Government gives $16.7 million comfort letter to Heavy Load Maldives

Government of the Maldives has issued a comfort letter of $16.7 million (Mrf257.5 million) to Heavy Load Maldives for the project worth $21 million (Mrf323 million).

Sun understands that Finance Minister Ahmed Inaz signed and issued the letter to assure the project is given to the company and the company will receive the stated amount on a scheduled basis.

Finance Minister, when he was asked whether any of such letter was given to Heavy Load Maldives, said that those letters are not given to a special party however the government will provide comfort letters to private companies hired to undertake government projects. He aslo said that there will not be any difference whether the company is Heavy Load Maldives or Aima Construction.

But Finance Minister neither confirmed nor denied issuing the letter. And did not tell how many companies were given such letters previously.

MP Reeko Moosa Manik of ruling MDP is one of the shareholders of Heavy Load Maldives.