Fisheries Ministry stops island leasing without public announcement

Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture has brought on a temporary halt to leasing of uninhabited islands without public announcements.

A statement issued by the ministry this morning said that that they have put on a temporary hold on leasing under Article 5-B of the Law on Uninhabited Islands.

Talking to Sun Media, the Deputy Minister of the Fisheries Ministry, Shazaail Siyam said that the leasing was stopped under Artilce 5-B and that is to not lease islands without public announcement and said that it was a temporary decision by the Ministry.

The Deputy Minister said that bidding on islands would continue as before.

Article 5 of the Law on Uninhabited Islands states that islands can be leased in two ways.

Section A is public announcement followed by auction and Section B is without a public announcement to those that meet the conditions of Article 6.

They are:

• Implementing a government policy

• For the purpose of introducing a new species, product or technology

• Or The investment of the first ten years of the project not exceeding MVR ten million

It also includes the government paying the acquisition fee of the island five years in advance, a project that is beneficial to the public under CRS and opening job opportunities for local youth at the island.