The Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) last issued payments to fishermen on the 29th of last month. The payments made on that day covered the fish purchased on credit by MIFCO from August 24 to September 26. Since then, up until yesterday, MIFCO has not paid for the fish it has taken on credit. After reducing the price of fish to 16 Rufiyaa, the goal of both the government and MIFCO was to issue payments to fishermen every two weeks. However, the reality is very different. Their words and actions do not align.
With the introduction of the bi-weekly payment system, MIFCO's method of counting weeks has changed. MIFCO started counting weeks excluding public holidays. While MIFCO deceptively counts weeks without including holidays, fishermen count weeks by considering every calendar day starting from the day the fish is weighed as a "day". Based on this calculation, it has now been 4 weeks. That is a 1-month "backlog". As MIFCO counts weeks excluding holidays, this newspaper has repeatedly questioned the ministry regarding the matter, and the ministry has stated that MIFCO has not been instructed to count weeks in that manner. Therefore, this method of counting weeks is a baseless and flawed policy created by MIFCO itself.
Details of the weeks:
Second week (5 October - 11 October)
Third week (12 October - 18 October)
Fourth week (19 October - 25 October)
When the first two weeks passed and fishermen began complaining about MIFCO not issuing payments, MIFCO initially turned a deaf ear. However, as "pressure" mounted later, MIFCO made a statement regarding the matter on the 15th of this month.
"Regarding the payment for fish weighed to MIFCO starting from September 28. Due to poor fishing and the company's financial situation, it is difficult to state a specific date. As before, we are working closely with the government to secure the funds for the fish weighed during that period. The hope is to clear the payments as soon as possible. We will share more information on this matter as it becomes available." read a message shared by MIFCO with the media on October 15.
According to MIFCO that day, the company counted the "backlog" as the two weeks from September 28 to October 14. That is 17 days according to the fishermen's calculation.
MIFCO again in a 9.1 million Rufiyaa backlog, payment date unknown!
While MIFCO was unable to pay for these two weeks, another two weeks were added to the list. According to the fishermen's calculation of weeks, 4 weeks were completed by the end of the 25th of this month. And now, the 5th week is being counted. While the "backlog" grows and fishermen are left in a dire state with no way of receiving their money, even up to today, MIFCO has not been able to explain how or when the debt will be paid. They only keep saying that they are working tirelessly with the government to pay the fishermen.
"We are working tirelessly to secure the pending funds as soon as possible and deposit them this week. The goal is to arrange for the funds to be deposited to the vessel owners within this week." MIFCO said last Monday.
Since then, there has been no news from MIFCO. In this matter, MIFCO's only stance right now is to remain "silent". MIFCO has become incapacitated, not knowing what to say. What can be said with certainty is that if MIFCO had worked tirelessly to pay the fishermen, there would not have been a 1-month "backlog".
