Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed has rejected former president Abdulla Yameen’s claim that the Male' commercial harbor is being relocated to Thilafushi to be handed over to an Indian company.

Speaking at a meeting held at the People’s National Front (PNF) office last night, Yameen claimed the commercial port had been given to an Indian company, saying he was unaware of the details of the agreement.

Yameen said he would be able to determine what could and could not be done at the commercial port after obtaining details of the agreement.

“The use of MPL has gone, the jobs of all the Maldivians [in the company] have gone. We are hearing that many people from FENAKA went there by sea last week. What has been done now is to render this big port useless,” Yameen said. 

He alleged that the Thilafushi commercial port was being handed over to an Indian party after significant work had already been completed, arguing that the project could have been completed without involving a foreign party.

Responding to Yameen’s allegations in a post on X, Saeed said the international commercial port planned for Thilafushi would be fully owned by Maldivians.

“President Muizzu will build Maldives’ main commercial port as a fully Maldivian-owned and one of the most valuable assets of the country. I assure you,” Saeed said.

He described the port as the biggest project to be started and completed during President Muizzu’s first term and said it would be one of the most beneficial projects for the Maldivian people.

“I urge you not to spread lies about the Thilafushi port,” Saeed said.

The government launched a major project earlier this year to relocate the commercial port to Thilafushi and awarded some of the construction work to a Chinese company.

Yameen and other PNF members have repeatedly accused the government of attempting to hand over the port to foreign parties.