ACC: New Port had no experience in arranging banquets

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has said that New Port Restaurant, the caterer for the 50th Independence Day feast, did not have any experience in arranging large-scale official banquets.

This comes after the commission submitted a case to the Prosecutor General’s (PG) Office on Monday, accusing former Minister at President’s Office Mohamed Hussain Shareef (Mundhu) of corruption in the award of this project to New Port.

ACC said in its report that New Port had submitted a proposal for the project, however, no such request was made by the President’s Office and who ordered the proposal was unclear.

Moreover, ACC said that over MVR 3.7 million was paid to New Port as requested by Mundhu, and while Mundhu had stated in a report sent to Ministry of Finance that this decision followed a request by the President, nothing in this regard had been communicated to the President.

Extra expenses, including employing waiters for New Port, were made by the President’s Office as ordered by Mundhu, ACC said in its report.

Many senior government officials, including President Abdulla Yameen, have expressed disappointment regarding the organisation of the banquet.