GMR seeks over $800 million, Maldives insists on 'forensic' audit PTI | Dec 16, 2012, 01.59 PM IST MALE: Indian infrastructure firm GMR will seek a compensation of over $800 million from Maldives for the termination of its airport dealbut Male is insisting on a "forensic audit" as it feels the actual amount would be less than half. "We have sent a letter to the Maldivian government indicating a number of more than $800 million as compensation amount. This is our initial estimate. The final figure would be based upon various calculations, loss of profit among others," GMR (Airports) CFO Sidharath Kapur said. The Maldivian government, however, debunked the calculations and insisted on getting a forensic audit done through an international firm. "We will go in for a forensic audit as we want to see how much money has poured in to GMR coffers through the Male International Airport and how much actual money has been spent here. As per our information, GMR has cashed in only $150 million of the about $350 loan it had bagged through a bank," Maldives President Mohamed Waheed's press secretary Masood Imad said. Asked if GMR is open to a forensic audit, Kapur told PTI, "Our books are transparent. The concession agreement signed with Maldives government did not have the clause of forensic audit. Having said that, I must add that we don't have any objection to an audit but it has to come through proper legal process". Sources in the Maldivian government say that the compensation amount, as per their calculations, should come to about a lower limit of $150 million and an upper limit of $350 million. "We will present our case before the Singapore Court and let them take the call," a source said. The $500 million airport project contract awarded to GMR for modernizing and operating the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA), signed in 2010 during the previous regime ofMohamed Nasheed, was "unilaterally" terminated by the current government on November 27. The airport was taken over by the Maldives Airports Company Limited after a high-voltage legal tussle in which GMR had initially got a stay order on the termination from the Singapore HC. However, the Singapore Supreme Court ruled on November 6, a day before the notice period expired, that Maldives has the power to take over the airport on November 6. Replying to a query if GMR is not welcome in Maldives anymore, Masood said, "We don't have anything against GMR. We had objection to the contract that was signed under dubious conditions. We will in the future initiate a lot of infrastructure projects and GMR is welcome to bid for it." However, sources in the know said that the "unlawful" termination of the contract sends a "negative signal" to foreign investors, a stand taken by Indian government too. "It now feels that any contract signed with a particular regime can be scrapped when a new government comes in. It is a risky proposition," a source said. Asked if Maldives will seek fresh bids for the modernisation and the operations of the airport, Imad said the cabinet has given the nod to set up a new company called Maldives International Airport Limited that will takeover from MACL. However, he added the structure of MIAL is yet to be finalized. Refuting the allegations that the move to terminate the contract was a political one to whip up emotions before the elections next year, Imad said, "Protests against the contract have been taking place since the first day it was signed by Nasheed. There were regular protests and marches happening". He added, "We had a set of issues that needed to be looked into after we came to power. We are tackling them one by one and airport issue was one of them. We consulted reputed international law firms and they agreed with us that the contract was not valid. It is only then we terminated". "The President has not even said if he might or might not run for Presidency. It is completely wrong to say that it was done for political mileage. We are only setting the wrong done by Nasheed right," he added.

_____ · Dec 16, 2012 7:27 AM

  विमानस्थल भारतलाई दिने भनेको छैनः पूर्व गृहमन्त्री   (1 Vote)   1 2 3 4 5                             कान्तिपुर संवाददाता ४         काठमाडौं, मंसिर ३० - पूर्व गृहमन्त्री एवं एमाले केन्द्रीय सदस्य भीम रावलले त्रिभूवन विमानस्थल तथा अध्यागमन कार्यालयको 'सुदृढिकरण र विस्तार' योजना आफ्नो कार्यकालमा सुरु नभएको दाबी गरेका छन् । माधवकुमार नेपाल नेतृत्वको सरकारका गृहमन्त्री रावलले आफूले भारतसँग कुनै गोप्य सम्झौता नगरेको बताएका छन् । 'एयर मार्सल' राख्ने विषयमा भारतले राखेको प्रस्ताव आफूले अस्वीकार गरेको उनले शनिबार विज्ञप्तीमार्फत जनाएका छन् । 'भारतीय पक्षले (भारत भ्रमणकाबेला) त्रिभूवन विमानस्थल असुरक्षित रहेकाले एयर मार्सल राख्नुपर्ने कुरा उठाएको थियो, त्यस सन्दर्भमा मैले भारतीय पक्षलाई नेपालको विमानस्थल तपाईंहरुले भनेजस्तो असुरक्षित छैन र हामीहरु बदलिदो परिवेशअनसार त्यसलाई सुरक्षित तुल्याउन कदम चाल्छौं, त्यसका लागि आवश्यक उपकरण र प्रविधि तपाईंहरुजस्तो मित्र देशले सहयोग गर्नुहोस् भनेको थिएँ,' विज्ञप्तीमा लेखिएको छ, 'नेपालका अन्य अध्यागमन कार्यालयहरुको प्रसंग उठेको नै थिएन ।' नयाँदिल्ली छलफलको विषयमा भारतीय टोली काठमाडौं आएको र गृहमन्त्रालयका कर्मचारीसहित संयुक्त अध्ययन-मुल्यांकन भएको विज्ञप्तीमा उल्लेख छ । 'तर त्रिभूवन विमानस्थल र अन्य सवै अध्यागमन कार्यालयहरु भारतलाई जिम्मा दिने वा त्यसको व्यवस्थापन भारतलाई दिने कुरा मैले गरेको छैन,' रावलले भनेका छन्, 'यस्तो गर्नुहुन्न भन्ने मेरो दृढ विचार छ ।' रावलले यस विषयमा सवै कागजपत्र हेर्न दिन र छलफल गर्न परराष्ट्रमन्त्रीलाई आग्रह गरेको बताएका छन् । उनले कामचलाउ सरकारले अरुलाई देखाएर स्वेच्छदारी निर्णय गर्ने गरेको बताउँदै राष्ट्रिय सुरक्षाका विषयमा राजनीतिक सहमति गर्न माग गरेका छन् । विमानस्थल आधुनिकीकरण र सुरक्षित राख्न प्रविधि भित्र्याउनु 'त्रुटि' नहुने भन्दै पूर्वगृहमन्त्री रावलले सरकारले यसमा 'बाँदरलाई लिस्नु' जस्तो भएको टिप्पणी गरेका छन् ।

_____ · Dec 16, 2012 7:36 AM

 GMR fallout? Visa now must for Maldivian medical tourists By Sachin Parashar, TNN | Dec 31, 2012, 03.54 AM IST     India has tightened visas for Maldives in what is being seen as retaliation for the GMR fiasco in that country.   NEW DELHI: India has tightened visas for Maldives in what is being seen as retaliation for the GMR fiasco in that country. New Delhi has stopped Maldivians from using their visa-free travel facilities to India for other activities likemedical treatment, restricting it only to tourism. India revised its earlier "liberal" interpretation of the 1979 bilateral visa agreement with Maldives this month which allowed thousands of Maldivians to use a 90-day visa-on-arrival facility — meant only for tourism — to travel for treatment in Indian hospitals. The Indian government indulged in Maldivians' liberal use of the facility. But that will no longer be allowed, said sources. Now, Maldivians will need valid medical visas for treatment in Indian hospitals or face deportation, New Delhi has warned. Foreign minister Salman Khurshid suggested that a lack of reciprocity by Male had forced India to cut down on its largesse in doling out visas. "We know that people from the Maldives come here for treatment but as far as visas are concerned, we will go strictly by the rules," said Khurshid. While India allowed Maldivians to seek treatment on tourist visas — as it never questioned the purpose of their visit —authorities in Male have admitted that there always was a "mutual understanding" that such travelers required medical visa. Indications are that Maldives is already facing the heat. Calling for its nationals not to depend on any one country for treatment, Male has now approached Sri Lanka saying it wants to extend its healthcare scheme to some of the hospitals in Colombo. Now, Maldivians are queuing up outside the Indian High Commission to seek medical visas which are limited in number. The Maldivian home minister said they would approach Thailand for help in medical treatment for its citizens. According to the Indian government, Maldives' interpretation of the visa agreement was always different and that until now it was more difficult for Indians to get into Maldives than the other way round. The fact that India workers' passports are confiscated by their employers is something India has repeatedly taken up with authorities in Male but to no avail. According to India, Maldives detains and deports about 50 Indian nationals every year. Maldivian home minister Mohammed Jameel Ahmed denied the charge, saying that only four have been deported this year. But the Indian High Commission contradicted him on Saturday. "Regarding the deportation of Indian travelers from Male International Airport, the High Commission of India stands by its figures," said the High Commission in a statement. Unlike Maldives, India has also been giving tourist visas free of cost. After tightening visa regulations, India has put forward a list of demands to Maldives in which it has also sought quick release of 14 Indians detained in the Indian Ocean nation .

_____ · Dec 30, 2012 7:47 PM