Sunday 2 March 2008

Environment Ministry, Chief of Protocol and Corruption - Round 4

It appears to be the Round Four of the Corruption Cycle involving the Environment Ministry, Chief of Protocol Ahmed Rasheed and the determination to stop anything being built in H. Ameeneege at any cost. This is irrespective of the fact that this hotel would feed several poor Maldivian families by providing employment to local people. Now that the Environment Ministry has once again given the go-ahead to start the piling activities, the campaign to stop it seems to have begun with a vengeance. All this seems to be mainly directed at protecting one family and that is of the Chief of Protocol, Ahmed Rasheed. This is primarily because the palace where he lives, H.Athiriveli (his wife owns several other houses), is built adjacent to the Asters building and with the windows facing east, towards Ameeneege. So he does not want his view blocked by a big building there. more