Have to talk about alcohol trade at guest houses: Mariya

MP Mariya Ahmed Didi has said today that discussions must be held on selling alcohol at guest houses in inhabited islands, and that this must be regulated in such a way that alcohol is not available to Maldivians.

At the debate on the amendments proposed to the Prohibited Items Act, to ban the import of pork and alcohol to the Maldives, Mariya questioned whether it is beneficial for the country to allow few major businessmen such as Gasim Ibrahim and Champa Hussain Afeef to monopolise the trade of alcohol in Maldives.

“When we visit islands to prepare our manifesto and talk about building guest houses, whether to make alcohol available at guest houses, and to make arrangements such that it is not available to Maldivians, similar to how alcohol is handled in the resorts – this is something we need to talk about,” said Mariya, the Chairperson of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

She said that religious scholars should be requested for advice on the import and trade of alcohol and pork in the Maldives.

She stressed that it must be determined from a religious point of view whether such trade can be conducted.

Mariya called on the Parliament to send the bill on prohibiting import of pork and alcohol, to the Parliament Committee, and to seek scholars' opinions on the matter.

The amendments to the Prohibited Items Act was submitted by Thulhaadhoo MP, MDP's Nazim Rashad. It proposes to regulate a ban on the sale of pork and alcohol in a move to align government policies with Islamic standards.