The US$24 million, three-storey, 10,000-capacity King Salman mosque in Malé built with Saudi Arabian grant aid opened for prayers ahead of Ramadan. The new mosque was full for Friday prayers and worshippers lined up on the road outside.
The Malé City Council and Dutch Docklands signed an MoU for cooperation in the construction of a “floating city” under development in a lagoon near the capital, which is to comprise of 5,000 housing units that are tethered to the lagoon floor and linked together. The first homes are due to be completed next month, according to the Netherlands company.
The Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company has bought the dormant fish processing factory on Thaa Funaddoo island from the Bank of Maldives, the fisheries minister informed parliament. The bank put up the factory for sale after seizing the mortgaged island and assets due to the previous owner’s failure to repay a loan.
The state-owned MIFCO plans to redevelop the factory and the island’s harbour, the minister said in response to a query from a lawmaker.
State Minister for Tourism Ahmed Solih was found not guilty of abuse of authority. He was charged over alleged misinformation about resort leases that were under investigation by the presidential commission on asset recovery. But the tourism minister had reversed a decision not to transfer the head leases for the islands and letters sent by Solih did not mention any lease transfers, the judge noted in his acquittal.
The Environment Protection Agency threatened to impose hefty fines against illegal sand mining from islands and sandbanks, appealing for compliance with regulations that designate approved areas. Complaints have been increasing recently, the EPA said, warning that sand mining causes beach erosion and damages coastlines. Sprucing up the yards of homes and mosques with white sand or coral sands is a tradition ahead of Ramadan.
A World Bank-funded renewable energy project to generate 11 megawatts from solar panels on six of the most populous islands – Addu, Fuvahmulah and Kulhudhuffushi cities as well as Baa Eydhafushi, Lhaviyani Hinnavaru and Gaaf Dhaal Thinadhoo – was awarded to a joint venture company formed between Malaysia’s Mega First Power Industries and China’s Powerchina Huadong Engineering Corporation, which won the contract by proposing the lowest price among 34 bidders.
A power-purchasing agreement was also signed between the joint venture and the state utility Fenaka Corporation.
“This is the largest solar PV contract in our history under PPA model. It is the lowest rate [US$0.9 per unit] ever received for a PPA,” Environment Minister Aminath Shauna observed, noting that the government would save up to US$3.5 million a year spent on buying diesel. “By 2023, power grids will be upgraded and battery energy storage systems will also be installed in these islands,” she added.
The family of a murder victim forgave the convict for the first time. The family of Ahmed Miruza Ibrahim – who was killed in Vilimalé in April 2011 – was asked at the Supreme Court if they wished to seek the death penalty against Abdulla Nazeef, who had been found guilty of murder and sentenced to death. Miruza’s father confirmed to the apex court that he has forgiven Nazeef upon request by the convict’s family. Miruza’s siblings also told the court that they concurred with the father’s decision.
Under Islamic shariah, the death penalty cannot be implemented against the wishes of the victim’s heirs. The Maldives has a de facto moratorium on capital punishment and convicts sentenced to death are instead imprisoned for life.
Maldivian Democratic Party MPs in former president Mohamed Nasheed’s faction voted in defiance of the ruling party’s two-line whip on a resolution submitted by opposition MP Mohamed Saeed about the poor standards of the Laamu atoll regional hospital. Amid low attendance from the MDP’s 65-member supermajority, the resolution was accepted for debate and narrowly sent to committee with the support of 16 MDP MPs. Most lawmakers from the rival faction loyal to President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih were not in the chamber at the time.
Long-simmering factional strife in the MDP spilled out into the open ahead of internal elections due to take place on 14 May.
Aima Construction lost a defamation suit filed against Transparency Maldives over allegations made by the NGO at parliament’s human rights committee in 2020 about violation of migrant workers’ rights. The civil court ruled that the statements were protected by the parliamentary privileges and immunity law.
Investigations are underway to gather evidence and verify information about the alleged involvement of a different suspect in the sexual abuse of a six-year-old girl in Addu City, the police said. A 59-year-old woman was arrested on 24 March. But a group of people protested outside the victim’s grandfather’s house, insisting that he was the real culprit and demanding his arrest. Police officers reportedly used force to disperse the protesters, who had refused to leave over alleged efforts to send the grandfather overseas. Some media reports claim that the child had implicated him and that her family framed the woman in custody.
President Solih inaugurated the “Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting Network Development Project” funded by Japanese grant aid. Once completed in 2024, it would ensure coverage for 90% of the population, provide eight high-definition channels for free, and offer numerous other services such as the “ability to reach out to the populace in case of a natural disaster.”
The first couple concluded a four-day trip to the southernmost atolls, during which President Solih shared details of development projects, met with the Fuvahmulah and Addu City councils, visited nature parks, and opened new harbours developed on the Maradhoo, Maradhoo-Feydhoo and Meedhoo islands.
A host of Indian-funded projects were launched in Addu City during the official visit of Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar, including the construction of 107 kilometres of roads with 103 kilometres of stormwater drainage systems and the controversial reclamation of 194.3 hectares of land for housing and tourism. Both projects are funded by lines of credit from the Indian EXIM Bank. Jaishankar also jointly inaugurated the National College of Policing and Law Enforcement built with Indian grant aid as well as a rehabilitation centre and an eco-tourism zone.
A man was sentenced to 18 months in prison for threatening to kill his girlfriend.
India and Maldives signed agreements for the reciprocal recognition of Covid-19 vaccination certificates to facilitate easier travel and to establish connectivity between the Higher Education Network of Maldives and the National Knowledge Network of India.
The opposition Progressive Party of Maldives candidate won a by-election for the vacant presidency of the Kurendhoo island council, beating the ruling party candidate by 614 votes to 564 votes. The turnout was 78%,
