Corruption of Maldives High Commissioner in UK :: Dhivehi Observer

Special Report
H.E. Hassan Sobir celebrates new additions to his wealth; Cuts from Vilivaru Biyaadhoo Awards

Mariyam Mohamed, 11 May 2005

The aging former Minister of Tourism Hassan Sobir and now the High Commissioner of Maldives to the United Kingdom has celebrated his partnership companies finally winning the Villivaru and Biyaadhoo resorts in London this weekend. The event was only for family and very close friends. He was sent off to the UK by M.A.G (Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom) last year after numerous scandals he had done in the tourism industry while he was the minister there and pissed off many elite tourism figures in the Maldives because of him favouring towards certain individuals who give him money and shares. Villivaru and Biyaadhoo bids were Sobir’s last big scandals before leaving to the UK as High Commissioner. The awarding of Villivaru and Biyaadhoo was delayed after DO exposed the dirty dealings that were carried out in the bid evaluation (for more on this: http://www.dhivehiobserver.com/reports/scandalintourismindustrymaldives.htm )

The 120 bed Villivaru and 192 bed Biyaadhoo was finally awarded to Athamaa Ibrahim Abdul Latheef and Sunland Pvt Ltd respectively last week, both of whom agreed to give Sobir a handsome payout if they win. In the case of Villivaru, Sobir is rumoured to get 20% of all future profits. A total of 24 parties proposed a bid for Villivaru, and Mr Sobir and Ismail Firaq made sure that 18 of the heavy contenders were disqualified so that Athamaa Ibrahim Abdul Latheef would win the bid. For the Biyaadhoo case however, a handsome lump sum of US$300,000 will be given to Sobir since Abdullah Shahid, the Executive Secretary of the President squeezed in on the deal to get the 20% of the property as a secret share from Sunland Pvt Ltd which Sobir wanted as well.

Sobir is a rich man indeed; he has made himself a fortune while he was the Tourism Minister and chairman of MWSE (more on this can be found in http://www.dhivehiobserver.com/speicalreports/Hassan%20Sobir%20Maldives%20Corruption%20Report.htm ). But this simply isn’t enough for him now and he is thankful for the Dictator for finally finalising Villivaru and Biyaadhoo bid evaluations. His tastes have changed dramatically now. Dining in expensive London restaurants, spending on high class prostitutes, his wife’s almost daily shopping sprees to Harrods at Knight’s Bridge and other expensive shops in London to name a few was putting a strain on his wealth till Villivaru and Biyaadhoo was finalised last week. He has also reportedly bought a house in central London as well which DO is trying to confirm at the moment.

It is believed that Sobir’s latest idea impressed M.A.G a lot which was to talk to Toni the Maldives Lady in stealing Friends of Maldives’(FOM) name which is an unregistered charity in the UK which Sobir’s wife is also a trustee. The original FOM, headed by David Hardingham, has been working hard to get donations for the Tsunami victims in the Maldives and has been operating since 2003.

The last 11 resorts that went up for bidding were mostly awarded to the parties that proposed the highest rents. However, in the Villivaru and Biyaadhoo case, rent wise the winners ranked not even in the top 10. Since the cost of any resort will be over 10 million dollars these days, the winners will get the islands for the next 35 years. Good for Sobir!

Congratulations Mr Sobir for a scheme well planned and well done! Please donate some cash towards the Tsunami victims if you could spare any!

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