To build or not to build; that’s not the question…
Why has the building of a particular hotel building near Dharubaaruge caused so much controversy, wonders Ibrahim Hameed The Maldives Government’s announcement to lease a 40,000-square foot land area to develop a 15-storey, 200-bed five-star hotel near the south eastern waterfront of Male has become centre of controversy as members of public— at least from certain section—are beginning to express their dissent about the whole idea. For almost ten years, the government has expressed its intension to build a hotel in Male to replace the aging Nasandhura Palace Hotel, but there was no confirmation until last August, when the Tourism Ministry began selling bidding documents for a hotel to be developed at the south-eastern waterfront of Male. The proposed location is, obviously, not that of the Nasandhura Palace Hotel area as it will now be converted into a public park. Earlier this year, a study team found considerable depressions and cracks in the north eastern reef of Male and advocated against building any more high-rise buildings near the area. The government’s decision to shift the hotel site probably might have been influenced by this report. The allocated land area for the hotel comprise of about two-thirds of the Dharubaaruge courtyard and about one-third of the adjacent park. The courtyard of Dharubaaruge is already off-limits to the general public, but the park has been part of Male Lonuziyaaraikolhu, which is a popular hang-out for Male residents. But could the location of the proposed hotel be the main reason for the objections. There is no clear face leading the protest, but at the heat of controversy is a report by an 18-member professional team. And with that the hotel has become a sucker for scathing attacks by some of local columnists. The report claims that the hotel could be very damaging to the already tense living conditions in Male. It predicts that the impact would include the daily need to generate additional 1,000 watts of electricity by STELCO and to produce 75 tonnes of water by MWSC, while both these public entities are already struggling to meet the daily consumptions in Male. It also says that the island’s sewage system would be overloaded once the hotel starts running and could bring environmental degradation due to laundry and other wastes from the hotel. Interesting though these evaluations may be it leaves room to ask whether this was a work done purely for general public benefit or just a red herring to protect the business interests of a few individuals. Certainly, a five star hotel is not a solution to this over populous island. Rather, it is probably the last thing to undertake. But why would a particular hotel project have created so much dissonance. Over the years, there have been number of private hotels in Male. Just last year, at the very heart of Male on Majeedee Magu one more high-rise hotel, Nalahiyaa, was opened. And, as admitted in the same 18-member report, there are of course two more hotels coming up to form part of Male skyline. One of these hotels is the Holiday Inn, a 15-storey, five-star hotel, built within the premises of the private land plot, Athireege. This area has been the central public service area in Male. It is next to two major schools in Male. Also in this same locality are the parliament house, key government offices and banks. And, it is norm for school children, the public and the civil servants, including those going to work at the airport, to jostle for space to park bicycles, motorbike and cars almost every day. But the irony is that no one, that is to say, neither the so-called local experts nor those environment conscious advocates are worried by these private ventures. There have been no predictions as to how these undertaking might affect lives of the people in Male or how bad it could be for the island’s power generation, water and sanitation system. The Tourism Ministry has set certain design criteria for the hotel which includes that the hotel should have spaces and facilities for conventions and meetings at various levels. Right now, it has been a dilemma to get a proper venue in Male for various parties if they are to host a business client meeting or an official one. The fact that a particular hotel project has been targeted seems more likely to be about rivalry and a fight to gain a monopoly. ތަރީގެ ހޮޓާ މާލެނޫން ސަރަހައްދެއްގައި އެޅުން މާރަނގަޅުވާނެކަމަށް ސިމް ވިދާޅުވެއްޖ | ||||||||
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| ދަރުބާރުގޭ ސަރަހައްދުގައި ސަރުކާރުން އަޅަން ގަސްދުކޮށްފައިވާ 15 ބުރީގެ 5 ތަރީގެ ހޮޓާ އެހެން ސަރަހައްދެއްގައި އެޅުން މާރަނގަޅުވާނެކަމަށް މޯލްޑިވްސް އެސޯސިއޭޝަން ފޯރ ޓޫރިޒަމް އިންޑަސްޓްރީ (މަޓީ)ގެ ސެކެޓްރީ ޖެނެރަލް އަދި ފަތުރުވެރިކަމުގެ ދާއިރާގައި 30 އަށްވުރެ ގިނަ އަހަރު ހޭދަކުރަމުންދާ ތަޖުރިބާކާރެއް ކަމުގައިވާ އިބްރާހީމް މުހައްމަދު (ސިމް) ވިދާޅުވެއްޖެއެވެ. ސިމް ވިދާޅުވިގޮތުގައި މިފަދަ ބޮޑު އިންވެސްޓްމަންޓެއް ރާއްޖެތެރެއަށް ގެންދެވިއްޖެނަމަ އެކަމުން ކުރާނެ ފައިދާ ބޮޑުވެފައި އިޤްތިސާދަށް ހެޔޮބަދަލުތަކެއް އަންނާނެއެވެ. “މާލެ މިދަނީ އިތުރަށް ތޮށްޖެހެމުން. ހޮޓާ އަޅާއިފިނަމަ ރާއްޖެތެރޭގެ އިތުރު އާބާދީތައްވެސް މާލެއަށް ޖަމާވާނެ. ސަބަބަކީ ހުރިހާ ވަސީލަތްތަކަކާއި ތަރައްޤީއެއް މިތަނުން ލިބެން ހުރުމުން. މިހެން ވުމުން މާލޭގެ ކުލި އިތުރަށް ބޮޑުވެ ތަފާތު ގިނަ މައްސަލަތައް ފެންމަތިވާނެ. މިހާރުވެސް ބަޖެޓުގައި ލިބޭއެއްޗަކާއި ކުރަންޖެހޭ ހޭދަ ބައްދަލު ނުވަތީ އުޅެނީ” ހޮޓާ މާލޭގައި އެޅުމުން ލިބޭނެ ގެއްލުންތައް ސިމް އޮޅުން ފިލުވައި ދެއްވިއެވެ. ސިމް މައުލޫމާތު ދެއްވިގޮތުގައި މާލޭގައި މުދަލުގެ އަގުބޮޑުވެ ތަފާތު ގިނަ މައްސަލަތައް ނިކުންނަމުން ދާއިރު ސަރުކާރުން ދުރާލާ ވިސްނައި ރާއްޖެތެރެއަށް ތަރައްޤީ ފޯރުކޮށްދިނުމަށް މަގުފަހި ކޮށްދޭންވީއެވެ. “ނަމަވެސް މާލޭގައި މިހާރު ހެދިފައިވާ ފެންވަރު ރަނގަޅު ހޮޓާ އަދި ގެސްޓް ހައުސްތަކަށް މިކަމުން ނޭދެވޭ އަސަރުތައް ފޯރާނެ” ސިމް ވިދާޅުވިއެވެ. “އިންވެސްޓް ކޮށްގެން ފައިދާއެއް ނުލިބެންޏާ އިންވެސްޓަރުން ކުރިމަތި ލާނެތަ؟” ސިމް ސުވާލުކުރެއްވިއެވެ. ބީލަން ހުޅުވުމުގެ ބައްދަލުވުމުގައި ބިޑް ހުށަހަޅާފައިވަނީ ޖުމްލަ ދެ ފަރާތުންނެވެ. އެއީ ހޭންޑިވޯކް އިންވެސްޓްމަންޓްގެ އިތުރުން ޝަންގްރިއްލާ މޯލްޑިވްސް ލިމިޓެޑެވެ. ހޭންޑިވޯކް އިންވެސްޓްމަންޓްއަކީ ބޭރުގެ މަޝްހޫރު ޝަންގްރިލާ ކުންފުނީގެ މަސްލަހަތު އޮންނަ ކުންފުންޏެއްކަމަށް ޚަބަރު ފެތުރިފައިވެއެވެ | ||||||||
Male Hotaa: Moonugai Thafaalakun Jehun Kahala Kamekeve
2007 rwbcmeTcpes 20
Ahmed Zahir - Hirigaa (HNS)
- Ministry of Tourism should be ashamed for pushing this project disregarding the feelings of 100,000 people living in Male, which is less than 3 sq km.
- In Singapore 0.8 hect. of open space is kept aside for every residential area accommodating 1000 people. Shouldnt we consider this?
- 50 islands leased in less than two years to develop resorts in an ad hoc manner (To satisfy the rich)
- A bill is being prepared to sbumit to Majlis to ammend the existing Tourism Act to negate the current lease agreements of all the resorts in the country inorder to increase the current lease period from 21 years to 50 years (To Satisfy the rich).
As Hirigaa said this is really pathetic!
Dharubaaruge Sarahadhdhugai 15 bureege hotall elhumuge mashroou ehen sarahadhdhakah badhalu kurun muhimmu
2007 rwbcmeTcpes 19
Hussain Fiyaz Moosa, Havveru News Services
Havveru Online Survey:
Total Number of Respondents: 3523
Those in favour of developing the site as a recreational area: 1550 (47%)
Those in favour of leaving the site as it for its current use: 1282 (39%)
Thos in favour of building the proposed hotel: 421 (12%)
Its our wish that the government takes these results into consideration.
Jazeera Daily
އަބްދުﷲ ފާއިގް ު
ދަރުބާރުގެ އިރުމަތި ފަރާތުގައި އޮންނަ ހުސް ބިމުގައި އެޅުމަށް ހަމަޖެހިފައިވާ ހޮޓަލުގެ ބީލަށް ފޮތް މިހާތަނަށް ފަސް ފަރާތަކުން ގަނެފައިވާކަމަށް މިނިސްޓުރީ އޮފް ޓޫރިޒަމް އެންޑް ސިވިލް އޭވިއޭޝަން ހާމަކުރައްވައިފިއެވެ. އިއްޔެ ނަސަންދުރާގައި ބޭއްވުނު ހޮޓަލުގެ ޕްރީބިޑް މިޓީން މިނިސްޓްރީ އޮފް ޓޫރިޒަމް އެންޑް ސިވިލް އޭވިއޭޝަންގެ އެގްޒެކްޓިވް ޑިރެކްޓަރ މަހުމޫދު ރާޒީ ވިދާޅުވީ މިހާތަނަށް ފަސްފަރާތަކުން ބީލަށް ފޮތް ބައްލަވައިގެންފައިވާ ކަމަށާއި ބީލަށް ފޮތް ހުށަހަޅުމުގެ އެންމެ ފަހުގެ ތާރިހާކީ މިމަހުގެ 12 ވަނަ ދުވަހުކަމަށެވެ. މާލޭގެ އިރުއުތުރު ފަރާތުގައި ޓޫރިސްޓް ހޮޓަލެއް ތަރައްޤީކުރުމަށްޓަކާ ބިލަމަށް ލައްވާފައިވާވީ މިހުސްވި އޮގަސްޓުމަހުގެ 26 ވަނަ ދުވަހު އެވެ.
ދަރުބާރުގެ އިރުމަތިގައި އޮންނަ 000,04 އަކަފޫޓު ގެ މިބިމުގައި ސަރުކާރުން އެޅުމަށް ނިންމަވާފައިވާ މި ހޮޓަލުގެ ބީލަން ފޮތެއްގެ އަގަކީ, ދިވެހިންނަށް ނުވަތަ 100 އިންސައްތަ ދިވެހިން ހިއްސާވާ ކުންފުނިތަކަށް 2000 ރުފިޔާ ކަމަށާއި ބިދޭސީން ހިއްސާވާ ކުންފުނިތަކަށް 300 އެމެރިކާ ޑޮލަރު ކަމަށް ޓޫރިޒަމް މިނިސްޓްރީ ބުނެ އެވެ.15 ބުރިއަށް އިމާރާތްކުރުމަށް ހަމަޖެހިފައިވާ މިހޮޓަލުގެ ބިޑް ސެކިއުރީޓީގެ ގޮތުގައި ބީލަށް ހުށަހަޅުއްވާއިރު ދެލައްކަ އެމެރިކާ ޑޮލަރު ހުށަހަޅުވަން ޖެހޭނެކަމަށް ވެސް ޓޫރިޒަމް މިނިސްޓުރީން ބުނެ އެވެ. ބަގުރާވިއްކުން ނޫން އެހެން ހުރިހާ ޚިދުމަތެއް ފަސްތަރީގެ ފެންވަރަށް ލިބެން ހުންނާނެ ކަމަށާއި އަދި މިހާރު ނަސަންދުރަ ހުރި ބިމުގައި އާންމުންނަށް ފަސޭހަވާނެ ގޮތަށް ޕާކެއް ހެދުމަކީވެސް މި ބީލަން ކާމިޔާބު ކުރާ ފަރާތުން ކުރަން ޖެހޭނެ ކަމަށް ވެސް ޓޫރިޒަމް މިނިސްޓްރީން ބުނެ އެވެ
ޓޫރިޒަމް މިނިސްޓުރީ ހާމަކުރައްވާފައި ވާގޮތުން ހޮޓަލުގެ ބީލަށް ކާމިޔާބު ކުރައްވާ ފަރާތަކުން, ބީލަށް ކާމިޔާބު ކުރާތާ އެއް އަހަރު ފަހުން އިންވެސްޓުމަންޓުގެ 30 އިންސައްތަ ހިއްސާ އާންމުންނަށް ވިއްކަން ޖެހޭނެ އެވެ. އަދި ހިއްސާގެ މޫނު މަތީއަގަކީ އާންމުކޮށް ހުރިހާ ފަރާތްތަކަށް ވެސް ގަނެވޭ ފަދަ އަގަކަށްވާ ޖެހޭނެ ޖެހެ އެވެ
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