Dheebaja criticizes move by AG against paying compensation

Dheebaja Investment Pvt Ltd has described the move by the Auditor General’s Office to withhold the payment of compensation to the company by the state as challenging the ruling of the court.

The company was awarded a contract to provide ferry services to the northern provinces of Maldives before the agreement was terminated. After the matter was taken up in court, the Civil Court ruled against the state and ordered it to pay MVR 348 million to the company as compensation for the terminated contract.  However, on appeal, the High Court overruled the lower court, only to be overruled by the Supreme Court which maintained the original ruling of the Civil Court.

The current administration had settled the matter out of court later on. The state agreed to pay MVR 174 million as compensation to the company. The Attorney General’s Office also requested the Supreme Court to review the matter.

A report by the Auditor General’s Office on the matter read that the state had the right to terminate the contract after the company violated its terms, and recommended the state against paying any compensation in the matter.

Dheebaja, infuriated by the move, levied huge accusations against the Auditor General and even called for the resignation. The company said that the matter will be taken up in the Supreme Court.

“It is a must for the Maldivian citizens to dismiss the Auditor General from the post if he does not resign.” Said a statement by the company which read that the Auditor General lost the privity to the matter due to the false statements in the report. The statement also read that it was considering taking the matter to the top court.

The statement also read that the Auditor General in line with several parliamentarians had remained quiet when the state issued payouts in large figures to several other companies. It also stated that there were a number of parliamentarians involved in the massive MMPRC scandal.