World's largest seaplane operator, Trans Maldivian Airways (TMA) has revealed that the new board of Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) had agreed to honor the 'commitment' given to the airline by its previous board to lease the newly built seaplane terminal at the country's main airport.
TMA revealed the information in a statement released by the private airline on Sunday. According to the statement, all negotiations regarding the leasing of the new seaplane terminal took place between an authorized representative from MACL and officials from TMA 'in good faith'.
All written communication regarding the seaplane terminal sent to TMA by MACL were signed by the company's General Manager Hussain Fazeel, said the statement. The letters were approved by the Managing Director of the company, Adil Moosa, he had revealed at the parliament committee, said the statement.
"MACL on multiple occasions gave us assurance that all details written in the letters sent from the company were approved by their Managing Director Adil Moosa, and their board,", it further read.
The MACL board comprised by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's administration had the opportunity to review the decisions made by MACL's board during former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom's tenure, and the new board had also assured on several occasions that the commitments were valid, and would be honored.
"In the negotiations between MACL and TMA were held in good faith, it was agreed that adequate space will be allocated for TMA's expanding operations. TMA is currently catering top-notch services to over 80 resorts," said the statement.
TMA assured that they would work towards finding a solution that would allow the airline to continue providing a quality service to its customers. Since its establishment in 1993, the company has continued to assure its reliability, said TMA.
While Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) invested US$ 26 million to develop the new terminal at Velana International Airport (VIA), rumors that the government intended to handover the operation of the terminal to TMA became louder over the past couple of weeks. Amid the rumors, the government earlier this month announced that TMA will be allocated an area of 5000 square meters from the terminal for a period of two years, at the same rate at which land is currently leased to the company.
However, TMA insists that MACL had agreed to lease the company an area of 31000 square meters for a period of 15 years at the rate of US$ 10.35 per square meter. TMA spoke of letters exchanged between MACL and TMA that reflects the decision.
The government has now amended their offer and increased the lease area to 6300 square meters.
While space equivalent to the space currently being used by other seaplane operators will be issued to the companies at the same rate, the remaining 21,000 square meters will be leased through the tender process, the Finance Minister had revealed.
The relevant parliament committee last week approved the government's decision was approved with the upvotes of the majority of committee members.
While the committee has approved the decision, the Speaker of the Parliament had stated that the new offer was the government's final offer.
"The President has revised the decision of the previous government who had attempted to give the terminal to TMA through corruption and deceit. The new decision was announced by the Finance Minister last night, and I believe this is the final and only way forward," said Nasheed.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is currently conducting a criminal investigation into the seaplant terminal dispute, alleging that the former government had attempted to lease the seaplane terminal to TMA below market rates in order to bring undue benefit to certain parties.
Senior officials of MACL
