Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has notified the Attorney General’s Office and Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) to take the matter to court, to obtain the Airport Development Charge (ADC) and insurance surcharge deducted from the concession fee owed to MACL by GMR. A press release issued by ACC yesterday indicates that the decision was made to revise the agreement to deduct the insurance surcharge from the variable annual concession fee and fuel concession fee.
However there was no indication that the change was approved by the MACL Board; thus the change was endorsed by former MACL Chairman Ibrahim Saleem without the permission of the Board.
ACC said that deduction of $2 insurance surcharge and $25 ADC was permitted in the case of a political situation as described in point 18.2 of the agreement. Point 18.3 also obligates that a notice should be issued.
MACL has repeatedly notified GMR to pay the $8.2m which was deducted from the concession fee paid to the government.