Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam stated that the protests held by fishermen last month due to delayed payments from the government demonstrated their keen interest in resolving the issues within the fishing industry.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Male' campaign hub for Yazmeed Mohamed, who is contesting for the Villingili constituency on the ruling coalition's ticket, the Minister noted that the Villingili constituency is a fishing constituency very close to his ministry. He added that the cooperation of the Villingili constituency is important for the government in advancing and developing the fishing industry.
"The President will immensely need the thoughts and cooperation of the people of the Villingili constituency in developing the Maldives' fishing industry the way the President wants. The fishing industry cannot be improved without the help and cooperation of the Villingili constituency," the Minister said.
Furthermore, the Minister stated that the loudest voices advocating for the rights of fishermen are also heard from the Villingili constituency. In this regard, he highlighted the recent protest held in Kooddoo, adjacent to Villingili, as a protest that certainly showed the fishermen's interest and love for solving the problems of the fishing industry.
"We saw from the protest the hope the fishermen of the Villingili constituency have in the President. Fishermen from the Villingili constituency were leading among the participants of the protest," the Minister said.
Addressing the concerns shared by the fishermen during the protest, the Minister said that this government will be the one to bring a permanent and complete solution to the problems in the fishing industry.
"God willing, the leadership of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu will bring a total, not temporary... permanent total solution to the problems in the fishing industry under the President's leadership," the Minister said.
Fishermen protested last month at Kooddoo and the Addu City Fisheries Complex, expressing dissatisfaction over the long delay in paying their bills after weighing fish to MIFCO. The Fisheries Minister met with the participants of the protest, listened to their complaints, and worked to bring a solution. He also arranged for the pending money to be released to the fishermen in installments under a specific policy. It is noted that the disbursement of funds to fishermen in accordance with that promise is proceeding under his supervision.
Out of the money MIFCO owes to fishermen, 522 million Rufiyaa has been released so far. The government has promised to clear the remaining backlog before the 5th of this month. The government states that money will now be released weekly for the fish weighed by fishermen, and arrangements will be made in the future to release money within forty-eight hours of weighing the fish.
