Fishermen have called on President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu to immediately halt his campaign trips and settle the state's outstanding payments to them.
Fishermen have been protesting in Kooddoo since Sunday morning over unpaid dues from MIFCO. The fishermen have also halted operations in Kooddoo. They are demanding that the state pay the outstanding bills for the fish purchased in a single lump sum.
The President is currently travelling to GDh and GA atolls as part of his tour of the southern atolls. Fishermen have expressed concern and condemned the President for travelling with a large delegation using state funds without resolving their issues, at a time when they are protesting and raising their voices for a solution.
Speaking to Keyolha from among the protesting fishermen in Kooddoo, Abdulla Jameel, the captain of the GDh. Faresmaathodaa Village Marine boat, said that if the President felt any empathy for the fishermen, he would not be making these trips. Describing the President's trips as campaign trips, Jameel said the fishermen's call is for the President to halt his trips until the fishermen are fully paid.
"The President has started campaigning while keeping us here. He is travelling on state funds. My question is, are they not paying us because the state has no money? Or are they doing this to spite us? The protesting fishermen are saying that state funds are also their money, and that is being used for campaign trips. If the state has no money, stop the campaign trips. Stop the trips until the fishermen are paid. The President should wait and not campaign until the fishermen are paid; we have no issue if he goes out to campaign after settling the dues," Majid said.
President calls on fishermen to halt protest and come for discussions
Following the President's call for fishermen to halt the protest and come for discussions, the fishermen said that this government is a very deceitful one, and even if told to come for discussions, they will not go and fall at their feet. The fishermen said they are pleading to get the wages they earned from their hard work day and night. They are in no way begging for the President's or the government's money.
"Fishermen do not need to go to the President. We are here to get the wages for the hard work we did, which the government owes us. Not to get something from them. We know from our work that fish has been exported from these places. We also know that money was received for the weighed fish. The Minister clearly told us that. If they want to meet, they should come to us. We received news that the President is coming to Vilingili today. Kooddoo is right next to that island. If the President wants to meet us, he should come," Majid said.
Majid further said that although they meet from time to time and inform them of the amount of money arranged, the money is not being released. Noting that the CEO of MIFCO stated that 119 million Rufiyaa has been arranged but the method of releasing the funds has not yet been determined, Majid said that releasing the funds as soon as possible is a demand of the fishermen.
The fishermen's demand is to be paid at the rate of 25 Rufiyaa for the fish MIFCO purchased from them at that rate, and to settle all outstanding debts owed to the fishermen so far. The fishermen are saying that they will not stop the protest or leave Kooddoo until this is done.
President Muizzu has stated that 442 million Rufiyaa has been released to fishermen within the 3 months of this government, and the remaining funds will be fully paid before the 5th of next March.
Timeline for the government to pay the funds:
26 million Rufiyaa for fish weighed last week, within this week
100 million Rufiyaa on Monday
The remaining 180 million Rufiyaa to be fully paid by March 5
The fishermen have accused the media of not covering their news because the government has bought all the media. The fishermen also say that these news outlets are spreading government propaganda and praising the government.
