Civil Court orders to postpone leasing Hondaidhoo

The Civil Court has ordered today to postpone leasing Haa Dhaalu Hondaidhoo to another group. The island has been leased by the Fisheries Ministry to Kaashidhoo MP Abdullah Jabir’s Yacht Tours.

The stay order by the court states that the decision cannot be revoked if Hondaidhoo is leased to another group and the island’s previous condition is not restored, before the court delivers a verdict on the case filed on the island.

The court thus ordered to halt all activities related to Hondaidhoo including the implementation of the government’s decision to terminate the lease agreement with Yacht Tours, until the court makes a decision on the case.

This second Civil Court order regarding the case on Hondaidhoo comes following the case being filed for a second time, after it was dismissed by the court due to failure by Yacht Tours to attend court.

Fisheries Ministry terminated its 25-year agreement with Yacht Tours on 26 November 2012, claiming that the agreement had been violated. Yacht Tours was asked to remove all its belongings from the island within 30 days.

Subsequently, Yacht Tours has filed a case to court claiming that the Fisheries Ministry cannot terminate the agreement.