Over MVR400m owed to the government by various groups

Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) has revealed that as at the end of last month, various groups owe the government over MVR400 million.

Information shared by MIRA with Sun Online shows that the tourism sector owes more money to the government than the agriculture sector.

The tourism sector owes $24.5 million to the government as rent and fine due to failure to pay rent. It also owes $2.4 million as tax and fine due to failure to pay tax, and $2069 as T-GST.

Kaashidhoo MP Abdullah Jabir’s company Yacht Tours owes the government $3.8 million as rent, fines, and tax from Ha. Alidhoo resort; and $905,499 from Adh. Kudarah resort.

Filitheyo Island Resort, in which Bilaiydhoo MP Ahmed Hamza has interest, owes $4.2 million to the government.

Nasandhura Palace Hotel owes $348,054 as rent and CSR.

The resorts which have failed to pay rent and fines are, $5.3 million from Medhufushi resort, $19,274.16 from Ellaidhoo resort, $375,664 from MTDC’s Amari resort, $1.6 million from Kihaadhuffaru resort, $1,261 from Eriyadhoo resort, $476,069 from Ayada resort, $345,513 from Kihavah Villas resort, $3 million from Six Senses Laamu, and $1.3 million from Zithaali resort.

Cases are in progress in Court against 11 groups of the tourism sector which have failed to make the payments.

The government should receive MVR39.3 million as rent and fines from islands leased for fisheries and agricultural purposes through the Fisheries Ministry.

It should also receive MVR2.2 million as fines and rent from lands and properties leased through Fisheries Ministry.

MIRA has filed 40 cases to Courts for collecting money from these groups.

It recently announced a list of 222 names of GST non-compliers, of which 51 groups were from the tourism sector.

MIRA has filed several complaints to the Police against bounced cheques, and has decided to freeze the bank accounts of GST non-compliers from 1 October.