A digest of news and opinion from the Maldives.
Tourists pictured at Velana International Airport (VIA). Tourist arrivals in the Maldives increased by 8.9 percent in October this year. According to the official statistics released by the tourism ministry after a hiatus, 127,986 visitors arrived in the Maldives last month. At 22.4 percent with 28,689 tourists, the majority hailed from China, the largest tourism […]
Lawmakers of ruling coalition at the parliamentary budget review committee meeting. PHOTO: NISHAN ALI/MIHAARU Parliament’s budget review committee on Monday passed the proposed state budget for the year 2018 with only one amendment. The proposed budget of MVR 27.9 billion was passed with the consensus of the twelve parliamentarians of the ruling coalition present at […]
Maradhoo MP Ibrahim Shareef of MDP speaks at the parliamentary budget review committee meeting. PHOTO: HUSSAIN WAHEED/MIHAARU Opposition lawmakers boycotted the parliamentary budget review committee’s meeting on Monday after their allocated debate times were curtailed by parliamentarians of the ruling party. The agenda for Monday’s meeting of the budget review committee was to debate on […]
Finance minister Ahmed Munawar pictured at a meeting of the parliamentary budget review committee. PHOTO: HUSSAIN WAHEED/MIHAARU The current government does not and will not discriminate between islands in carrying out development projects, declared finance minister Ahmed Munawar late Sunday. He made the remark on a programme on state television channel TVM, stating that unlike […]
Aerial view of Anantara Kihavah Maldives in Baa Atoll. Maldives Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has announced to sell its leasehold rights of Baa atoll Kihavah Huravalhi Island, where the resort Anantara Kihavah Maldives is operated. In a notice released Thursday, MTDC invited interested local and foreign parties to submit their bids before December 10. However, […]
MTCC’s dredger “Maha Jarraf” reclaims land for Kulhudhuffushi Airport. Finance minister Ahmed Munawar revealed on Saturday that the government is seeking finance for the development of five airports in addition to the four airports included in the proposed state budget for next year. The State Budget 2018 submitted to the parliament allocates MVR 246 million […]
Ruling PPM’s deputy leader and Fonadhoo MP Abdul Raheem Abdullah speaking at the ceremony held at Alimas Carnival in Male to mark the four year anniversary of a PPM government on November 18, 2017. MIHAARU PHOTO / NISHAN ALI Ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM)’s deputy leader and Fonadhoo MP Abdul Raheem Abdullah on Saturday […]
President Abdulla Yameen (C) and First Lady Fathimath Ibrahim (R) inaugurate the “Hiyaa” housing project in Hulhumale Phase 2. PHOTO: HUSSAIN WAHEED/MIHAARU President Abdulla Yameen and First Lady Fathimath Ibrahim on Saturday night inaugurated the government’s mega project to develop flats for 80,000 people in reclaimed suburb Hulhumale’s second phase. The government’s largest social housing […]
Finance minister Ahmed Munawar speaks at the parliamentary budget review committee. PHOTO: NISHAN ALI/MIHAARU The government has decided to slash the rates of food, staple foods, and electricity next year. According to the proposed State Budget 2018 submitted by the finance ministry to the parliament, the government is looking to allocate MVR 200 million as […]