The Minister said that the Ministry of Finance is transferring the funds to Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company Ltd (MIFCO), and the payments to the fishermen will be made tomorrow.
Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Resources Ahmed Shiyam has said that the latest backlog of unpaid dues to fishermen will be cleared by tomorrow.
In response to a question by an MP in Parliament today, Minister Shiyam stated that an outstanding balance of MVR 16 million remains unpaid to fishermen.
He added that the Ministry of Finance is transferring the funds to Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company Ltd (MIFCO), and the payments to the fishermen will be made tomorrow.
“The existing backlog will be cleared by tomorrow. Any pending payments for weighed catch will be settled then,” he said.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has pledged that fishermen will receive their dues within 48 hours of weighing their catch, a goal the government plans to meet once current issues are resolved.
When the current administration took office, it inherited significant unpaid dues to fishermen from the previous government.
Fishermen have now and again protested over payment delays. Last month, a Fisheries Ministry team was blocked by fishermen in Gaafu Alifu atoll Dhevvadhoo and Gaafu Dhaalu atoll Dhaandhoo while visiting the islands to discuss loans for constructing RO plants for onboard fish cooling.
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