Fishermen's subsidy disbursement should follow regulations: Yameen

Parliamentary Group Leader of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Abdullah Yameen has said that regulations must be created before the fishermen's subsidy is disbursed.

Yameen said this during the discussions held following the letter sent by the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture to Parliament's Public Accounts Committee, requesting it to investigate if fishermen's subsidy is a fundamental right.

Yameen said that fishermen's subsidy can only be released if it is categorised as a fundamental right, which has not yet been ascertained.

Attorney General Aishath Azima Shakoor earlier advised Fisheries Ministry that the subsidy can only be disbursed if it is a fundamental right.

Maduvvari MP Visam Ali said at the Committee meeting that the Attorney General should determine whether the fishermen's subsidy is a fundamental right or not, and called on Fisheries Ministry to hold discussions with the Attorney General's Office in order to arrive at a decision on the matter.

Fisheries Ministry sent a letter to Parliament's Public Accounts Committee today, requesting for a meeting to determine whether fishermen's subsidy is a fundamental right.

Committee Chairperson Ahmed Nazim said that officials of Fisheries Ministry will be summoned to the Committee's meeting tomorrow to discuss the issue.

Out of the MVR100 million assigned as fishermen's subsidy, MVR1 million has been set aside as administrative expenses for the disbursement of subsidies. The remaining MVR99 million will be given to owners of fishing vessels based on the vessels' engine horsepower.