Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam has announced that all outstanding payments owed to fishermen have been settled by the Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO). He made the announcement in an interview with state media, PSM's 8:00 pm news on Sunday.
According to the minister, the Finance Ministry had released the remaining funds to fishermen on that day. Fishermen who have accounts with the Bank of Maldives may have already received the payment or receive it the next day, while those with accounts in other banks might experience slight delays.
The payments disbursed to fishermen since Sunday cover fish purchases up until last Thursday, said the minister. The government's focus is to pay the fishermen as soon as possible after purchasing fish, he added,
Speaking with the residents of R. Dhuvaafaru on March 3, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu said the government was working to ensure fishermen receive payment within 48 hours of purchase following the clearance of pending backlogs.
In the interview, the Fisheries Minister acknowledged the economic challenges faced by the Maldives and noted that the government has fulfilled its financial obligations to all fishermen despite these challenges. He expressed gratitude to President Dr. Muizzu and Finance Minister Dr. Mohamed Shafeeq for their commitment to prioritizing and facilitating these payments.
