These are the comments made by public and other departments.

Comments - 15

As per today conversation, I am writing on behalf of the Embassy of Italy who received the circular regarding the public transportation in the archipelago .

We would appreciate to have some more details how you would like to plan the transportation, would you prefer the boats to be from maldives or can they be made in other country too, the boat capacity you were thinking.....

I think it would be very useful to have some costs on what they can implement the study and feasibility of the projects.

We are trying to promote this initiative and we hope to respond to you in a positive way.

Awaiting for your feedback and thanking you for the cooperation.

Comments-14

1.            The brief description of the planned project (including but no limit to full name, location/address, structure form, design standard, total amount of project investment, project duration, etc.)

2.            The source of fund (government, private, financial organization), the manner of financing.

3.            The full name of Employer

4.            The Design or Consultancy Company

5.            The style and procedure of project bidding, the principle of tender documents appraisement and evaluation.

6.            Is there advance payment for this project? If yes, how about the proportion? And how to transact the progress payment or intermediate-term valuation and final accounts.

7.Whether or not need the bid bond and bank guarantee/performance security? Is there any specific regulation on its proportion and payment type?

8.            The regulation and restriction to Chinese Enterprise and the joint-venture, is it necessary for alien enterprise to register a local company before participating in bidding activities?

9.            The policy on local labor law, Taxation and foreign exchange.

10.         Design drawing, technology standard and relevant specification for the planned project.

11.         Which companies will participate in the bidding competition for this project so far?

12.         The feasibility study report and approval documentation for the planned project.

Comments-13

addu atoll hithadhoogai miaharu kudhin school ah gos ais vumuge masakkiy kuree  taxi center thakun namaves kuriyah oiy aharu taxi center thakun ekah nukuraane kah mihaaru vanee angaafa veemaa mee beleniverinnah libunu varah bodu gellumeh dhen jeheynee kommeves taxi akaa amillain gulhun eyee vaavaruge kameh noon egothah dhathuru kurahyyaa emeehun nagaa kujjakah ehmassdhuvahah 600/-MRF meekureveyne haradhen noon adhi faahaga kollah jehey miaharuves varah bodu agudheegeh beleniverin emeehunge kudhin school thakah fonuvee mikamah oiy hama ekani hallakee bus dhathufesun mihidhumaiy annadhiraasee aharu fesehvaairah hama ekani school kudhinnahviyas hamajassaidhinun varah muhimmu..

Comments-12

Dhathuru fathuruge nizaamuge map gai  LHAVIYANI (FELIVARU PROPOSED AIRPORT) mihen inumun hithugai ufedhey suvaalakee mi airport ge massakaith mihaaru kihai hisaabakah gossaivey thoa ufedhey suvaalu. Adhi mi airportakeee Lhaviyani atholhuge rayyethun varah edhiedhi thibi kamakah vaathee mi kamuge amalee massakaith feshi, mikan hagee gathakah vaane kon dhuvahakun tho ufhey suvalu. Mihen midhen nevee mi ee 2004 vana aharu LH.MADIVARU gai elhumah nimmafai vaa airportakah vefai mikamuge massaikaith konmeves hisaabeh gai thaashivefai vaanuva eh nuengi mihaidhuvas vatheeve. LHAVIYANI atholhuge rayyethunge faruvaleh nieth airport FELIVARU ga nuvatha MADIVARU ga nuvatha MAAFILAAFUSHI gai elhiyas. inthizaaru kurevenee airportuge hidhumath libeyne dhuvahaka.
 
Misuvaalu thakuge javabeh dhevvun edhi dhenneveemev.
 
Ikhuthiraamaa eku shukuriyya.

Comments-11

Regarding the Ministry’s announcement seeking a party or parties to establish a comprehensive public transport system throughout the islands of Maldives, the Embassy has received a few enquiries regarding the project. In order to facilitate the interested parties to understand the project further before application, they would like to find out the following:

1. How much is the estimated investment necessary for the project as per the Ministry’s estimation?
2. What kinds of specific preferential policies will be provided by the government?

Hence, the Embassy would appreciate it very much, if the Ministry could provide the information at the earliest convenience.

Comments-10

1. Land Issue - The most Expensive and Smallest Resource in the country is land. Therefore, land to be given as subsidy or to be capitalised  for any investment in the country is the best incentive you can give. Most of the islands it might be hard to get this land. You need have a look at the existing land use plans if any in whatever form to allocate land. The most important thing is to ensure that strong  and clear clauses need be written that the land provided will the taken way (or should be given back to the authority) from the service provider or the sublease if  if the required transport is not provided either less of demand or change of policy. Why we say this is because there are many examples around the country where land is given through many of such promises and it remains within the party when the services or the requirement to not there anymore. We need to avoid as there are no more land that can be given to these private business man to create their holiday homes in the name of development.

2. Land Issue – An attractive period of land lease should be given, the time frame should be fixed to the type of services and the investment proposed. If it is a simple service than about 15-20 years lease period should be enough as once again this issue of point one applies.

3. Planning  -  Allocation of Guest houses and tourist facilities should be in a zoned area allocated for such functions as the to avoid conflict of other fuctions of an island environment.

4. Tourism product and avoiding the unwanted elements - We should be careful of the type of tourism product which we are promoting and not to lose the identity we have gain in the world tourism market. Most important  thing is that,  the Asian region is well known market for the unwanted tourism attraction like, pedophiles, prostitutes, money laundering and other such affiliations. So we should not be  we just telling island community about the tourism dollar we would be earning,  we should well inform the island communities about these elements that penetrate through these doors  or may be with if there are religious missionary elements, than there might be backlashes from island communities even. Tourism ministry held a forum recently with sector agencies regarding opening of guests houses in the outer island if you can reflect on it would be great.

Therefore, we believe very careful planning needs to be done on this to avoid this, and we think this needs to discussed in broader forum than only through this window you have opened. Otherwise how would be know if you have considered these issues. There is no rush but to make it right is the most important thing other we always have to regret.
 
Adam, we are sure you would do the right thing and ensure all these issuea nd many others which you would receive will be addressed in the doccument.
It would be greate if you can share with us the other comments that you have received.

Comments-9

Since Th. Thimarafushi is the biggest island in the atoll, in terms of population size and economic activities, the team members should consider shifting the atoll terminal from Th. Verymandoo to Th. Thimarafushi. Also  
although the former is the atoll head island, it has still got a small population with insignificant activities for the atoll people to go to that island. Besides, as the atoll system will not have prominance in the livelihoods of the islanders in the given atoll, as a result of rise of regionalization, we feel more consideration should be given to the potential islands within the region or more population with business potentials.

Comment -8

1. In order to minimize the conflict of interest and gain the subsidy advantage from the land provided it might be important that the service provider of the ‘ORBIT’ and “SHUTTLES’ in the regions INTRA ATOLL and INTER ATOLL should be the same service provider.

• As the fare will be subsidized from terminal earnings, it is unclear how the service provider of INTER REGION cross subsidize its investment and cost?

• Will the service provider be able to gain development finance for the land?

• Will the service provider be paid a cash subsidy by the government until the provider is able to build and cross subsidize from the ferry terminal?

• It is mentioned that the fares need to be kept very low and the service provider is to subsidize its cost from the income gained from the land and other opportunities. What does the term other opportunity mean?

• In such a service, the cost of fuel is the highest. In the event of fuel prices rising again, will the service provider be subsidized for the variance in fuel prices?

• Will the government regulate to have a standardized service across all regions?

• The amount of cross subsidy that needs to be gained to cover the operational cost will be very different between the regions. i.e.: Economic activity in the regions, the size of land and population of the region can be very much different between regions, therefore will such conditions be taken into consideration?

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Comment -6

This is in response to your request to submit ideas and opinions on the forthcoming ferry transport system in the Maldives.

Every time I get on a local ferry, whether it be a boat to Thilafushi, Villingili or Hulhumale; I realize that inside the boats it is very noisy and because of this very uncomfortable to travel. Obviously it will also have consequences on the health of the passengers over a long period of time not to mention the build-up of stress in the day. Therefore, I would suggest that the government comes up with a regulation for all ferry boats to have a certain noise level acceptable to the passengers.

Comment -7

Regarding the Ministry’s announcement seeking a party or parties to establish a comprehensive public transport system throughout the islands of Maldives, the Embassy has received a few enquiries regarding the project. In order to facilitate the interested parties to understand the project further before application, they would like to find out the following:

1. How much is the estimated investment necessary for the project as per the Ministry’s estimation? 2. What kinds of specific preferential policies will be provided by the government?

Hence, the Embassy would appreciate it very much, if the Ministry could provide the information at the earliest convenience.

.

Comment -6

This is in response to your request to submit ideas and opinions on the forthcoming ferry transport system in the Maldives.

Every time I get on a local ferry, whether it be a boat to Thilafushi, Villingili or Hulhumale; I realize that inside the boats it is very noisy and because of this very uncomfortable to travel. Obviously it will also have consequences on the health of the passengers over a long period of time not to mention the build-up of stress in the day. Therefore, I would suggest that the government comes up with a regulation for all ferry boats to have a certain noise level acceptable to the passengers.

Comment - 5

Dear Sir
Thank you so much for sparing your time for the meeting with ADB Mission. We are sure that your strong leadership can make the integrated transport network project stay on a right track.

We are glad to assist you in managing the PPP project which is also one of important sub-components under the Private Sector Dev Project Loan. Upon receipt of refined project concept, we will find how we can support you well through consultancy and future financing.

Comment - 4

As you have requested for comments on the inter Island transport I would like to comment on the following.
  I did not hear any thing being mentioned on  repair and maintenance I have a good feeling that the service of  some sort of a repair shop be made available at every stop. I am sure you would have thought of maintaining the boats and launches. If you would consider slip ways this would also generate money .
Thank you

Comment - 3

I would like to request to consider the possibilities of incorporation resort islands and industrial islands in the inter island network in every atoll.

For instance, you could include 4 resorts and Felivaru caning factory in Lhaviyani Atoll. It seems to me that there will be significant demand from these resorts and industrial islands too. We should also understand that the need for public transportation arise not only for basic necessities such as health facility or education but transportation would also assist in accessing employment opportunities and help us to visit home island and spend some time with the family, after the work.

Comment - 2

Dhathuru fathuruge nizaamuge map gai  LHAVIYANI (FELIVARU PROPOSED AIRPORT) mihen inumun hithugai ufedhey suvaalakee mi airport ge massakaith mihaaru kihai hisaabakah gossaivey thoa ufedhey suvaalu. Adhi mi airportakeee Lhaviyani atholhuge rayyethun varah edhiedhi thibi kamakah vaathee mi kamuge amalee massakaith feshi, mikan hagee gathakah vaane kon dhuvahakun tho ufhey suvalu. Mihen midhen nevee mi ee 2004 vana aharu LH.MADIVARU gai elhumah nimmafai vaa airportakah vefai mikamuge massaikaith konmeves hisaabeh gai thaashivefai vaanuva eh nuengi mihaidhuvas vatheeve. LHAVIYANI atholhuge rayyethunge faruvaleh nieth airport FELIVARU ga nuvatha MADIVARU ga nuvatha MAAFILAAFUSHI gai elhiyas. inthizaaru kurevenee airportuge hidhumath libeyne dhuvahaka.
 
Misuvaalu thakuge javabeh dhevvun edhi dhenneveemev.

1-      As someone pointed out that day a stakeholder consultation is necessary though not at this period. I believe the order should be:
                Community consultation – to find out their needs and requirements
                Make a report (as a result of the community consultation) with experts - to bring about the flow
                Stakeholder consultations (for the experts report) – to see HOW its viable ( to brink about missing links)

2-      People will move from a point to another mainly for 2 purposes social and economic
Social – family, health and basic needs etc
Special space should be allocated for the handicapped and sick, space for stretchers etc
Space should be provided to leave/ keep their luggage/shopping
Handicap friendly harbor
Economic – small scale business will emerge which is one of the main purpose of the public transportation
People will want to carry their goods (durable and perishable) from place to place    
They might want to carry then stuff every day to and fro if they don’t want to open a shop or don’t have a storage place.)
People might want to get building materials (not vey huge amount but a reasonable amt) to build their houses (cements etc)
While disembarking passengers and the goods should be made separate

3 – Should there be screenings on the goods they carry about  (considering the high level of drugs on the market)

4 – consistency and reliability on time. Backup facilities (incase of breakdown or maintenance purposes)

5 – Constant monitoring and  supervision
-           ie: Allowing media scrutiny

6 – Room for improvement
-           ie: public complains box
7 – Identify the is a peek seasons

8 -  Penalty for the service provider if the operator fails to comply with the conditions laid in the agreement

9 – Issuing license to other service providers in the island (
-           to discourage monopoly and encourage healthy competitions
-           to reduce the risk of not getting services if one company decides to withdraw the services etc

10 – The government should ensure that appropriate risk assessments are made in order to protect the island community’s social life and the economy as a result of the travelers.

11 – Dock Officers should be appointed with duties.
-           May be police

Some thoughts that came into my mind hope you’ll find it informative.