Yameen took Kaadedhdhoo Airport by force, harmed Villa till end of term: Qasim

Business mogul and Maamigili member Qasim Ibrahim has responded to former President Abdulla Yameen's remarks about the recent news of the government drawing up two proposals to acquire GDh. Kaadedhdhoo Airport (KDM) from Villa Company.

Yameen criticized Villa's decision in agreeing with the Economic Council's recommendations and to give the airport back to the current government, with a price of USD 18 million or tax breaks in return.

Qasim explained the reason why the airport is being given to the government in a statement he had released, saying that Yameen wanted to mislead the public regarding the truth of the airport during his speech at a recent rally. The statement went on to say that during Yameen's administration, Qasim and Villa Company were harmed, with property being seized outside the legal framework.

Qasim said that Yameen was cruel in his actions when seizing KDM from Villa.

In reference to the government's efforts in acquiring KDM, Qasim stated that the airport was being run at a loss by the government at the time of KDM's opening in 1993. In order to find a solution, Villa participated in a tender to operate KDM as a regional airport for 50 years and came out on top in accordance with the law.

As per Qasim, various services were implemented in an effort to operate the airport under Maldives' civil aviation standard, such as:

Qasim went on to say in the statement that during Yameen's administration, an effort was made to convert KDM into an international airport with a foreign partner, with the formulation of a USD 150 million plan and to change the rent period of the airport to 99 years. However, as it did not meet civil aviation standards and after Yameen had made various excuses, the use of police force was exercised to acquire the airport unfairly in 2017, said Qasim.

Villa took the case to Civil Court in 2018, with the court ruling in the company's favor. Qasim said that it was certain that the contract was terminated and dissolved without fair compensation being provided.

The verdict was further supported by the High Court and Supreme Court in 2022, resulting in the airport being given back to Villa.

However, the deal at the time stipulated that if Villa were to change it into an international airport within 7 years, then the term of the deal would go from 50 to 99 years. If the airport remains as a domestic airport by 2030, then it would continue to operate as such for 50 years.

As per Qasim, the airport was still being run at a loss when it was handed to Villa by the government. Due to this, the agreement included a clause to subsidize, giving an uninhabited island to build a resort. But the island was not given when the airport was taken in 2017.

With the courts siding with Villa, two small islands in Alif Dhaalu Atoll were to be given to Villa in 2022 when the airport was handed back to them, as per Qasim.

Qasim said that even though the airport was handed over to Villa in 2022, the plan to turn the airport into an international one was slowed due to Covid and its cascading effect of lowered funds. Plans were made to transport materials from Maamigili Airport to Kaadedhdhoo Airport once construction of Maamigili Airport was finished.

Qasim went on to say that during the 2023 presidential election campaign, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu met with Thinadhoo residents and had made a presidential pledge to turn Kaadedhdhoo Airport into an international one.

Qasim had also stated that in the later months of 2024, Villa was gathering funds to turn Kaadedhdhoo Airport into an international airport. Villa had met with the Transport Minister and one other minister and wanted to go through with the project as they found out that it was also the wish of the President, with the question of the government giving the airport to Villa and how it can be done being raised.

Qasim said that the President's thinking was, even though it can be turned into a modern airport with great returns to be had, to hand the airport back to the government after a valuation of the project, with things such as total investments, Villa's efforts, developmental plans, completed surveys, money spent on gathering funds and opportunity costs being taken into account.

"As President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu is a moral individual, unlike Yameen, his government preferred to treat Villa with an agreed compensation within the legal framework," as per Qasim's statement. 

Qasim also stated that he decided to support Yameen in the 2013 presidential election upon request from former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and various other individuals.