Maumoon refuses to back amendment to allow lease of islands without open-bidding

Ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) leader, former Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has refused to back the government bill to allow lease of islands, lagoons and land for tourism without open-bidding.

A member of PPM Parliamentary group spoke to “Sun” on Tuesday, and said that Maumoon had sent a message to individual members and to a Viber group of all PPM parliamentary group members, asking them not to vote for the bill for the sake of the development of the country.

Maumoon had said the bill would impede the development of the country, and violated the constitution of the party.

When asked the action PPM parliamentary group would take regarding the appeal, a senior member of the parliamentary group said that they would vote for the bill, regardless.

“The group will support the execution of President Yameen’s economic manifesto,” said the member.

Maumoon had also refused to back the bill passed by People’s Majlis to allow foreign parties to own Maldivian land for a long period of time.

He had sent messages to PPM parliamentarians then too, but the appeal was ignored and the bill passed.

The current bill in focus to amend Tourism Act was proposed to People’s Majlis on behalf of government by People’s Majlis Majority Leader, Vilimale’ MP Ahmed Nihan Hussain Manik.

The current law states that Ministry of Tourism needs to an open-bidding process when leasing out islands and land for tourism, and that the bid process needs to be carried out as per preset procedure, with the island or land leased to the party with the best proposal.

Opposition members have protested that the amendment could lead to more opportunities for corruption.