The staff of all the resorts operated under the embattled Villa Group are protesting against the government after the customs service suspended its last remaining liquor license.
Customs along with the police had raided five resorts of the group owned opposition Jumhoory Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim on Wednesday, which included Fun Island Resort, Sun Island Resort, Paradise Island Resort, Holiday Island Resort and Royal Island Resort.
Authorities later claimed that four of the five resorts searched under the operation had an illegally acquired stock of pork and alcohol.
According to the authorities, the country's inland revenue authority had temporarily revoked the alcohol license of the four resorts over failure to pay taxes. However, the Villa Group had illegally diverted pork and alcohol from its sole license in Royal Island Resort to its sister properties.
Customs have informed the company that the liquor license issued to Royal Island Resort has now been suspended for a period of six months over multiple violations.
The latest move by the customs service comes less than a day after it seized and took away the alcohol stock at Fun Island Resort late Saturday.
The company has insisted that its resorts have been forced to close its bars to tourists which would have severe consequences on its revenue and future tourist arrivals.
The staff in the five resorts have continued to express grave concern over the possible loss of jobs.
Villa Group's general manager Gaisar Naseem told AVAS insisted that the protests have all been organized by the staff who are calling on the government to protect the resorts.
"But the protests will not affect our services to tourists. Employees are voicing their concerns in the staff area. Only the off-duty staff are protesting," Gaisar assured.
Gaisar revealed that the 5,000 people employed across all its resorts remain in a state of fear and uncertainty.
"Even before all this, salaries were a challenge. But this will make things even harder. So this will affect employees the most," he explained.
Gaisar reiterated that the government's move against Villa Resort would affect the entire tourism industry.
The latest move by the customs service comes less than a day after it seized and took away the alcohol stock at Fun Island Resort late Saturday.
The Villa Group remains adamant that it had not done anything illegal.
The opposition had called for protests claiming that the raids were politically motivated 'targeting' of a key opposition figure.
Gasim was convicted of bribery in August last year months after he inked a landmark pact with former presidents Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Mohamed Nasheed and religiously conservative Adhaalath Party (AP) leader Sheikh Imran Abdulla to work against the government.
The business tycoon was granted medical leave to travel to Singapore where he had undergone a minor heart surgery in September before travelling to Germany.
Despite his leave expiring in late September, the former lawmaker had not returned claiming that no airline would allow him on board an air craft due to his ailing condition.
The tourism industry meanwhile, has expressed deep concern over the raids warning the government the adverse effects on its economy.
