Will expedite payments owed to fishermen: President Dr Muizzu

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has said today that his administration is working to ensure the outstanding payments to fishermen by the Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) is settled at the earliest, even if a loan needs to be taken by the company to achieve this.

In a new initiative, the President has decided to address public concerns through a social media campaign called "Raees ge Javaabu" [The President's Response].

In this campaign, the official X account of the President's Office posts videos of the President answering public queries in person. Questions for the President also have to submitted in video format.

Fishermen have been expressing concerns for months about the delays in payment after the weighing and sale of fish caught to MIFCO.

Abdul Ghani from Hijura, Haa Dhaalu Atoll Nolhivaranfalhu, posed a question to the President regarding this matter.

In response, the President said that the government is working to expedite settling the payments owed to fishermen.

"Even now, there is about MVR 270 million owed to fishermen. We are working at speed to complete these payments. Even if MIFCO has a loan to do this, we are aiming to get it done at the earliest," the President said in the response video.

"We are confident that we can complete the payments very soon. We are working to complete the payments owed to all fishermen at the earliest," he assured.

The President added that steps will be taken to ensure that large amounts owed to fishermen do not remain pending in future.

The President revealed that when he assumed office on November 17, 2023, there was an outstanding amount of MVR 250 million due in payments to fishermen. After taking office, this government has issued about MVR 200 million on two different occasions in such payments.

However, he noted that even with these payments being made, a large amount still remains due.