Parliament, on Monday, has rejected the emergency motion submitted by opposition MDP’s Vaikaradhoo MP Hussain Ziyadh (Fitte), claiming parts of Maldives’ main airport, Velana International Airport (VIA), were being leased to foreign parties.
While opening Monday’s sitting, Parliament Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla stated that Parliament’s regulations mandate emergency motions to be grounded in real-life issues to be considered valid. He added that Ziyadh’s emergency motion did not meet this criterion and was therefore rejected.
In his emergency motion, Ziyadh emphasized that President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu rose to power with the pledge to establish a ‘Dhiveheenge Raajje’ – a Maldives for Maldivians, free from foreign influence. He also highlighted that President Muizzu himself has described the act of “giving” the nation's valuable assets and resources as a betrayal of the country.
Ziyadh further said President Muizzu has affirmed his administration’s commitment to a ‘Maldives First’ policy that prioritizes the interests of the nation even after assuming office.
On the contrary, Ziyadh voiced concern over reports suggesting that the government is planning to lease the management of newly developed facilities at VIA, including the international terminal and the CIP terminal alongside ground handling of jets and refueling services to Dubai-based JETEX for a period of 25 years.
Ziyadh emphasized that leasing such facilities to foreign parties should only be considered if the government is unable to develop the resources on its own. Since the construction of the new terminal has already been completed, he argued that there is no justification for seeking foreign investment for its management.
In this trajectory, he added that services at VIA are currently being handled by Maldivians, and therefore, said there is no reason to outsource service provision at the new terminal to a foreign party.
Ziyadh alleged that the decision to contract the management of the new terminal to JETEX was being driven by an attempt to secure undue benefits, either by the Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) or the government.
He further highlighted the potential threat to national security if the management of the new terminal is handed over to JETEX, pointing out that a foreign entity would gain access to sensitive information about individuals entering and leaving the country. Additionally, he warned that the move could negatively impact state revenue, with an estimated loss of USD 7 million. A shortage of US dollars is also anticipated, as more foreign currency would flow out of the country, he said. Ziyadh added that local businesses currently providing ground handling services at VIA would suffer financial losses, while the move would also put the jobs of numerous Maldivians at risk.
Henceforth, Ziyadh said he was submitting the emergency motion to bring the concerns to the attention of the government.
MACL is preparing to inaugurate the new international terminal—designed to accommodate up to 7.5 million passengers annually—on July 26th.
According to reports on social media, the government is considering handing over the development of a new VIP terminal and the provision of ground handling services and refueling for jets to Dubai-based JETEX.
However, the reports have been denied by both MACL and the government.