangril La Villingili Resort and Spa informed that the resort will commence operations in April next year . Jens Moesker said most of the major work is now complete and that work is progressing on schedule. He further said a second certificate will be held in January.

Jens Moesker expressed that the fact the course is to be held in Addu atoll is a matter of great satisfaction for him and that the course is an opportunity for the youths of the atoll to learn the skills of the trade and join the hotel.

He urged all youths wishing to join the course to submit their bio data along with educational qualifications to office of the resort before 5 December.

The resort to be next year will be the first luxury hotel to be opened in Addu atoll. The fully self contained 5-star development comprises more than 140 luxury villas located on the water and island itself. The Shangri-La Maldives resort and spa represents a major development for the economy of Addu Atoll, situated at the southern tip of the Maldives, 430km south of the capital Male.

Expatriate worker in Feydhoo arrested over assault

2008-10-29T17:01:00.001-07:00

haveeru
A young man from Seenu atoll Feydhoo suffered injuries to his ear during a fight with an expatriate worker in the island.

The incident occurred around 6:15am on Sunday near the Feydhoo Metal Works garage. A fight broke out among some of the local kids and the expatriate worker there. The boys had apparently gone into the garage to fix their bicycle and had set off the expatriate worker when they had hit him with their bike.

“They had ridden into the garage on the bike but due to brake failure were unable to stop and crashed the bike into the expatriate worker,” one of the eyewitnesses said under condition of anonymity. “The man got angry and punched the boy across the ear, wounding him. When the other boys got angry and confronted him he ran into the house of his employer. The kids then threw rocks and sand onto the roof.”

The eyewitness also said that the owner of the house had been angered because of that had come out with two other people armed with iron bars and tried to start a fight. Some of the people who had gathered at the scene had stopped the argument before it came to blows, he said.

Officials from the Addu Police Station said that the expatriate worker had been arrested following the incident and that the man had a history of striking out at some of the customers who came to the garage.

“We are investigating the case,” a Police official said. “So far we’ve found out that he was working here illegally.

Dr. Hassan to make a political party

2008-10-15T06:52:00.000-07:00

jazeera

Dr. Hassan Saeed has submitted 50 signatures to make a political party in the name of Maldives National party.

According to former Presidential Candidate Dr. Hassan’s running mate Dr. Shaheed, the decision to make a party was made due to the request of many people.

Dr. Shaheed said that they didn’t want to make a party for the Presidential elections as it might divide the other parties.

“Now all are united. We are all saying the same thing and have decided to work towards ending the current regime. I think this would be the perfect time for such a thing” Dr. Shaheed said.

He said that work to make the party would be accelerated once they are given the permission from the authorities and they would even work for the next general elections.

“A party’s importance is greater when it come to the election of the People’s Majlis” Dr. Shaheed said.

Former foreign Minister said that they are all behind Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Presidential Candidate Mohamed Nasheed (Anni) to bring an end to the current regime. He said that they are gearing up for it and a special campaign would begin soon.

According to Dr. Shaheed, the campaign to say “No to Maumoon” would begin soon.

Lifting The Shell: Signs Of Change In Addu Atoll

2008-10-09T20:24:00.000-07:00

minivan

On a sandy road in Addu atoll Feydhoo, a woman hangs up her washing outside her family’s traditional house. Marking the low wall of her home, black-lettered graffiti reads: “We want democracy.”

Along the coastal road connecting the islands, huge banners flap in the wind against a backdrop of stretching palm trees and white beaches. Music blares out of party campaign offices as people gather to greet and cheer candidates arriving in seaplanes.

These are just some of the signs of change in the southernmost Addu atoll. A far cry from past years, locals are now able to talk openly about politics and to campaign – and, most importantly, free to make a genuine choice at the polls for the first time.

“Since we were children we thought Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was just a name for the presidency post,” says Ahmed Asraf, 25, a diving instructor, who believes most people in the atoll want change.

“We thought like that because we have never heard another name until now. But now we know that’s just his name,” he said, adding he sees change as resulting from political parties, which were only legalised in 2005.

“Political parties gave a chance for freedom. Now people are able to say what they want, that’s what parties did. Before people were under a coconut shell, they only saw what the government wanted them to see through a hole in the shell. But parties lifted that shell.”

Across the atoll, its 28,000 citizens seem split between supporting Hassan Saeed, whose family originate from Feydhoo, incumbent President Gayoom and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidate Mohamed Nasheed (Anni). Republican Party candidate Gasim Ibrahim, the most recent to join the race, has also garnered a significant following.

By the sea, campaign offices line the coastal road. Large billboards display profiles of Gayoom, Gasim and Saeed, or MDP designs; the atoll has traditionally been a hotbed of opposition politics. But with no public opinion polls carried out, it is difficult to predict how Addu will vote.

On Saturday, several hundred MDP supporters stand at the harbour awaiting Anni’s arrival.

Fathimath Zulfa, 37, a teacher from Feydhoo, was among the supporters. “It doesn’t matter that he’s not from Addu. I support Anni because he is friendly and he understands how we live,” she says. Fathimath believes the current government ignores teachers.

“We are happy because this is the first time we are able to vote freely,” she says. “Before we have kept in something like a jail or a cage.”

But, she added, “If something goes wrong [in the voting], I don’t think it will be ok. People will not let it happen. If something like before is going to happen, I think there will be violence.”

However Ahmed, 21, says his whole family support independent candidate Hassan Saeed. “My family like Hassan Saeed. He’s from here. He’s nice like Maumoon, educated like Maumoon. But he should only stay around for five years.”

Nearby, a group of boys calling themselves “multi-party” supporters wear t-shirts split into red and yellow – one side of each supporting the Republican Party and the other the MDP. On their backs, a blue hand represents the government’s Dhivehi Raiyyithunge party (DRP).

“No candidate is good, no candidate is bad,” says Paris Ahmed, 25, who says the group will make their decision on the day of voting. “We trust everyone. We trust Maumoon,” he said.

Asked whether they supported a multi-party system, Ahmed said, “Maybe not 76 parties. But 20-something parties is good.”

“It’s good because everybody is trying to give more money than everybody else. If they give money we will give some support. But not our vote,” he added.

Yet 23-year-old Shameem says he and his friends are not participating in the “campaign fever”. “We are not part of a campaign. We don’t get involved in that. Because they are fighting, that’s all they do.”

And another Adduan, Ibrahim, in his 50s, said he supported President Gayoom’s bid for re-election. “He has brought us better education, better healthcare,” he says.

Despite hopes for a free and fair election, many have their doubts. “The government will play tricks,” says Mohamed Hussein, 49, a business owner. However he adds the candidate he supports can gain enough votes to overcome them.

“Previously there was a referendum: in that vote also nothing was fair. The same will happen this year,” he says.

“I don’t think lots of parties is good, just two is good. It’s ok if it’s just going to be in the headlines and talking about it until elections happen. I don’t like many, many parties …But I hope the pressure can change Maumoon,” he added.

And 29-year-old Mausoom, who said he had not registered to vote in time, said the election would be no different from polls in the past. “We have had 30 years of Gayoom and we have just kept our mouths shut. If he’s not going to win there will be bloodshed,” he says.

“Even before we have had observers, and they just look, and they don’t say anything. Afterwards in the parliament they say it was not free and fair but what use is that? You can’t change the result.

“Before, we had people dead for 12 years who voted, this year I’m sure even pregnant women’s babies will vote.”

And 19-year old Ahmed agrees. “I want to see change. But I don’t know what is going to happen. Whether we see it or not, there will be some cheating.”

Police recover alcohol bottles stolen from Handhufushi resort

2008-10-06T12:07:00.001-07:00

haveeru
The Maldives Police Service has recovered a large percent of the alcohol bottles that were stolen from the Handhufushi Resort and Spa managed by Yacht Tours and returned it to the resort.

According to officials from the Addu Police Station, 26 of the 44 alcohol bottles that were stolen from the resort bar last Sunday had been found inside a sack hidden in the woods of the Maafishi region of Hulhudhoo. Hulhudhoo is located on the same island on which the Handhufushi resort is. Police officials said that the recovered bottles had been handed over to the resort on Monday night.

Police said that no one had been arrested in connection to the theft yet, but that they were still continuing with the investigation. Police officials also refused to comment on whether they believed if the theft had been an inside job or by a group who had sneaked into the resort. However, reliable sources have told Haveeru that the theft was an inside job committed by some of the staff members working in the resort.

Addu showers Hassan with rose petals

2008-09-29T03:47:00.001-07:00

miadhu
Independent presidential candidate, former attorney general Dr. Hassan Saeed, contesting in the country's first ever multiparty presidential elections, on arrival at native Addu atoll on Friday was given a rousing welcome with showers of rose petals.

Dr. Hassan Saeed arrived in Addu on Friday afternoon via Air Taxi and was met with a huge crowd of supporters who had gathered near the harbor area to welcome him to the atoll. Dr. Saeed and delegation was cheered by large crowds of supporters and as he stepped onto the island of Feydhoo he was showered with rose petals.

A large number of people had come from the four islands connected to Feydhoo to show their support and meet with him. The whole harbor area was decorated with banners expressing support for him and several posters of him were also plastered to walls.

Addressing the people of the atoll, independent presidential candidate Dr. Hassan talked about his envisaged reforms and development. He briefed the people of his manifesto, his aspirations and hopes for the country and for the atoll.

Dhivehi Rahyithunge Party (DRP) former Vice Leader Hassan is the only independent presidential candidate contesting the presidential elections slated for October 8. In addition to Hassan and running mate Dr.Shaheed, the elections are contested by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) presidential candidate Mohamed Nasheed (Anni) and running mate Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik, Social Liberal Party (SLP) presidential candidate Ibrahim Ismail (Ibra) and running mate Fathimath Nahid, Jumhoory Coalition presidential candidate Qasim Ibrahim and running mate Ahmed Ali Sawaad, Dhivehi Rahyithunge Party (DRP) presidential candidate Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and running mate Ahmed Thasmeen Ali and Islamic Democratic Party (IDP)presidential candidate Umar Naseer and running mate Mohamed Rizwee.

Police arrest 17-year-old thief in Feydhoo

2008-09-24T01:58:00.000-07:00

haveeru
Police arrested a 17-year-old boy in Seenu atoll Feydhoo who was stealing mobile phones.

According to Addu Police Station, they had been on the trail of the thief once it had been reported to the Police and had eventually arrested the boy while he was trying to snatch a mobile phone from an expatriate. The boy had so far stolen two phones from random people on the roads and had managed to sell off one of the phones for Rf1000. Police had managed to recover the phone and return it to the owner, Police said.

“The boy had snatched the Rf4000 phone from a teacher at Feydhoo School and then sold it off for Rf1000,” the Acting Head of Southern Regional, Sub Inspector Ahmed Mohamed said. “We have since then recovered the phone and handed it over to the owner. The investigation is still ongoing.”

Many residents in Feydhoo say that crime rates had skyrocketed during the month of Ramazan. Last week, some civilians had captured and shackled two young boys who had gone on crime spree, stealing from some houses and shops in Hithadhoo, before the Police had intervened and taken the thieves into custody. Other residents say that there is also a group of con-artists swindling money from unsuspecting people on the pretense that they were badly in need of money to help an ailing relative who was dying in a hospital.

Sub Inspector Ahmed Mohamed said that they had detained one man and questioned him in connection to the swindling cases and that no further swindling cases had been reported since then.

Welcome to the real Maldives Martin Symington cycles round an atoll for a taste of real life in the paradise islands

2008-09-20T03:06:00.001-07:00

Timeonline

SUNDOWN on Feydhoo, and the open-air Café de Bodufanna on the quayside is the place to hang out. Rows of wooden fishing boats are moored, and the evening's call to prayer has been wailed from the village mosque.

Men and women sit at low wooden tables sipping black tea and playing a local board game, using scraps of coral for counters. I shoot the breeze with some lads who are into Snow Patrol and the Killers, did A levels at school on neighbouring Maradhoo and speak a precise, accented English. I buy them a round of Red Bulls.

So, here I am fraternising with the locals and sharing in a bit of everyday life on Addu Atoll, the southernmost and farthest flung of the 26 island clusters that make up the Maldives. It is the end of a day on which I have cycled through villages of coral-walled houses and stopped at busy harbours to watch the to-ing and fro-ing of dhonis bringing home the yellow-finned tuna catch.

A few other tourists have also stopped by for a drink or to nibble gulha (fiery fish balls), propping their bikes against an oil drum. It is an unusual scene in this tiny, Islamic Indian Ocean country, where interaction between visitors and host communities has been a missing element in the overall holiday package.

Earlier this year, however, the opening of a new resort in the Addu Atoll, 40 miles south of the Equator, caught my eye. Herathera is connected by a causeway to the neighbouring, inhabited Hulhudhoo island, offering guests at the Handu Fushi Resort tantalising chances to taste the local culture. Furthermore, publicity material promised that it was possible to hire bikes and pedal from village to village, exploring the islands of the atoll.

I had always understood that tourism in the highly conservative Maldives was confined strictly to the uninhabited islands, to prevent local populations being contaminated by vices such as alcohol or immodest dress. I was keen to find out more.

I flew in via the capital Malé, down to the former RAF base on Gan, then skimmed across the shallow, pale green lagoon to Herathera aboard the resort's private boat.

Rows of spacious, individual villas are strung along the snake-shaped island, with views over the opalescent lagoon on one side and the cobalt Indian Ocean on the other. Give or take a bit of unfinished landscaping, the reverie is completed with a hemline of brilliant white beaches, palm fronds, infinity pools, barefoot bars with floors of sand serving extravagant cocktails... you can picture the scene.

So far, so Maldives. I wanted to see Hulhudhoo and some local culture.

Certainly, you can rent a bike and pedal up a ribbon of crushed coral pathway. But only as far as the staff quarters, I found. Beyond that is a smoke-belching bonfire of rubbish and, on the causeway across to neighbouring Hulhudhoo island, a gate manned by security guards. Guests, on or off their bikes, are not allowed through.

In the opposite direction, only staff on their way to work at the resort may pass. The resorts's general manager, Eric Aeberold, admitted: “Our intention was that there would be free passage between Herathera and Hulhudhoo, but now the island chiefs have decided that they would prefer that tourists come round by boat if they wish to see the village.”

This a few tourists do, on escorted excursions, and spend an hour or two strolling round the pretty harbour and quiet, sandy streets where tidily dressed people offer polite greetings.

There is an open-air market and mosque to check out, leaving time for tea or a soft drink before the five-minute hop back to the resort. “We came to relax and scuba dive and never thought much about straying away from the resort,” say Graham and Michele Wilson, from Yorkshire.

However, with a bit of persistence I find that it is perfectly possible to have the resort's boat drop me, plus hired bike, alone at Hulhudhoo harbour to spend a day exploring the island and neighbouring Meedhoo, which is linked via another causeway. The far north, at the end of a straight, beaten-earth track, is an idyll of white surf and empty, fine-sand beaches, strewn with driftwood and coconuts.

Lunching on grilled reef fish and mineral water at Corner Park café, I met John Agustin, a teacher from Kerala working in the village school, who invited me to join in an impromptu game of cricket.

As a lone tourist, I was conscious of being a curiosity. People wanted to chat, with many of them keen to pose for photographs. Nobody tried to sell me anything, or hassled me in any way. It was a similar story next day, when I took my bike back across the lagoon to Gan, to cycle the islands on the western side of the atoll.

The RAF abandoned Gan in 1976, leaving a runway and some warehouses and living quarters now derelict. However, the former sergeants' mess has been turned into a bizarre budget resort, the Equator Village, attracting independent travellers who come here for scuba diving at bargain prices. The location, on a scrap of stony beach, is not especially alluring; but, uniquely in the Maldives, guests are free to hire bikes or scooters and cross the causeways to the neighbouring inhabited islands.

In his office in Hithadhoo village, the Island Chief Mohamed Muneer told me: “The opening of the resort on Herathera is a dream we have waited ten years for. What it means for Addu Atoll is that there are hundreds of jobs locally - waiters, cleaners, boatmen, clerical staff, managers, who can now live with their families rather than being away for 11 months of the year.”

Muneer cautions, however: “Since the British presence on Gan, we have been used to foreigners in Addu, which is why there are not the same restrictions here as in the rest of the country.”

Things have certainly loosened up a bit in Addu Atoll, even if the era of tourists immersing themselves as much in Maldivian culture as in the opalescent lagoons, is a long way off.

I would have felt frustrated to have come to the Maldives and been restricted to a resort. But while staying on Herathera made it possible to enjoy simple pleasures, such as drinking coffee with locals or cycling to the fish market, this still felt rather like straying beyond school bounds.

Con-artists in Hithadhoo swindling money from residents

2008-09-19T03:16:00.000-07:00

haveeru
Groups of conmen in Seenu atoll Hithadhoo are visiting houses and swindling money from the residents, some residents from the island have said.

According to a resident of the island who wished to remain anonymous, two men had visited his house on Tuesday night and begged for money. After falling victim to their "sob story" he had given them some money, he said. He said that it was much later that he found out that the group consisted of conmen who were swindling money from the residents.

“The two men came to our house and cried and begged for money saying that their mother was very sick in the hospital and that since they didn’t have any money to buy the medicines her condition was getting worse,” the man who wished to remain anonymous said. “They seemed so sincere and in need of money that we gave them the money. Later, I found out that these men were visiting several households in the island and swindling money from them under false pretences as well. Apparently there are a large number of people who are doing the same thing. We have reported this to the Police even.”

Another man who had fallen victim to the tricksters said that such people usually chose victims who lived in areas far away from where the conmen lived so that they wouldn’t be recognized.

“Since this island has such a huge population there are a lot of unfamiliar faces around,” he said. “They make sure to visit houses that are far away and where they likely won’t be recognized. Most of these groups consist of young men.”

Acting Head of Southern Regional, Sub-Inspector Ahmed Mohamed, said on Wednesday that they had received information that such incidents were occurring and were investigating it.

“We haven’t received any reports directly from any members of the public about such cases,” he said. “However, we are making inquiries.”

Similar incidents had occurred in the island at the beginning of the year too, according to residents.

Gayyoom Faced Tough Stance at Hulhudhoo

2008-09-14T21:15:00.000-07:00

haama
The people of Hulhudhoo who went to the arrival of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) leader showed anger and called the leader who is also the government caretaker to resign from the government. The Haama Daily reporter present at the arrival, reports that some people gathered to the arrival of Gayoom with megaphones shouting their rejection and Maldives Police Services tried to shun the crowd who opposed the DRP leader.

“There were around 20 DRP supporters but the rest who gathered before the arrival of the DRP leader was of Republican Supporters.” Our correspondent said that every one pushed back with brute force if they breathe a word opposing the DRP leader. He also said that police reinforcements were also arrived in a speedboat to the island before the arrival of the DRP leader though there had been no confrontations from the opposing crowd.

During Gayyoom’s Campaign the Chairman of the Maldives Football Association, Azim actively involved in the political drama in Gayyoom’s advance team.

The controversy over Civil Servants actively involving in political activities had been recently high in the DRP campaign and when Ibrahim Hanim, a Director General in the Soccer Administration actively participated during the launching of Gayyoom’s re-election campaign, punished by the Civil Service Commission demoting him from his post.

Flying School to be established in Addu Atoll

2008-09-13T21:23:00.000-07:00

miadhu
The Government will be setting up a flying school in Addu Atoll to provide pilot training in the Maldives. This was disclosed by Atolls Minister and DRP's running mate Ahmed Thasmeen Ali to a huge rally in Hithadhoo last night. Thasmen was speaking to hundreds of supporters of President Gayoom's party DRP. Gayoom is contesting for the first ever multi party presidential election to be held next month. Addu Atoll is the southern most atoll where many people have been discontent about the government. There were many adduans in the opposition parties aiming to change the government of President Gayoom. But of late, many of these people have joined the government party after tourism and several other development projects have started in the atoll. Addu Atoll is the most densely populated atoll in the country.

Elaborating on the flying school project Thasmeen said the project will bring immense benefits to the people in the atoll. He said the government is pursuing a policy of expanding the economy and investments in the country. The flying school is one of them and it is being processed by the Foreign Investment Bureau of the Economic Development Ministry. The Agreement for establishing the flying school has already been signed. According to Thasmeen there will be a quota allocated for the four southern atolls in this pilot training school.

The project of the pilot training school will commence next year when the necessary budgetary allocations are provided. Pilots are highly in demand for the growing aviation industry in the country especially after several new tourist resorts have been opened in the atolls. Addu Atoll has already opened a big tourist resort and a second one under the Shangrila chain will soon be opened.

At the moment a large number of Maldivian pilots are trained overseas mainly in USA and Sri Lanka. Pilot training is one of the most expensive courses. It is expected, Maldivians trainees will get very concessional costs from the flying school to be established in Addu Atoll.

Qasim to establish sewerage system in Addu

2008-09-12T03:41:00.000-07:00

miadhu
Jumhoory Party (JP) Presidential Candidate Qasim Ibrahim has stated that a government of Jumhoory Coalition will establish a proper sewerage system in Addu atoll and will improve the facilities of Gan International Airport to accommodate larger and wide body aircrafts within 18 months of assuming office. Qasim made the statement speaking at a campaign rally held at Hithadhoo School last night.

Speaking at the rally Qasim severely criticized polices of the government and called on people to vote for him for reform and change. Speaking to Miadhu Daily after the event Qasim said he can see the beginning of the success and that he hoped to receive full support from the atoll.

Opponents of Qasim gathered outside the Hithadhoo School and shouted angrily while the rally was going on. Some claim that it was acts connected with the party’s vice presidential nomination, other say it was orchestrated by MDP and DRP.

Qasim arrived in Addu yesterday morning to kick start his southern campaign. He was accompanied by a high level delegation of the party and coalition and was warmly welcomed by party members and supporters on arrival. The delegation includes Jumhoory Coalition members, President of Adhaalath Party Sheikh Hussain Rasheed Ahmed, President of Maldivian National Congress Monaazaa Naeem,Vice leader of JP Abdulla Jabir and Dr. Abdul Majeed Baari head of Adhaalath party’s Council of Scholars. JP leader is also accompanied by famous actor Super Star Yousuf Shafeeu, actor /comedian Mohamma Kaloo and Koyaa Hassan Manik.

Qasim is expected to travel to Fuvahmulah some time today to meet the people.

Republicans Open Campaign Office in Addu

2008-09-10T05:19:00.000-07:00

haama
A Republican presidential campaign office opened in Hithadhoo, Addu Atoll. The new campaign office opened at the former public library building and this is their first campaign office.

According to Haama Daily correspond in Addu the Republicans had planned to open their offices in each inhabited island and the party says the work is being done to open the offices in the most populous region after Male’. A spokesperson for the Republicans said that these offices would represent the Party with its might and would be different from other political party offices.

Haama Daily had learned that the Republicans would arrange a meeting in Addu Thursday this week.

The party color painted huge walls of the building with its logo, Haama correspond, said had been used on the building roof as well. The next office will be open in Feydhoo.

Addu Atoll already accommodates campaign offices from MDP, DRP and independent presidential candidate Dr. Hassan saeed.

Police recover stolen water tank in Hulhudhoo

2008-09-10T04:24:00.000-07:00

haveeru
A plastic water-tank that was stolen from a house in Seenu atoll Maradhoo was recovered from a house in Hulhudhoo by the Maldives Police Service.

The 2,500 litre capacity tank which had been left abandoned inside Reynees house in Maradhoo was recovered by the Police as it was being unloaded to Hulhudhoo from a boat.

According to the Addu Police Station, a man suspected of stealing the water tank had been arrested in Feydhoo. Reliable sources have confirmed to Haveeru that the man that had been arrested was Mohamed Didi (Muhamma) of Aabaadhuge in Feydhoo.

Some reporters in Feydhoo had witnessed Muhamma pushing a cart containing a water tank through the roads of the island on Sunday afternoon.

The Maradhoo School Headmaster, Ahmed Shareef, who lives alone in Reynees house said that the theft of the water tank had been discovered the next day.

“I had reported the stolen tank to the Island Office and the Police when I heard that the tank had been taken onboard a Hulhudhoo boat in the harbour,” Shareef said. “The tank had apparently been sold to someone. However, the Police have now recovered the stolen tank.”

Maldives resort debuts “Underwater Nature Trail”

2008-09-06T20:42:00.000-07:00

Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa, Maldives, opening in the fourth quarter of 2008 in the Addu Atoll, will feature the first “Underwater Nature Trail” in the Maldives, as well as a snorkelling garden “seascaped” with transplanted corals. As part of the resort’s marine initiatives, guests will also be invited to help track some of the archipelago’s largest manta rays found in the Addu Atoll waters.

The Underwater Nature Trail, designed by the resort’s marine specialist, will lead out to the resort’s house reef on the northern end of Villingili Island. Submerged signage will identify resident marine life along the way, including branching corals, sea anemones, Maldives anemonefish, clams, moray eels and the colourful juvenile Oriental Sweetlips. The marine specialist has also created snorkel gardens close to the southwest shoreline of the resort. In addition to offering a marine adventure for less experienced swimmers, the shallow-water snorkel gardens will provide a nursery for corals and reef fish.

Experienced divers will be invited to participate in the tracking of manta rays. Addu Atoll is one of the few places in the Maldives where giant manta rays with wingspans of more than five metres can be found year-round. Divers will be encouraged to photograph manta rays and contribute to the photo database that will be shared with other such centres around the world to help monitor the movement and population of these sea creatures. The resort will also set up a programme to educate and encourage guests to sponsor the satellite tagging of sea turtles and support organisations working on conservation on a larger scale.

This will be the first resort in the Maldives to offer nature trails – both above and below water. With lush vegetation providing the backdrop for trails through the coconut trees and ancient Banyan trees on the three-kilometre-long island, guests will be able to enjoy all the natural wonders of Villingili Island, on land and sea.

Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa, Maldives is the first luxury resort in Addu Atoll. The resort, which is currently under development, will feature 142 villas with views of the ocean or the island’s natural lush vegetation. The Maldives’ second international airport, Gan International Airport, is an eight-minute boat ride away from the resort and Male International Airport is 70 minutes by air.