Taxi fares in the Maldives will be revised following consultations at all levels, Minister of Economic Development, Transport and Trade Mohamed Saeed has said.
Speaking at a press conference held at the President’s Office, the Minister said he had received multiple concerns regarding taxi pricing.
He noted that global fuel prices have risen due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, leading to increased costs in the Maldives. As a result, taxi drivers have requested a revision of fares to reflect the higher operating expenses.
Minister Saeed said he had been receiving letters from taxi drivers on the issue since assuming responsibility for the transport sector. However, he stressed that a decision would only be made after discussions with Cabinet members and industry stakeholders.
“I have received letters from taxi drivers requesting changes to taxi fares since I was assigned to the transport sector. I have responded by stating that I will discuss this with Cabinet members and other relevant stakeholders, including drivers and taxi centres,” he said.
The Minister also stated that the merger of the Economic and Transport ministries would help identify sectoral challenges and improve overall management.
He added that while many services in the economic sector are already available online, similar digital reforms are needed in the transport sector. As an example, he noted that registering a four-wheeled vehicle currently takes between 19 to 20 days in the best-case scenario, and up to two to three months in some cases.
“Combining the Transport and Economic sectors greatly increases efficiency. At present, it takes 19 to 20 days to register a car in the best-case scenario, or two to three months at worst. As it is possible to import four-wheeled vehicles, they must be registered. The government needs to find a way to make this possible,” he said.
Minister Saeed also highlighted challenges in approving taxi and broader transport regulations, stressing the importance of resolving these issues and ratifying relevant legislation to ensure procedures are carried out in accordance with established guidelines.
He further stated that he plans to assess the transport sector at a national level, including consultations with councils and stakeholders across cities in the Maldives to address ongoing concerns.