Thursday
2nd May 2024
Dhivehi Edition
Parliament speaker Nasheed. Photo: Majlis
Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed has slammed the Government, accusing the Government of deliberate inaction with regards to the issues faced by fishermen.
In a tweet posted in Dhivehi, the Speaker shared a video of a disgruntled fisherman, who had let his frustration spill out in a meeting with heads of Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company Limited (MIFCO).
In the tweet, Nasheed said that the Government was not in confusion over what to do with the plight of fishermen, but rather deliberately not taking any action.
In the meeting, the fishermen complained of lack of storage capacity in Kooddoo fisheries complex and not wanting to rely on ice storage. They further said that they can source international markets on their own and bring in factories as well.
The government had slapped caps on how much fish MIFCO takes in every day, after southern islands reported more favorable fisheries. At first, MIFCO said that only five tons will be taken in from each boat.
When the fishermen protested at Kooddoo complex, the government backtracked the decision. The decision was reversed mere days later, capping the weighing amount at seven tons per boat.