Maldives president orders luxury resorts to reopen spas

The President of the Maldives yesterday ordered the country’s resorts to reopen their spas just days after they were shut following Islamic protests.

Mohammed Nasheed relented on his Saturday decree and instead asked the Supreme Court to decide whether the luxury treatment centres are legal or not.

The Indian Ocean islands are a paradise holiday destination renowned for its pristine white sand beaches, turquoise waters and high-end luxury resorts that often cost $1,000 a night.

The order to close the Muslim nation’s luxury spas, health centres and massage parlours threatened to sever a vital lifetime to its tourism-dependent economy.

Mr Nasheed made his first decision following a mass protest on December 23 calling for a halt to ‘anti-Islamic activities’.

Other tourist activities that have caused offense are the eating of pork and drinking of alcohol.

Importation of alcohol is already severely prohibited in the Maldives and Islamists are now calling for a complete ban.

The Islamic opposition parties have been pressuring Mr Nasheed over the issues for months.

Mr Nasheed asked the Supreme Court to decide whether operating spas is against the principles of Islam.

He - and many of those involved in the £1billion tourism sector in the Maldives - will be hoping the court allows the businesses to stay open.

The Maldives is a mainly Sunni Muslim nation of more than 1,200 atolls housing a population of 400,000.

Mr Nasheed said that following the ban, ‘the silent majority woke up and they wanted to reverse the ruling or the cry of the extremists’.

‘Such extreme calls don’t really quite find resonance with the majority of the people in the country,’ he told CNN.

Former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s opposition coalition Progressive Party of Maldives said the government’s earlier move was aimed at leisure business owned by some opposition members.

Nasheed conceded on Saturday that many members of the Islamist opposition own many of the spas.

Opposition leaders involved in the tourism industry include Qasim Ibrahim, the founder and chairman of Villa Group, which owns five resorts in the Maldives.

Ibrahim is also the head of Jumhooree Party, which participated in the December 23 demonstration

‘We never asked for the ban,’ PPM spokesman Ahamed Mahloof said last week.

‘We wanted the liquor and massage clinics banned in inhabited islands to prevent prostitution and spread of drugs and alcohol to locals.

‘Nasheed is misusing the demands to take revenge by imposing the ban on resorts owned by the opposition members.’

Among the high-profile spas that would be affected by a ban is The Four Seasons at Kuda Huras, which charges $600 for a two-and-a-half hour spa treatment.

Other resorts also charge similar amounts. The country’s tourism minister said the move has already prompted calls from resorts affected.

‘Several have raised concerns over our decision. We are considering allowing resorts to operate spas. They are also aware of the reasons that led us to take the decision,’ Tourism Minister Mariyam Zulfa said. (Daily Mail)