ECC accumulates MVR 7.9 million in electricity charges

The Equatorial Convention Centre (ECC) has accumulated MVR 7.9 million in overdue electricity charges, FENAKA Corporation has said.

ECC was built in Addu City to host the seventeenth South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit in November 2011.

FENAKA Corporation’s regional director in Addu Abdulla Zuhair told Sun Online today that electricity charges for the convention centre have been not been paid since it was built in 2011.

“None of the electricity bills have been paid since it was built and started functioning. Up to this month, over MVR 7.9 million has accumulated for ECC electricity,” Zuhair said.

FENAKA Corporation, he government arm to provide utility services to the islands, has raised the issue with different government offices to no avail, Zuhair said.

Due to its location and structure, ECC needs constant electricity and a disruption would cause irreparable damage, the regional director said, explaining why the corporation has not ceased the power supply.

Ministry of Tourism in January announced for a party to maintain and manage the ECC on a commercial basis. The two previous administrations tried and failed to lease the convention center.

Addu City Mayor Abdulla Sodiq said the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure is responsible for maintaining the ECC. He said the relatively new convention centre is already seeing signs of ruin through neglect.

“ECC had all the necessary administrative equipment when we concluded the summit. But there has not been an inventory since and nobody knows what happened to the equipment. There is nothing anymore. The building’s water supply and sewage systems are also damaged,” said Mayor Abdulla Sodiq.

The government spent over MVR 211.9 million to build the Equatorial Convention Centre in Addu City.