Sri Lankan FM calls on President, inaugurates College’s Central Library

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| DATE: 2007-11-03 | MALE, November 3, 2007 (Haveeru News Service) -- The Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, MRohitha Bogollagama, called on President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on Thursday.

The President expressed his pleasure on meeting Bogollagama again. Recalling the historical State Visit to the Maldives by the President of Sri Lanka, Mahindha Rajapaksa in February, the President highlighted that cooperation between the two countries had strengthened as a result of Rajapaksa’s visit. He emphasised that, as neighbours and partners in SAARC, the Maldives and Sri Lanka enjoyed historic close friendly relations.

Highlighting that Bogollagama was visiting the Maldives to officially hand-over the library to the government of Maldives, the President said that the library would be yet another lasting reminder of the close friendship between the two countries. The President thanked the government and people of Sri Lanka for gifting a central library for the Maldives College of Higher Education.

He also noted the important contribution of Sri Lanka in various fields of national development of Maldives, and singled out Sri Lanka’s role in the development of the country’s education sector. He also thanked for the continued support and assistance that it extends to the Maldives in every hour of national need and in various important issue areas.

Bogollagama conveyed to the President the warm greeting and good wishes of Rajapaksa.

Bogollagama highlighted that the Maldives and Sri Lanka enjoyed excellent relations, and noted that the new library was a symbol of the strong bonds of friendship between the two countries. Further, he assured the President of Sri Lanka’s continued commitment to contribute towards national development endeavours in the Maldives.

The meeting was attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdulla Shahid, Minister for Presidential Affairs, Mohamed Hussain, Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the Maldives, Mohamed Farooq, Deputy Minister at the President’s Office, Dr. Hala Hameed and the Director General of the Foreign Ministry of Sri Lanka, Grace Asir Watham.

Following the meeting, the President participated in the ceremony to hand-over the central library to the Maldivian Government. The library was inaugurated by Bogollogama.

The wife of the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, Deepthi Bogollagama, also called on First Lady Nasreena Ibrahim on Thursday. The call was held at the Presidential Palace. The call was attended by Hala.

ހޮޓެލް ސުކޫލްގެ އާ އިމާރާތުގެ މަސައްކަތް 18 މަސްދުވަހުގެ ތެރޭގައި ނިމޭވަރުވާނެ : ކޮލެޖް

އަހުމަދު މޫސާ ހަވީރު، 17:02 0 ޚިޔާލު

އިންޑިޔާ ސަރުކާރުގެ ހިލޭ އެހީގައި އިމާރާތް ކުރާ ފެކަލްޓީ އޮފް ހޮސްޕިޓަލިޓީ އެންޑް ޓޫރިޒަމް ސްޓަޑީޒް (ހޮޓެލް ސުކޫލް) ގެ އާ އިމާރާތުގެ މަސައްކަތް 18 މަސްދުވަހުގެ ތެރޭގައި ނިމޭވަރު ވާނެކަމަށް މޯލްޑިވްސް ކޮލެޖް އޮފް ހަޔަރ އެޑިޔުކޭޝނުން ބުނެފި އެވެ.

މޯލްޑިވްސް ކޮލެޖް އޮފް ހަޔަރ އެޑިޔުކޭޝަންގެ ވައިސް ރެކްޓަރ ހުސެން ހަލީމް ވިދާޅުވީ އިންޑިޔާ ސަރުކާރުގެ ފަރާތުން ހަވާލުވެފައިވާ މިޕްރޮޖެކްޓްގައި އެފަރާތުން މަސައްކަތް ނިންމަން އެއްބަސް ވެފައިވާ މުއްދަތަކީ އަށާރަ މަސްދުވަހެވެ.

” އަޅުގަނޑުމެން ލަފާކުރަނީ އެފަރާތުން ދީފައިވާ މުއްދަތުގެ ތެރޭގައި މަސައްކަތް ނިމޭވަރު ވާނެކަމަށް“ ހަލީމް ވިދާޅުވި އެވެ.

ހަލީމް ވިދާޅުވީ ނުވަ ބުރިއަށް އިމާރާތް ކުރުމަށް ހަމެޖެހިފައިވާ މިއިމާރާތް ނިމޭއިރު ކިޔަވައި ދިނުމަށް ބޭނުންވާ ހުރިހާ ވަސީލަތްތައް ލިބެން ހުންނާނެ ކަމަށެވެ.

”މިއިމާރާތުގެ ތެރޭގައި ދަރިވަރުން ނާއި ކިޔަވައިދޭ ލެކްޗަރުން ދިރިއުޅޭނެ ދަނާލަކާއި ފުލެޓްތަކެއް ހުންނާނެ“ ހަލީމް ވިދާޅުވި އެވެ.

އެފަރާތުން މައުލޫމާތު ދިން ގޮތުގައި މިފެކަލްޓީ އިމާރާތް ކުރުމަށް އިންޑިޔާ ސަރުކާރުން 339،674،377،00 މިލިއަން އިންޑިއަން ރުޕީސް ދީފައިވެ އެވެ.

މިއިމާރާތުގެ ސަބަބުން ޖާގަ ދަތިވެފައިވާ މިފެކަލްޓީގެ ތަމްރީނަށް ހީވެސް ނުކުރާހަ ބޮޑު ކުރިއެރުމެއް ލިބިގެންދާނެކަމަށާއި މިމަޝްރޫއުގެ ތެރޭގައި މުވައްޒަފުން ތަމްރީން ކުރުން ވެސް ހިމެނޭ ކަމަށް ހަލީމް ވިދާޅުވި އެވެ.

”މި ޕްރޮޖެކެޓްގެ ތެރޭގައި ހިމެނިފައިވޭ މުވައްޒަފުން ތަމްރީން ކުރުމުގެ ބައެއްވެސް ކުރިއަށް ގެންދާ ގޮތަށް. މިހާރު މީހުން ތަމްރީން ކޮށްދިނުމަށް އެދިފަވާނީ“ ހަލީމް ވިދާޅުވި އެވެ.

ހަލީމް ވިދާޅުވީ މީގެ ދެމަހެއްހާ ދުވަސްކުރިން ފެށިމަސައްކަތުގެ ޢަމަލީ މަސައްކަތް ފަށާފައި ވަނީ މީގެ ދެ ހަފްތާ ދުވަސް ކުރިން ކަމަށެވެ.

މިއިމާރާތް ހަދަމުން ދަނީ މަޖްދުއްދީން ދަނާލުގެ ކުރިމަތީގަ އެވެ.

Hulhumale’s Ghaazee School inaugurated by Presidents Gayoom, Nathan

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| DATE: 2007-10-27 |
MALE, October 27, 2007 (Haveeru News Service) -- Ghaazee School gifted by the government and the people of Singapore to the Maldivian people, was inaugurated on Thursday by President Gayoom and President Nathan. The ceremony commenced with the unveiling of the school plaque, followed by the hoisting of the Maldivian flag, the Singaporean flag and the School flag while the Maldives National Defense Force played the national anthems of both countries.

The Singaporean President was received by President Gayoom upon arrival. President Gayoom was accompanied by the Minister of Education Zahiya Zareer and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid. High level officials as well as the heads of the construction project were present.

One of the highlights of the ceremony was the presentation of the mementoes to both Presidents by the Minister of Education, Zahiya Zareer. Zahiya received a memento presented to her by Nathan.

In her speech, Zahiya stated that Ghazee School is a tangible symbol of the strong and long lasting friendship and co-operation between the peoples and the governments of Singapore and Maldives. On behalf of the Education Ministry and the educators of Maldives, she thanked Nathan for attending the inaugural ceremony. Emphasizing particularly on the personal commitment that Nathan put into the project, Zahiya stated that the gift of Ghaazee School is not just a distant donation on the part of the Singaporean President, but it was a project that he kept close to his heart.

Praising the island state of Singapore for breaking through the limitations of size and resources she said that the economic and diplomatic vitality of Singapore has lead to its strong contributions to the international community. Extending her gratitude to President Gayoom, she praised him for his steadfast educational policies and his personal commitment to developing education in Maldives.

The ceremony ended with a special song presented by a choir of Primary School children. The teachers who were trained in Singapore were also introduced to Nathan and Gayoom. The two Presidents also toured the school. This is the first time a foreign President officially inaugurated a school in Maldives.

Both Presidents then visited the Hulhumale Development Corporation Limited. They were welcomed on arrival by the Chairman of the Directors Board of HDC, Ibrahim Mohamed and the Managing Director of the Corporation, Mahjoob Shujau. The Singaporean President and accompanying delegation including the Singaporean business community were given a video presentation about the Hulhumale development project. The two Presidents also viewed the model of Hulhumale Master Plan and they were briefed by Mahjoob Shujau. Nathan was also presented with an information package on Hulhumale development project.

Ahmadiyya’s preschool classes face spatial problems

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| DATE: 2007-10-23 |

Preschool students of Ahmadiyya on Sunday play at the CHSE grounds behind the Remand Center in Male. (Haveeru Photo: Millzero)

MALE, October 23, 2007 (Haveeru News Service) -- Ahmadiyya, one of Male’s favorite private schools, is facing problems in holding its preschool classes after the space allocated to it from the Center for Higher Secondary Education premises was taken back from the school.

Officials said that a large part of the premises was taken back by the public high school in Male at short notice.

“We have asked the Government to make alternate arrangements for us,” an official from Ahmadiyya said.

Deputy Principal Mohamed Rasheed said that preschool students used the grounds behind the Remand Center of the Penitentiary Department as a playground, and that since children of that age spent more time outdoors for various activities, the taking back of the land meant that Ahmadiyya cannot conduct its preschool classes efficiently.

CHSE seems to have taken back the land as the center also faces spatial problems and are seeking to utilize more space to cater for an ever-increasing number of higher secondary school students.

It is not clear how soon the Government will make alternate arrangements; Ahamdiyya said that it has no space from its main building to hold preschool classes.

“The Housing Ministry told us that due to lack of space in Male, they cannot give us a plot of land for preschool classes. We are in a desperate situation,” Rasheed said.

Ameer Ahmed, the Henveiru ward school, conducts preschool classes on a land allocated for it by the Government.

More than 900 students are enrolled at Ahmadiyya’s preschool which has 11 classes.

Villa College registered

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| DATE: 2007-10-23 | HNS

MALE, October 23, 2007 (Haveeru News Service) -- The Villa Group has registered its college with the Department of Higher Education.

Following the registration of the Villa College, three institutes run under the Villa Group have been converted into Faculties; they are the Faculty of Marine Studies and Water Sports, Faculty of Computing and Information Technology and Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management.

The Tourism and Water Sports Faculties are established at Villa’s Sun Island Resort while the Computing Faculty is set up in the capital Male at Henveiru Green house.

This is the first private college registered in Maldives. The Villa Group belongs to business tycoon Qasim Ibrahim who is also Finance Minister and the Speaker of the People’s Special Majlis, the interim constitutional assembly tasked with amending the constitution by the end of next month.

Orientation programs for the first batch of students for the Computing Faculty were started on Sunday.

The former institutes by Villa were inaugurated in September.

The Higher Education Department was not available for comment yesterday.