Tuesday
23rd Apr 2024
Dhivehi Edition
The SOE Committee of the People’s Majlis has passed to seek damages received to Maldive Gas, a subsidiary company of State Trading Organization, from the import of secondhand cylinders.
Maldive Gas imported 4,218 oxygen cylinders to the Maldives in 2020. Almost 1000 of said cylinders were imported through Singapore’s ANG and the 3218 left were imported through ProBiz.
Chair of SOE Committee and Hulhudhoo Constituency member Ilyas Labeeb stated despite having ordered new cylinders from both companies, both companies provided secondhand cylinders and Maldives Gas has sought to seek damages from ProBiz but not from ANG.
Maldive Gas had suffered a loss in this case and the committee ruled that Maldive Gas could seek damages legally.
A sum total of 955,099 US Dollars were spent on the purchasing of said cylinders. 253,000 US Dollars worth of cylinders were ordered from ANG and 702,090 US Dollars worth of cylinders were ordered from ProBiz. 15,038 US Dollars were spent on the testing and transport of 300 cylinders from Singapore to Sri Lanka.
Maldives Food and Drug Authority has stated that no cylinders be used by Maldive Gas before quality and hydrostatic testing. 2428 cylinders remain untested with Maldive Gas and the SOE committee passed the advisory of MFDA.
During the cylinder trade, the authority of this company was previously Deputy Managing Director Ali Ikram. He admitted he traveled to Singapore on ProBiz,s funding and was being investigated by the SOE Committee for this when he resigned from his post. The committee also passed that action be taken against Ikram and any other figure that may have partaken in these acts.
Despite such corruption having taken place there have been no actions taken against Ikram.
The SOE Committee also passed that the board of Maldive Gas take swift action against those involved in the cylinder case as it has been going on for almost an year now.