Projects worth $10 million given to Maldivian companies: GMR

GMR has said that projects worth $10 million have been given to Maldivian companies since GMR took over the Maldivian airport.

CEO of GMR Male’ International Airport Andrew Harrison said in an interview with Sun Online yesterday that priority is given to Maldivian companies and employees in the development of the airport.

He assured that Maldivians are not ‘left out’ of airport development efforts.

For its Maldivian employees, GMR provides healthcare, and assists with the tuition fee payments which must be made in US dollars. For this purpose, fifty percent of the salaries of Maldivian employees are paid in US dollars.

He said that regardless of political rumours, GMR will continue its airport development efforts. By 2014, the airport will be completely renewed, and it will belong to Maldivians.

Mr Harrison said that GMR’s aim is to increase the income to the government from the airport, at the same time make the airport a place of which Maldivians are proud.

Referring to the heated issue of the deduction of $25 ADC from concession fee, Mr Harrison said that GMR will respect the Parliament’s decision on the issue.

He added that GMR had proposed ways to exempt Maldivians from ADC to the previous as well as the current government.

One proposition by GMR in relation to ADC is that no Maldivian passport holder will have to pay ADC, and every departing foreign passenger will pay an ADC of $28. The other is that Maldivians travelling to SAARC countries will not have to pay any ADC, and every Maldivian Passport holder departing to countries other than SAARC and every foreign passenger will pay an ADC of $27.

Mr Harrison said that airport can only be developed to an appropriate standard if the operator makes an income, and that ADC is charged by several other airports around the world.