Minister: Additional MVR 100M to be disbursed to fishermen before Monday

Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam, on Tuesday, stated that an additional MVR 100 million in unpaid dues to fishermen will be disbursed before next week’s Monday.

Minister Shiyam was summoned to the parliament on Tuesday to answer questions pertaining to the concerns of the fishermen – submitted sometime earlier. In the time allocated for additional questions – Hulhudhoo MP Ilyas Labeeb had asked why the state fisheries company, MIFCO, utilizes revenue earned by the company for other purposes instead of settling the unpaid dues to fishermen.

Responding to the question – Minister Shiyam reiterated his earlier statement that the government will fully settle all unpaid dues fishermen by March 5^th.

“MVR 100 million – we are working on making arrangements to settle MVR 100 million out of the MVR 280 million before February 26^th,” he said.

As per the Minister, the government aims to disburse MVR 100 million out of MVR 280 million in unpaid dues before next Monday and disburse the remaining MVR 180 million before March 5^th, by the latest.

“The payments accumulating at present in light of changes to the price of fish will also be paid on a weekly basis,” he added.

In this regard, Minister Shiyam said MIFCO was working on disbursing MVR 26 million due for the fish purchased last week.

Speaking further, the Minister said the government has raised MVR 395 million in revenue by exporting over 18,000 of fish since assuming office. However, he said the government has disbursed MVR 435 million for fishermen since assuming office.

Fishermen from southern atolls staged a strike at GA. Kooddoo on Sunday over the non-payment of pending dues.

Minister Shiyam affirmed that the government was undertaking efforts to make arrangements to disburse dues for fishermen within 48 hours as pledged by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.