Highest priority this week is settling unpaid dues owed to fishermen: Minister Shiyam

Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Resources, Ahmed Shiyam said last night that the highest priority this week is directed towards settling the remaining overdue payments owed to fishermen.

Speaking at the ceremony held to inaugurate the ruling party, People's National Congress (PNC)'s hub 'PNC House', Minister Shiyam said that he would not avoid the fishermen nor hinder their protests.

He said that over 50 percent of the total unpaid dues, MVR 90 million was paid to the fishermen before Eid-al-Adha and assured that the next most important work on the agenda is settling the remaining payments.

"What could have possibly been done at a time when all communication were closed during Eid? We are talking about reducing costs and increasing the income generated by the State. God willing, the first priority on the agenda is settling the remaining due payments owed to fishermen," said the Minister.

Addressing the fishermen's protests at Addu Fisheries Complex, Shiyam said that the delay in settling the remaining payments is due to the long Eid holiday. However, he assured that payments owed to the fishermen will be given utmost priority and settled as soon as possible.

The protests over unpaid dues escalated last Thursday, with operations at Addu Fisheries Complex coming to a halt. Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company Ltd (MIFCO) had earlier reported that protesters engaged in conduct hindering the work of Complex employees, including blocking the electricity supply to the entire employee accommodation block.

At the ceremony held on Sunday night, Minister Shiyam further highlighted the change in the price of fish to MVR 25 per kg, noting that this occurred with two weeks remaining before the second round of the presidential election. The Minister asserted that this action was a political maneuver by the former administration.

"After raising the price to MVR 25, [their] tenure ended without reimbursing even a single cent to the fishermen starting from September 23 last year. I am talking about how they treated Maldivian fishermen while printing money," said Minister Shiyam.

He highlighted that initially, a kilo of Skipjack Tuna had ranged in prices between MVR 16 and MVR 17.

Moreover, Minister Shiyam also recalled that while fishermen were disbursed MVR 270 million as subsidies so far, a total amount of MVR 933 million was expended on fisheries, including government aid for oil and ice.

"We came to make changes. To take the fishing industry to another level. President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu came to transform the fisheries industry into a revenue-generating sector suitable for foreign investments as well," he said.