Government should take over Airport unless GMR agrees to change Agreement: Qaumee Party

Qaumee Party (QP) has said that the government should take over Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) unless its current operator GMR agrees to make certain changes to the Agreement made with the previous government.

Secretary General of QP Abdullah Ameen said in response to a question by Sun Online at a press conference held at VTV yesterday, that some areas of the Agreement are detrimental to the interests of the people of Maldives.

“If discussions result in changes being made to the Agreement such that it protects the interests of both parties and the Maldivian people, then it would be best to allow GMR to continue to manage INIA,” Ameen said.

He further said that decisions on this issue are delayed due to the limited authority the Agreement gives the Maldivian government.

QP has also published a book against the award of INIA to GMR.

Meanwhile, coalition member Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) has said that the Maldivian government should respect its Agreement with GMR, provided that the Agreement is valid.

Ameen noted that the issue of GMR does not concern the coalition agreement, and said that DRP’s view on the issue is their own and does not reflect QP’s stand.