Chief opposition lawmaker Mohamed Solih says that collecting Airport Development Charge (ADC) is not a problem, as long as it is collected after the development of Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) is completed.
Joining the debate on the Parliament floor regarding the bill proposed by the government to collect a USD25 dollar for every departing passenger from INIA, Solih said that this charge is collected in other countries as well, but must be backed by policy. He said that it is collected in most countries after the airport has finished development, and that it would not be a problem to collect the charge after the development is completed..
Solih said that collecting ADC will have its effects, and that he does not support collecting the charge without proper research.
"For these reasons, collecting this charge after developing the airport is fine. Addu City also has a developed international airport. If a charge is collected from INIA, it must be collected from Addu as well," Solih said.
Solih is the only member of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party who seemed to express this view of the charge, with all other vehemently opposing the bill.
