Fishermen paid MVR 787m, clearing huge backlog

Fishermen have been paid all their dues as of Friday, says President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, clearing a huge backlog of hundreds of millions of Rufiyaa.

The new administration previously said it inherited a backlog of over MVR 250 million in outstanding dues to fishermen when it took office in November 2023. The delay in the disbursement of payments prompted strikes in February. President Muizzu said the administration would clear the backlog before Ramadan.

In a post on X on Sunday, on the eve of Ramadan, President Muizzu announced that the backlog had been cleared as promised.

“With the disbursement today, the fishermen have been paid all their dues as of Friday, and the backlog has been cleared in its entirety,” he wrote.

Miadhu dhevunu faisaa aaeku, masverin mi dhiya hukuru dhuvahaahisaabah beyni hurihaa mahah faisaa dhee masveringe backlog ekkoh clear kurevijje.

— Dr Mohamed Muizzu (@MMuizzu) March 10, 2024

An hour later, Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam wrote on X that the incumbent administration has paid total MVR 787 million to fishermen. He added that this includes the huge backlog of MVR 250 million inherited from previous administration.

ރައީސް ޑރ. @MMuizzu ވެރިކަމަށް ވަޑައިގެންނެވި އިރު މަސްވެރިންނަށް ނުދައްކާ އޮތް 250 މިލިއަނަށްވުރެ ބޮޑު އަދަދުގެ ބެކްލޮގު އެއްކޮށް ފިލުވާ ރައީސް ވިދާޅުވިގޮތަށް ރޯދަމަހުގެ ކުރިޔަށް ދައްކަންޖެހޭ ހުރިހާ ފައިސާއެއް ދައްކާ މިސަރުކާރުން ޖުމްލަ 787 މިލިއަން މަސްވެރިންނަށް ދައްކައިފި. pic.twitter.com/wDgDztp21R

— Ahmed Shiyam (@Shiyamaldives) March 10, 2024

The delay in the disbursement of payments prompted fishermen to launch a strike at the Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) fisheries complex in GA. Koodoo – which forced a shut down on February 18. The fishermen suspended the strike on February 21, after the administration began disbursing the payments.