Government decides to cancel agreements with companies that do not provide ferry services

Transport Authority has announced its decision to cancel the agreements with companies that are assigned the task of providing ferry services in various atolls, but do not provide these services in an adequate manner.

Speaking at a press conference held in Velaanaage Press Room today, Acting Transport Minister and Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim said that the companies that have been assigned the task of connecting the Maldives through a transport system, are not the most suitable for providing this service.

“Presently, seven companies have been contracted under the project of connecting the islands of Maldives through a transport system. Out of them, services to some areas by some companies are poor and suspended,” he said.

He said that under the agreement between the government and these companies, projects have been handed over to develop 15 tourist resorts and some land plots have been leased to construct ferry terminals. He said that no investors have been found to invest in the islands leased in order to subsidise the ferry system in the regions of upper-north, upper-south and mid-south.

“I believe that we can’t move forward unless we find investors to develop the land leased to companies that provide this service in the areas where the service has been suspended,” he said.

Problems with the ferry system have resulted in numerous complaints by the public.