The fishermen protesting at Ga. Kooddoo due to unsettled payments owed by MIFCO has decided to continue their protests until their full payment is settled. The Fisheries Minister offered to pay one third of the full payment this month.
The fishermen protesting at Gaaf Alif Kooddoo asserts their stance on not submitting until their full compensation of MVR 300 million has been received despite the state’s proposal offering MVR 100 million, one third of the full payment, to the protesters within this month.
These fishermen had begun their protest in Kooddoo yesterday morning to express their disapproval of the three-month delay in receiving their payments. Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam had departed from Shaviyani atoll to Kooddoo personally to address this issue and met with the protesters.
Following the meeting with the fishermen, the minister had met with the captains of the fishing boats. A captain who had participated in the meeting shared with Mihaaru News that they had determined on continuing their protests until their full payment is received.
“Minister was repeating that Finance (Ministry) had ordered to compensate the full payment before the fifth of next month, that all unsettled payments will be settled. But we told him we can’t accept that. It was agreed to settle MVR 100 million around the 26th, 25th after many deliberations. The remaining will be given later next month,” said the captain.
He asserted that the fishermen protesting in Kooddoo will cease their protests and leave the island once the settlement of the full payment for fish purchase by the state has concluded.
“Ramadan is right around the corner. This is the state the fishermen are in. We do not have any intentions to conclude the protest and depart from the island. Will protest until the full payment is settled,” said the captain.
“No work of MIFCO can resume until our full payment has been settled. Fish weighing, fish drying and all office works are at a standstill right now.”
The captain revealed the reason for their decision to continue the protests until the settlement of the full payment to be previous deliberations with government bearing no solution.
“There are 30 boats here as well. How many fishermen is that? We don’t have anything on us today, we are drowned in debt. And we need to wait another month? We are here without having anything to even buy things to eat or drink at the least,” a fisherman who participated in the protest said.
He remarked that a three-month duration is a long time to settle the payments and expressed that it is difficult to believe the promises of the government.
During the meeting with the protesters yesterday, the Minister had assured that the fishermen will no longer need to worry about the unsettlement of payments for fish caught after the 5th of next month.
The state had determined to settle the payments owed to the fishermen, even if by means of a loan.
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