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Minicoy Island and the Maldives!

Minicoy Island or Maliku is the only inhabited island of the Maliku Atoll. It is the second largest and the southern-most among the islands of the Lakshadweep archipelago, measuring about 10 km from its northern end to its southernmost point. Minicoy is a long island, almost completely covered with coconut trees.
The locals, the Malikun, call their island "Maliku," as do the Maldivians, while it is called "Minikkoy" in Malayalam. On the southern side of the main island lies the uninhabited islet of Viringili where formerly the lepers of Minicoy were banished.

This atoll is administered by India under the Indian Union Territory of Lakshadweep. The closest island to Minicoy is Thuraakunu in the Republic of Maldives. Since 1956, the Indian Government has forbidden contact between people of the two islands despite their geographic proximity and ethnographic similarities. Minicoy Islanders, like the close islands of the Maldives follow Sunni Islam. The islands were probably Buddhist before like they were in the Maldives.

Today Maliku is administered by India, but claimed by the Maldives. This claim was made in 1983, when the President of Maldives made a public speech claiming Maliku for the Maldives. Even today many Maldivians privately harbour such sentiments. At the same time India is overly cautious of any contact between people of Maliku and its Maldivian neighbours to the south.

An oral tradition of the Maldives (according to the late Magieduruge Ibrahim Didi, a Maldivian learned man) explains why Minicoy is not politically part of the Maldives anymore: Some time in the past (perhaps during the 17th century), Minicoy was devastated by a great cyclone which destroyed most houses and a great number of coconut trees. Following the catastrophe, a delegation of Minicoy islanders from the best families in the island sailed to the King in Male' asking for gold to help them through the hard times. However, the Maldive King told them that he had not enough money in his treasury and that he was not able to help them. Hence the delegation of Maliku nobles went onwards to the Malabar coast, where they found favor with the king of Cannanore (Kannur) who welcomed them and helped the Minicoy people to rebuild their island in exchange for their loyalty. Henceforth the Minicoy Islanders owed allegiance to this kingdom of the SW Indian shore.

Today, Maliku has a combined population of 9,500.
Under the Laccadive, Minicoy and Amindivi Islands (Laws) Regulations, 1967 of the Government of India, Maldivian nationals can only visit Maliku if they are permitted by the High Commissioner of India. The High Commissioner of India in Malé shall intimate the names of the persons whose visits are permitted and the period of their stay to the Administrator of Lakshadweep sufficiently in advance. The Administrator may, on valid grounds, extend the period of stay of Maldivain nationals.

Airport Hotels, Safari Yachts should not have alcohol!

The increase in the smuggling and illegal sale of alcoholic beverages in Male has taken a sharp rise in the recent months. In most of the cases, it is expatriates (Sri Lankans, Bangladeshis, etc) who are seen to be taking part in such activities, along with help from locals. I suggest the following actions if we want to see a decline in this:

1. Permits are currently given to foreign teachers, seaplane pilots, etc. to purchase liquor from places such as resorts and the Airport Hotel and consume such products in Male’. There is no way to prevent such foreigners from selling alcohol drinks to locals. I suggest that we stop issuing such permits. Any foreigner who wants to consume alcohol should do so in resorts but he should not be allowed to bring such beverages to any inhabited island.

2. Currently many foreign residents of Male visit the Airport Hotel to consume alcohol. This has apparently become an easy access point to bring alcohol to Male illegally. Similarly the Ocean Reef Hotel in Addu Atoll Gan is also apparently such a point where locals could get easy access to alcohol. I suggest that we revise the regulations so that no hotel in an inhabited island (or with a causeway-connection to an inhabited island) should be allowed to sell alcohol. If such a regulation is implemented it would prevent the Hulhule Airport Hotel and the Ocean Reef Hotel in Gan from selling alcohol.

3. Similarly we should not allow any of the upcoming Airport Hotels (that are to be opened in regional airports) to sell alcohol.

4. Safari Yachts who travel to various islands and atolls (with tourists) are allowed to buy and sell alcohol. Such vessels could easily sell alcohol to locals. I suggest that the safari yachts should not be able to buy and sell alcohol.

Conference Tourism at Aarah or Gan, and Dhoonidhoo Island as a resort for locals

How about developing a resort close to Male that is completely custom designed to host conferences and accommodate delegates. This way we could promote Maldives as n affordable and ideal host of international conferences and business meetings.
The island of Aarah which was previously used as a Presidential retreat is an ideal island to develop in this was as a Conference Resort. Or we could develop part of Gan Island of Addu Atoll as a Conference Resort. Either way we could promote Maldives as a relatively affordable and attractive venue for hosting various conferences and business meetings of multi-national companies.
As we develop Aarah as a Conference Resort, we could also develop Dhoonidhoo Island as a resort for locals.

A “China Town” and a “Little India” in the Maldives?

There is hardly any country in the world that doesn’t have a China Town. China Towns of Singapore and Malaysia are popular spots with Maldivian tourists but there are “China Towns” in countries such as the US and Canada too. I think we should build one too!

I know that usually such names and places evolve due to ethnic Chinese or ethnic Indians settling in those areas and bringing their cultures to those spots.
But that need not be the case all the time. We can designate a specific area as “China Town” and lease out land to build Chinese restaurants and street vendors who sell “cheap” Chinese products in stalls, shops that sell Chinese souvenirs, and have Chinese cultural shows and so on. We can do this in collaboration and with help from the Chinese government. I’m sure they will be perfectly willing to help financially too.

Similarly we can designate an area as the “Little India of Male” and lease out land to build Indian restaurants and street vendors who sell Indian spices and Indian “Halvahs” (sweets), etc.
The purpose of having places such as the “China Town” and “Little India” would be part of a larger programme or project to build places of interest for tourists.
Even Maldivians would be interested in visiting such places.
“Hey, why don’t we go to China Town tonight for dinner…”

Island Holidays to tap Bollywood segment for Maldives

Island Holidays a Mumbai-based consolidator for Maldives now plans to tap the Bollywood segment by facilitating movie producers with shooting locations in the island nation and also arrange their travel plans (reports www.travelbizmonitor.com).

Elaborating on the plans for promoting Maldives through Bollywood, Aman Bhatia, Partner, Island Holidays said, “We recently facilitated the shooting of Kites, a movie by Rakesh Roshan in Maldives. We in talks with Maldives Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB) to promote movie shoots and advertisements at different locations in Maldives through Island Holidays and we are expecting it to materialise within a month or so.”

From the 1900 islands that form Maldives, there are certain islands where there is no habitation and are used for picnics by locals. Island Holidays will be promoting these islands and also the local villages for shooting, though to access these islands one needs government’s permission. To tap the Bollywood segment, the company will promote their offerings through their network of Bollywood producers. “Our offerings will also be promoted through actor Kumar Gaurav who is a part of the company,” stated Bhatia. It will also organise familiarisation trips for produces to get a feel of the destination.
Apart from promoting the destination through Bollywood, Island Holidays will also promote the honeymoon and leisure segment for Maldives along with other destinations like Sarawak in Malaysia, Turkey, Tanzania and Fiji.

British teachers wooed by Maldives

British head teachers are being encouraged to swap their high-pressured jobs for teaching posts in the palm-fringed atolls of Maldives (reports http://news.bbc.co.uk/)

Maldives' Minister for Education Dr Mustafa Lutfi told BBC that Maldives is seeking teachers familiar with the English curriculum in order to boost standards in schools on some of the country's 200 inhabited islands. Dr Lutfi says that while 12 to 15% of the government's budget is spent on education, an average of only one in three students obtains five O-levels at grade C and above.
"Currently our standard is poor compared to the money we spend on education," he told the BBC. "We want foreign professionals to come and help us turn our schools around."
The move is part of a wider strategy by the government, which came into power in November, to improve education, which also includes the privatisation of some schools.
"Previous education policies centralised schools and colleges in the capital, Male, where one third of the country's population live. We need to give the other two thirds similar access to high quality education," Dr Lutfi said.
British teachers with three years experience will be offered a monthly salary of 10,000 Rufiyaa (£523) and accommodation, and will teach in one of the country's 227 schools.

Like the Maldives, Kiribati Islanders too Seek Land to Buy as Rising Seas Threaten

Kiribati, a Pacific island-nation in danger of being submerged because of global warming, may purchase land elsewhere to relocate its people, reports www.bloomberg.com/.
“We would consider buying land,” President Tong of Kiribati said in an interview in New Delhi. “The alternative is that we die, we go extinct.” Kiribati (pic), between Hawaii and Australia, is the second island-nation after the Maldives that’s floated the idea of buying land should their islands be swamped by rising seas and more powerful storms. President Tong, who holds a masters degree from the London School of Economics, was elected Kiribati president in 2003 and re-elected in 2007. The country won independence from the U.K. in 1979.

Warmer temperatures are melting icecaps, expanding the volume of oceans and causing more intense storm systems. Higher tides in Kiribati’s 33-island archipelago are making potable water for its 100,000 residents too salty to drink. Tong appealed Feb. 5 to leaders who will meet in Copenhagen in December to turn their attention to islanders hurt by global warming.
“I can fully understand why responsible leaders of countries like Kiribati and the Maldives want to take action now and I think we’ll see more of this,” said Kim Carstensen, climate-change program director for the environmental group WWF International.
The United Nations has called on 192 countries to negotiate a new climate-protection treaty to be signed in Denmark. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has predicted sea levels will rise one to two feet by 2100, having climbed 17 centimeters during the last century. The panel also said tropical cyclones likely will increase in intensity.
The sea level around Kiribati, the former Gilbert Islands, has been rising 5.1 millimeters a year since 1991, Australia’s National Tidal Centre reported.

Giving some Japanese islands to the “sinking” Maldivians

Amy Chaves who is a Japanese resident has put forward a novel idea to relocate all Maldivians to Japan. Writing on http://search.japantimes.co.jp/ she says that by giving some Japanese islands to the Maldivians, Japan can solve some economic problems and at the same time help Maldives too! Following are extracts from Amy Chavez’s article:

“For years Japan has struggled with the question of how to revive the countryside. With few jobs and an aging population, the countryside isn't much of a draw for anyone under the age of 80. This goes for the islands in the Seto Inland Sea too, where the last generations of fishermen barely manage to hang on to a folkloric lifestyle. There have been many thoughts on how to revive the islands, but despite the half-hearted promotional efforts by the government, nothing much changes here.
But, I have an idea on how to revive not only the island where I live, but all of the islands in the Seto Inland Sea.

My plan would increase the overall island population by 400,000, build a new industry, and create up to a million jobs. This idea would make you, me and Japan very rich. My economic stimulus package for Japan is this: Japan should lease out the 200 or so inhabited islands in the Inland Sea.
Why? Because we already have a potential buyer. The Maldives. You see, the Maldives (a series of over 1,000 islands, but of which only about 200 are inhabited), have this sinking feeling that they are not going to be around for much longer. The relatively flat islands are disappearing as sea levels rise due to the warming of the planet. The Maldives government considered the possibility of protecting their islands by building giant sea walls around them, but the idea was deemed impractical and too expensive.

So instead, the country is looking for a new home. The Maldives government is already saving money to buy up land somewhere else. They have reportedly looked into large tracts of land in India, Sri Lanka and Australia. Hey Japan, these people have cash! Their population needs islands, and our islands need population. And since our islands are basically mountains, should the seas continue to rise, we can always move to higher ground. What happens if the Maldivians don't want to come? Don't despair. The South Pacific islands are sinking too.”

Sonam Kapoor does a photo shoot in the Maldives

Bollywood has a new star kid on the block. After impressing masses and critics alike with her debut film Saawariya, Sonam Kapoor is back with a bang this year.

Though people didn't get to see this (young Kapoor) - daughter of the very talented and versatile Anil Kapoor – last year in 2009 the pretty actress will be seen in the much-awaited Delhi 6. But before her film hits theatres her fans can get a glimpse of the actress in a hot avataar on the cover of Verve. Sonam, who is the fresh face of L'Oreal, has done an exclusive photo-shoot for the magazine that was shot on the beaches (pic) of Maldives.

Maldives Foreign Minister seeks more US scholarships

At a time when the new government of Maldives seeks immense strides in the development of the country it is imperative that we do not depend solely on the goodwill of the Indians. While India would always be a strategic and important ally and helper, it would be folly to ignore the importance of further strengthening the roles played by the United States and Europe in our development. It is perhaps for this reason that the Foreign Minister Shaheed visited Washington recently

During the visit to Washington, Foreign Minister Dr. Ahmed Shaheed emphasized the importance of increasing educational opportunities for Maldivian students in the United States, reported Miadhu Daily. Minister Shaheed made the emphasis during a courtesy call on US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Ambassador Richard. A. Boucher. The call took place at the US Department of State on the 23rd of this month.

At the call, the Minister expressed sincere gratitude to US for its commitment to the democratization process of the Maldives. Furthermore, he took this opportunity to outline the Government’s development plans and priorities. Returning his remarks, Ambassador Boucher congratulated the Maldives on its historic achievement, and expressed continued support to the Maldives.

Discussions also took place on strengthening development cooperation between the two countries. Dr. Shaheed expressed hope that the US will remain a close development partner of the Maldives in the future as well. In response, the Ambassador reaffirmed the goodwill and support of the US to the Maldives.

While the certificates and qualifications from US institutions are desirable, most students in Maldives are unable to pursue studies in US due to comparatively high costs and difficulties in obtaining visas. Increased opportunity to study in US will be welcome improvement for the country. US Ambassador Robert Blake in his last visit to Maldives has indicated US support to develop human resources in the Maldives and has commented that the program will commence soon.

At a time when the new government of Maldives seeks immense strides in the development of the country it is imperative that we do not depend solely on the goodwill of the Indians. While India would always be a strategic and important ally and helper, it would be folly to ignore the importance of further strengthening the roles played by the United States and Europe in our development.

Sri Lanka to boost cricket in the Maldives

The Daily Mirror Newspaper of Sri Lanka (www.dailymirror.lk/) reports that Sri Lanka is to help Maldives in the development of cricket. According to Daily Mirror, the Sports ministers from the Maldives and Sri Lanka agreed to a sports promotion exchange programme between the two countries. The meeting between the Maldivian Sports Minister Hassan Latheef and Sri Lankan Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge took place at the Sports Ministry recently.

The main topic of discussion was the cooperation from Sri Lanka in the development of cricket in the Maldives.
Sri Lanka is a world power in the sport of cricket and they have, in the past, won the cricket Asia Cup and the World Cup too. Most of their national team players are world icons in cricket. Sri Lanka could indeed help put Maldives in the map of the cricketing world.

President Nasheed’s father is an ardent cricket fan and a former national team wicket keeper. I call upon Nasheed’s father and other cricket fans to lobby to the President to come up with a solid plan to at least qualify Maldives for the Asia Cup within the next five years.

Maldives to put aside at least us dollar 2 million a year into a fund

(Extracts from the article on http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article5604464.ece)
Of the $45m the government currently earns annually from tourism, President of the Maldives (Nasheed) plans to start putting aside at least $2m a year into a fund, with contributions increasing substantially over time. This seems unlikely to be enough to buy a sizable chunk of land in the near future in such mooted destinations as Australia. But the government’s intention, he says, is that this fund be supplemented by donations from the richer nations that bear the brunt of responsibility for global warming.
When pressed, however, Nasheed says he only mentioned Australia as a possible destination out of solidarity with other small island states in the South Pacific such as Tuvalu and Kiribati, for which the rising oceans are also a ticking time bomb. Regional think-tanks are already urging the Australian government to draw up plans to relocate the small populations of these atoll states through staged migration as land becomes increasingly uninhabitable.
A more realistic destination for Maldivians, says their president, would be a tract of land in one of the southern states in India, such as Kerala, where the relocation of 386,000 in a country with a population of 1.14 billion might be more feasible. “No country has said they will not have us,” says Nasheed. “We are going into unknown territory, so we have to have the vision to believe a new future is possible. If the Maldives is going to be underwater, for instance, who owns it?

Former Vice President Al Gore has referred to the case of the Maldives

(Jakarta News.Net) While speaking before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington, former Vice President Al Gore has referred to the case of the Maldives, which he said was now looking to purchase territory to re-locate its entire population due to of rising water levels. Al Gore called for climate crisis leadership under President Barack Obama. He urged US lawmakers to enact legislation on climate change before a U.N. summit on the issue late this year in Copenhagen.

Mr. Gore, the winner of a Nobel Peace Prize in 2007, said he thought President Obama would be able to actually get something done on climate change. Gore showed the panel charts and pictures to illustrate the urgency of the climate crisis, saying worldwide major weather-related disasters had been building up.

He gave the example of the Maldives, which he said was now looking to purchase territory to re-locate its entire population due to of rising water levels.
The former vice president said the US is the only industrialized country that refused to ratify the Kyoto climate accord, should negotiate a new global climate treaty with other countries this year.

Fergie & Josh Jet Back from the Maldives

For newlyweds Fergie and Josh Duhamel, when one honeymoon ended, another began (reports www.people.com/) Back from a whirlwind global adventure that took them to the Maldives and then the Bahamas, the happy couple arrived in Los Angeles on 25th January, looking refreshed and tanned.

First stop on their itinerary: the Maldives. There for a week, beginning Jan. 12, the two jump-started their honeymoon with a relaxing vacation at the One & Only Reethi Rah Resort, where they stayed in a luxury Grand Water Villa with a private pool and veranda overlooking the beach. According to sources, the two enjoyed daily activities on the island, including snorkeling and water skiing.

Fergie (Stacy Ferguson), 33, is a graduate of Disney's Kids Incorporated. She elevated the once all-male underground rap group the Black Eyed Peas to new pop heights. She cut her last name in half, dropped the Stacy (and most of her clothing), and became the Peas' gyrating, belly-baring, real-life Bratz doll songstress. Before that Fergie formed the girl group Wild Orchid. But, when the group fell apart, so too did Fergie; her escalating drug use got worse. With her mother's help, she rehabbed and joined the Black Eyed Peas. After winning a Grammy with the group, Fergie went solo, releasing her debut album The Dutchess in 2006. As it topped the charts, so did her personal life with hunky actor Josh Duhamel, whom she married in a white fantasy Malibu wedding in January 2009.

The couple is said to have immensely enjoyed their honeymoon at One & Only Reethi Rah Resort in the Maldives.

Hail the mighty Maldives for stumping China!

Extract from http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/brian-viner/

“This month's Asian Cricket Council Trophy is not one of the sport's most glittering competitions. It is contested by Oman, Bhutan, Brunei, Myanmar, Thailand, Iran, the Maldives and China. But it is still well worth following. After all, that China (population somewhere around the 1,330,044,605 mark) can compete in any arena against the Maldives (population closer to 385,925) is in itself rather marvellous.
That China should also get thoroughly hammered is cause for downright jubilation. In their group match nine days ago, the Maldive islanders finished their 50 overs on 376 for 7.

In reply, the Chinese took 32.2 overs to reach 61 all out, a 315-run defeat. I'll refrain from wondering whether they had an unorthodox left-arm spinner in their team, delivering what in a less politically correct era was dubbed the Chinaman. The people running Chinese cricket don't need to contend with cheap gags like that in this time of crisis.”

Drug Stash Hidden In Maldivian Mosque

Police have found a drug stash hidden in a light pole on the ground of a Male’ mosque, reports Minivan News. According to the website, 54 drug bullets were found at Thaquvaa mosque in Henveiru yard on Monday by police. The case is being investigated but no arrests have been made.

Imam Mohamed Shareef said there were gangs who often loitered behind the mosque. “They do all kinds of bad things. It might have been one of them.”

He added the gangs disturbed those praying. “Sometimes I feel as if it’s difficult to pray because of all their noises. They shout and they scream.”

Litter and graffiti (pic) were also problems. Empty cans and bottles, discarded pill packs and cigarette butts covered the area behind the mosque.

“To clear the walls we used to paint over the graffiti but it never takes long before they spray over it again,” said Shareef. One mosque-goer, who wished to remain anonymous, said the gangs were involved in “illegal activities” but did not elaborate.

In February 2007, a man was arrested for using drugs inside toilet at Jalaaludheen mosque in Male’. Last year a young boy and a middle-aged man was arrested inside the Viyafaariveringe Mosque after midnight, having homosexual sex. One wonders whether this is the legacy that Gayyoom wished to leave behind as he concluded his three-decade-long rule in the country.

The new Tourism Minster should make Maldives friendlier to shoot Bollywood films!

Here are some of Hrithik Roshan’s photos in Bandos-Maldives. Hirthik, along with his Kites co-star Barbara Mori flew to Maldives for the shoot of the film Kites. Prior to this, Kites had a lengthy shoot at Mexico and Las Vegas.

The new Tourism Minster should make Maldives more Bolllywood-shooting-friendly so that more film crew would fly to shoot films here. We need to build the proper transport and technical infrastructure to suit such an industry.

Bollywood mega star Hrithik Roshan and his crew stayed in Bandos for the shooting of ‘Kites’, his upcoming movie featuring a South American actress Barbara Mori and Kangana Ranaut. The crew also includes director Anurag Basu and Hrithik Roshan’s sister Suneina. Some scenes were shot near Sundowners bar and Water Sports centre. A Romantic scene was shot in the lush green area on the island and a song was shot on a boat called Sultans of Blues which was anchored on the west of Bandos.

Sri Lanka has more to offer the tourist than Maldives: says The Island!

Mr. Gunaratna of Sri Lankan newspaper (Island) writes that Sri Lanka has more to offer the tourist than Maldives. Below is an extract from his story, which you can read at http://www.island.lk/2009/01/19/business2.html

"The tourism industry in Sri Lanka will bounce back and we have the potential to become a top destination in the region," an optimistic Anura Dewapura, the new General Manager of Mount Lavinia Hotel said. Sri Lanka has more to offer the tourist than Maldives but we need to reposition our product he said. The tourism authorities in the country will have to launch a massive promotional campaign world wide about what we have to offer and that Sri Lanka is a safe place to visit the veteran hotelier said.

We have the ability to compete with other top destinations (like the Maldives) but will have to improve our service, product, industry standards and provide value for money he said adding that to achieve this all stakeholders will have to make a concerted effort. Our product is diverse, we have the beaches (as shown in the picture here), the hills, we offer eco tourism, adventure tourism, health tourism and its an ideal location for weddings and honeymooners, those keen on religious tourism or historical sites the list is so vast he explained.

A US country band called the “Maldives”!

Have you heard about the country music band (in the United Staes) named after our country? Yep! This band’s name is: “Maldives”.
Visit http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/pop/396176_postcard16.html
to read about this story.

The band makes foot-stomping, sing-along Americana with a bevy of traditional instruments (banjo, pedal steel, dobro, violin) and a few rock instruments (bass, drums, electric guitars). Centered on singer-songwriter Jason Dodson, the group is Kevin Barrans, Jesse Bonn, Tim Gadbois, Ryan McMackin, Tomo Nakayama, Chris Warner, Seth Warren and Chris Zasche.

CAREER DEBUT: "With the members as we play now," Dodson says after admitting to many lineup changes over the years, "the Tractor, August 2007, with Tim Seely and the Crying Shame. That show was the kick-off to our first West Coast tour, making our way down to San Diego and back in a family RV we call 'The Beaver.' "

MONIKER: "Our friend and old guitar player, David Wingo, was trying to come up with a name for the band, so he and his buddy were looking at the answers on the back of Trivial Pursuit cards, and The Maldives stood out as an interesting name. The name grew in significance, as we grew in size, seeing how the actual Maldives are a group of islands that comprise a country, and we are a group of musicians that comprise a country band."

RELEASES: "The Maldives," an EP that Dodson describes as "over 45 minutes worth of slow jams and low-fi folk-rock," as well as the upcoming "Listen to the Thunder" (Spring 2009).

Hrithik Roshan flies to Maldives for film shoot!

Hrithik Roshan will be flying to Maldives tonight (14th January 2009) along with his Kites co-star Barbara Mori for the shoot of the film (reports www.businessofcinema.com/).

According to the website, Kites director Anurag Basu says, "We have to shoot a slow romantic song and we thought that Maldives would be apt for such a song. We will leave tonight for a four day shoot."

The unit of Kites finished shooting a song on 11 January at Mumbai's Filmistan Studios. Prior to this, Kites had a lengthy shoot at Mexico and Las Vegas. To give it an international feel, Rakesh Roshan, the film's producer had said that various locations would be used. The film's music has been composed by Rajesh Roshan and this song is supposed to highlight the romance between Roshan and Mori in the film.

How Sonu started from Maldives and expanded into the world

Hoteliers around the globe may be suffering cold sweats as the economic meltdown hits occupancy rates hard, but Six Senses Resorts & Spas CEO Sonu Shivdasani tells Arabian Business he is confident his luxury chain will emerge stronger in 2009. Following are edited extracts from the story on www.arabianbusiness.com/

Even staring down the barrel of the most severe global economic downturn in living memory, Sonu Shivdasani is so relaxed that you could be forgiven for thinking he has just spent a week at one of his own resorts.

"I would be much more concerned if I were selling luxury handbags," smiles the founder and CEO of Six Senses Resorts & Spas, leaning back in his seat. "They just sit in your cupboard and you can do without them for a few years.
The same cannot be said of holidays - if anything, Shivdasani believes the need to travel has never been greater. It's a bold statement considering the financial meltdown is expected to hit hotels and airlines hard in 2009. But the Oxford-educated Englishman - who oversees 14 island and hideaway retreats at various locations including the Middle East (and the Maldives) - insists the outlook is brighter than some are forecasting.

Before the financial crisis, he argues, long-haul and short-haul holidays were the top two priorities for people looking to spend their disposable incomes, followed by luxury goods. Since the downturn, Shivdasani insists that while holidays are still on the agenda, luxury goods have dropped off the radar.

"People feel [holidays are] a return on life," Shivdasani says. "If they have the money in the bank they say, ‘this is the time we need to bond together as a family because it's so gloomy and cold in England or France,'for example.

"You put on the TV and see the economic crisis and job market going up and down with redundancies being announced and it's cold outside, so people feel they need to get away from it all," he adds.

Adding further weight to his argument, Shivdasani recalls a recent conversation he had with Matthew Upchurch, chairman of US travel agent association Virtuoso. The American organisation launched the ‘Return on Life' campaign last year, encouraging people to spend more time travelling with their families and friends.

"In the current crisis, Matthew is saying, ‘if you cancel a holiday this year you have lost that time and it's gone from your life,'" Shivdasani explains. "If you don't upgrade from the old BMW 7 Series to the next one you can always do it in two years time; this won't really affect your lifestyle, but the time for having a holiday is gone forever."

Shivdasani's conviction comes from overcoming several hurdles since launching the luxury resorts and spas operator in 1991. The first test came early on when Shivdasani and his wife Eva tried to buy Kunfunadhoo Island, a remote archipelago in the Maldives, from the government. Despite initial reservations, the authorities eventually agreed to the sale after Shivdasani unveiled his plans to develop the island into a luxury resort.

Getting a bank on board to finance the deal also proved tricky. But Shivdasani put his university debating skills to good use and persuaded a Thai bank to part with its cash. Having bought the island, Shivdasani and his wife turned their attention to establishing good transport links from the mainland. With strong crosswinds often sweeping over the island, reaching Kunfunadhoo by sea was exceptionally difficult for holidaymakers. Seaplanes were eventually introduced to provide safer and more convenient passage to the island.

Challenging the Maldivian hoteliers' apathetic attitude to hospitality was another issue that needed addressing. Indeed, most operators gave little thought to standards and services, with high occupancy rates their only concern. But Shivdasani had other ideas. He was determined to develop a resort that put its guests' needs first.

After drafting in local contractors to develop the island, dubbed Soneva Fushi by Shivdasani and his wife, the resort was finally opened to the public in 1995. The peaceful retreat with 65 villas surrounded by white sand and tropical palms proved an instant hit, according to Shivdasani.

Private swimming pools, an open-air cinema, star-gazing observatory and top-class facilities including a gym and spa, also boosted the resort's appeal.

Following Soneva Fushi's success, Shivdasani wasted little time launching his second Six Senses resort. The Vietnamese retreat was established in 1997, paving the way for more openings in the subsequent years. Today, Shivdasani and his wife oversee 14 Six Senses resorts and spas in various locations, including Thailand, Spain, Jordan, Oman and Fiji. The couple plans to launch several more, particularly in the Middle East where the company has a modest presence.

Gayyoom Withdraws Defamation Case against Sheikh Hussain of Adhaalath!

(Edited extracts from article on Minivannews)
Former president Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom, on Thursday (08th January) withdrew a defamation lawsuit against the Adhaalath Party president Sheikh Hussain Rasheed Ahmed on Wednesday, who last year claimed Gayyoom was not a Sunni Muslim, according to the civil court.
Gayyoom started civil proceedings against Sheikh Rasheed two days before the country’s first multi-party presidential elections, after Sheikh Rasheed repeatedly alleged the former president was an “infidel” and not a Sunni Muslim; a pre-requisite for the presidency.
A press release issued by the secretariat of the former president said Gayyoom had intended to sue Sheikh Rasheed to stop him from spreading false information, which was damaging to both his reputation and his presidential campaign.
“The case was not lodged against anyone in particular,” the statement reads. “The case was filed because many of his supporters had asked him to take action.”
It adds that following the end of the elections, pursuing the lawsuit would be in vain.
According to Sheikh Rasheed, Gayyoom has withdrawn the case because he did not think he could win. “He is scared,” he said. “He knows we will prove he is not a Sunni Muslim.”
Sheikh Rasheed had previously said Gayoom was not a Sunni Muslim because he did not believe in headscarves for women, the return of Jesus Christ, the appearance of the Dhajjal or the anti-Christ and Islamic penal laws, all of which must be upheld according to the Sunni school of Islam. Last year, 44 religious scholars issued a fatwa against Gayoom asking him to “repent and fear Allah”.

The Island experience helped me reach the top

(Reports www.island.lk)
Various epithets have been used to describe the Maldives new president Mohamed Nasheed,but to those at The Island,who have known him since 1990,he is very much the restless journalist looking for the next big story.
Speaking exclusively to The Island on Sunday, in his 19 th floor Colombo Hilton suite,while his aides kept checking their watches and signaling that it was time to leave for the airport,President Nasheed did not forget his former bosses and colleagues and humbly recalled that we were "kind enough to accommodate him."
Nasheed,has come a long way since his days at The Island,but remains the down to earth person he was and humble to the core.On more than one occasion,he apologized for not being able to allocate more time for the interview, amidst his busy and tight schedule.

Educated in the Maldives and United Kingdom,Nasheed at 41, is one of the youngest South Asian leaders.Amnesty International described him as prisoner of conscience in 1997 after being jailed and ill treated on several occasions for leading the revolt against former President Gayoom’s administration,which he described as a corrupt dictatorship. Nasheed, was one of the earliest and boldest dissidents in the Maldivian archipelago of 1192 islands.Prior to his stint at The Island, he established a reputation for his political commentaries in the Male based "Sangu" magazine, at a time when vocal criticism of the Gayoom regime was almost non existent. "Sangu" was subsequently banned.

Though short on experience in governance,Nasheed has shown signs of statesmanship and a case in point is his refusal to be revengeful and resisting pressure from certain quarters in the Maldives, to try Gayoom for alleged corruption,abuse of power and human rights violations. "My first mission",he says "was to oust a dictatorship.Now my task is to root out corruption and develop the country. I am focused on the future,where democracy will thrive and all Maldivians can enjoy the fruits of development."

(Britsih Conservative Party) Tories help Maldives president prepare for parliamentary elections

(Reports www.telegraph.co.uk/)
A delegation of senior Tories flew to the Maldives on Tuesday (06th Jan) to help prepare the island nation's new president for the country's first-ever multi-party democratic parliamentary elections next month.
Mohammed Nasheed, a one-time Amnesty International "prisoner of conscience", spectacularly beat his former jailer and Asia's longest-serving ruler, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, in the Maldives' first democratic election in October. But now his Maldivian Democratic Party faces its first test next month, with all the seats in the People's Majlis, or parliament, being contested. The Tories (British Conservative Party) played a key role in Mr Nasheed's defeat of Mr Gayoom, who had been in power for 30 years, and the new president has called on Richard Spring MP, vice-chairman of the Conservative party, to lend advice on how the MDP can capture a majority in the February elections.

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) is closely aligned with the Conservative Party and Anni, who graduated from John Moore University, Liverpool, is known to be a good friend of the shadow foreign secretary, William Hague. His own long political journey to the presidency began at Dauntsey's, the public school in rural Wiltshire where he attended sixth form. There he met David Hardingham, who later formed the Friends of Maldives, a British-based pressure group which helped to alert the world to the brutality of Mr Gayooms regime.

"Dauntsey's old boy and girl network assisted me a lot. Its education has served me well and Britain's private school education has a deserved reputation for excellence", said President Nasheed. After graduating in 1989, Mr Nasheed returned to the Maldives, where he soon became a champion of the democratic movement and a thorn in Mr Gayoom's side. During the next 19 years, Mr Gayoom mounted a sustained campaign of intimidation against him, exiling him on numerous occasions and allegedly ordering his torture. As a result of his treatment, in 2004 Mr Nasheed was granted political asylum in Britain, where he began lobbying MPs to put pressure on Mr Gayoom.

"It was the Conservatives who took an interest in us," he said. "Their human rights group took up our case and put pressure on the British government. At their conference they put me in touch with centre-right parties from Serbia to Sri Lanka and gave me a platform from which to tell the world about what was happening in the Maldives".

From 2006, the Tories sent party members to the islands to help Mr Nasheed campaign. During the current four-day visit, Spring will be joined by Karen Lumley, the prospective parliamentary candidate for Redditch and Mike Nichols, an activist. The delegation will give advice on strategic alliance building, messaging and campaigning in the run up to the election. Mr Spring said: "They deserve our support and they will certainly get it. We want to keep a spotlight on events unfolding in the Maldives."
"I am looking forward to receiving Richard's delegation and formally thanking the Conservative party for all the help they have given me. With their continued assistance I'm sure the MDP will win a handsome victory at the forthcoming elections" Mr Nasheed said.
Mr Nasheed is expected to request further British investment to boost the fragile economy of the Maldives, after having already negotiated with a number of British firms, including the telecommunications provider Cable and Wireless.
The visit will also be used to make a plea for British climate change scientists to visit the Maldives to study the effect of rising sea levels. Nowhere on the islands is more than one and a half metres above sea level, and scientists have given warning that the Maldives could disappear completely under the waves in just 150 years' time.

Madonna in Maldives while Guy Ritchie spends a lonely New Year

London (ANI): Guy Ritchie reportedly spent the New Year alone at his country estate in England - as his eight-year marriage with Madonna came to an end. The RocknRolla director was said to have been on his own in his Wiltshire mansion while the Queen of Pop welcomed 2009 with their three kids in the Maldives.
When Madonna and her family visited Soneva Fushi she reportedly scribbled "five definitions of heaven" in the guestbook. The mantra at this laid back private island hideaway is “no news, no shoes.” Cellphones are also a no no, but the rooms are equipped with quadraphonic hi-fi systems concealed behind rattan walls.

115 drug related arrests this week

Maldives Police Service have revealed that the service have arrested 115 people throughout the past week on drugs related offences, local media reported. The 115 people were brought into custody during special operations launched by the Drug Enforcement Unit of Maldives Police Service Criminal Investigation Department. The arrests were connected to 57 different drug related cases and they were made through the calendar week from 28th December 2008 to 3rd January 2009.

Maldives Police Service notes that most of the drugs related offences are related to heroine. Maldives Police Service has recently started to strengthen its vigilance on the escalating problem of drug usage and trade, by launching a number of special operations. Last week only, Maldives Police Service wrapped up 26 cases involving 31 people and has sent the cases to the Prosecutor General's Office.

All the President's men must help him (in population consolidation)

President Mohamed Nasheed has been doing a lot of good work and he is receiving plaudits for same. We are a small country with meager resources, and managing these resources efficiently is a need of the hour. We have a dearth of human resource and the government must make good use of those available. Here, President Nasheed deserves congratulations for appointing some very good boards and commissions consisting of good and capable people. The new Board of the Bank of Maldives, new board of directors of most companies and new labour tribunal are good examples. A lot of people have praised the President for his diplomacy and sagacity in making many good decisions and taming old rivals. These are real qualities of a good leader. A friend of mine told me few days ago he is very happy about some of President Nasheed's policies. But he remarked the President has also made some mistakes which is costly to his political career. But the good thing is he is also quick in correcting most of those mistakes, my friend added.

President Nashee's fast track programmes on decentralising of the atolls and privatising some of the essential services are receiving mixed reaction. Although he has to do his best to strengthen his party, MDP, many feel formulating more focused and result-oriented policies and programmes in the broader interest of the nation is essential if Nasheed is to become a leader of eminence and posterity. There are concerns about the lack of proper information about the everyday functions of his Government.
While President Nasheed has been a key leader of the unprecedented reform struggle, there are critics who feel President Nasheed has not been true to his promises of democracy and that he is putting the interests of his party above national interests. Such critics argue that Nasheed has completely overlooked one of the fundamental policies of the country, which is the policy and programme on population consolidation.
The President being intelligent and foresighted must realise how critical it is for the Maldives facing serious environmental, social and economic challenges, to launch a national programme to resettle people from smaller difficult and vulnerable islands to larger and safer islands where there are the opportunities and services so profoundly demanded by the people. We do not have the resources to provide all these services and develop nearly 200 islands, it is both extremely costly and socially and economically not viable. We must dedicate to more sustainable and meaningful development if we want to achieve a dignified and prosperous living for all. It is not a policy of a certain party, it has to be our number one national policy and priority. If a special programme and special Ministry is dedicated for this all important priority, there will be encouraging results.

The fear of our leaders is they want to win the coming elections, they fear lest they loose the power if they chose holistic policies which will in the beginning will meet some resistance and criticism. There may be protests, closure of offices, calls and chants for resignation, but the country really need another BoduThakurufaanu. A leader who can fight and win the battle not with guns but through wisdom and foresight. President Nasheed was believed to be a person who has the courage and sagacity to lead us to the other Maldives. We can start this programme immediately by dedicating a percent of the national budget and resettling a sizable population in Hulumale', Laamu Gan, Addu Hithadhoo and more larger islands. Some of them can be developed into modern cities better than Male'.
(Reproduced and edited extracts from the original article of Ali Husham / Miadhu Daily)

Mauritius losing gilt edge

Mauritius (shown in the picture here) is losing its glit edge, reports www.defimedia.info.
An internationally renowned jeweller, whose primary market consists of elite tourists, is concerned that the local market is becoming increasingly commercial and is losing its status as a prestigious and exclusive destination.

“The status enjoyed by Mauritius ensured that a world class clientèle returned on a regular basis. Such high class clientèle prefer less commercial destinations such as the Maldives and Seychelles. This leaves Mauritius to deal with clients with lower spending capacity and who also prefer affordable holidays,” says the CEO Roberto Tucci.

He feels that Mauritius should balance its economical development while remaining a highly valued and prised destination. “This can be achieved by striving for excellence, professionalism and quality in any sector and level of the tourism business,” he says.

“The problem in Mauritius is that compared to success stories in the jewellery sector in other countries, highly fragmented operators do not have the willingness and often the competence to look beyond their own interests or short term agendas. Those that cooperate have done well. As a result of a clear vision and investment in local and export business, those industries are able to employ large numbers and offer good salaries as the products are of high value, and have brought multibillion revenues to their countries and” he adds.

Maldives to support Sri Lanka in its fight against terrorism

Colombo, 03 January, (Asiantribune.com): Visiting President of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed expressed his appreciation of the efforts being taken by President Rajapaksa to restore peace in Sri Lanka, and congratulated the President and Sri Lanka on the success in the Kilinochchi Operation, and also assured Sri Lanka of the fullest support of the Maldives in the fight against terrorism.

It was agreed at the bilateral talks, that Sri Lanka and the Maldives looked forward to the further improvement of good relations between the two countries in several areas of activity, with importance being given to Sri Lankan assistance in the development of the structures and institutions of democracy in the Maldives.
Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed and the First Lady Madam Laila Ali were received by the President of Sri Lanka, Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse and Madam Rajapakse upon their arrival in Colombo on Friday morning.

During their bilateral meeting Maldivian President thanked President Rajapaksa and the people of Sri Lanka for the long standing support extended to the movement for good governance in the Maldives and the diplomatic depth Sri Lanka had shown in dealing with a very difficult issue. Among the areas identified in which Sri Lanka could assist the Maldives in its efforts to stabilize democracy were the establishment of a good civil service, the building of legal structure to serve the needs of an emerging democracy, the area of IT development, Human Resource development, education and archaeology.

The Maldivian President looked forward to Sri Lankan assistance in carrying out an archaeological survey of the Maldives, which will be the first to be done after 1922, which was also led by an archaeologist from what was then Ceylon.
There was a frank exchange of views between the two national leaders on the need for and the possibility of mutual cooperation in the development of tourism, with the Maldivian side looking forward to greater investment in tourism by Sri Lankans. The opportunities for current Sri Lankan investors in the Maldives to diversify from tourism into other areas was also discussed, especially with the new policies of liberalizing the economy in the Maldives and the break up of many government monopolies in the service sector in the country.

The issue of the problems faced by Sri Lankan fishermen who have to cross Maldivian territorial waters to and from their sailing to the Arabian Sea was discussed and the Maldivian President said the matter could be looked at with understanding by the officials of the two countries to arrive at a mutually beneficial solution.
The Maldivian delegation led by President Mohamed Nasheed included Foreign Minister Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, Special Envoy to the President Mr. Ibrahim Hussain Zaki, Minister of Finance and Treasury Mr. Ali Hashim and Minister of Education Dr. Musthafa Lutfi.

Paradise lost on Maldives' rubbish island

It may be known as a tropical paradise, an archipelago of 1,200 coral islands in the Indian Ocean. But the traditional image of the Maldives hides a dirty secret: the world's biggest rubbish island. (reports http://www.guardian.co.uk/)
A few miles and a short boat ride from the Maldivian capital, Malé, Thilafushi began life as a reclamation project in 1992. The artificial island was built to solve Malé's refuse problem. But today, with more than 10,000 tourists a week in the Maldives adding their waste, the rubbish island now covers 50 hectares (124 acres).
So much is being deposited that the island is growing at a square metre a day. There are more than three dozen factories, a mosque and homes for 150 Bangladeshi migrants who sift through the mounds of refuse beneath palm-fringed streets.

Environmentalists say that more than 330 tonnes of rubbish is brought to Thilafushi a day. Most of it comes from Malé, which is one of the world's most densely populated towns: 100,000 people cram into 2 square kilometres.
Brought on ships, the rubbish is taken onshore and sifted by hand. Some of the waste is incinerated but most is buried in landfill sites. There is, say environmental campaigners, also an alarming rise in batteries and electronic waste being dumped in Thilafushi's lagoon.

"We are seeing used batteries, asbestos, lead and other potentially hazardous waste mixed with the municipal solid wastes being put into the water. Although it is a small fraction of the total, these wastes are a source of toxic heavy metals and it is an increasingly serious ecological and health problem in the Maldives," said Ali Rilwan, an environmentalist in Malé.
Despite the growing crisis, Thilafushi remains largely hidden from view. Nobody goes there apart from workers.
Meanwhile, tourism has made the Maldives the richest country in South Asia in terms of GDP a head - which is around $4,500 (£3,100) - though that wealth is thinly spread.

However, almost everything has to be imported. Most tourists can only be catered for by bringing in thousands of tonnes of meat, vegetables and diesel oil every year.
All this produces what many say is an unsustainable amount of waste. Every tourist produces 3.5kg of rubbish and requires 500 litres of water a day.
The lack of space means the Maldives is now "exporting junk" to India. "Before, the ships that brought our vegetables from south India used to return empty, but now we are sending them crushed cans, metals, cardboard. They then sort them out and get cash for them," said Rilwan.

Environment issues are a major political issue in the Maldives, not least because its 300,000 people face being the first to be submerged under rising sea levels caused by global warming.
Earlier this month the new president, Mohamed Nasheed, told the Guardian of his radical solution to save his people: put aside some of the Maldives' tourism revenues to buy another homeland.