Leader of Jumhooree Party (JP) Qasim Ibrahim has stated the current administration has been the most focused on fulfilling the pledges for fishermen.
Speaking at the Parliament of the Maldives, JP leader Qasim detailed the development initiatives of the previous government for the fisheries sector and highlighted that the efforts were inadequate compared to the promises they had made to fishermen. He said the previous governments had failed to fulfill their pledges during their term.
Additionally, Qasim said the current administration has continued to develop the fisheries sector in accordance with the country’s economic situation, adding that such efforts depend on the available state funds. He noted Maldivians have been fishing for 1,000 years and it should not have taken the current administration to begin the development of the fisheries sector, emphasising the negligence of the previous government.
Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) has stated the Maldives is experiencing a high season for fishing, and many vessels have recorded a large amount of catch for the past four weeks. MIFCO stated the number of fish being processed has significantly increased since the first week of September, with fishermen being paid a total of USD43 million for 41,300 tonnes of fish so far this year.
Furthermore, Minister of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture Dr. Hussain Rasheed Hassan has assured the government is providing numerous solutions to address the concerns of fishermen. He said the administration is working harder than any previous government to solve the challenges faced by fishermen. He noted the longstanding issue of fish processing and said previous governments had not made adequate investments towards fixing the problem and commended President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih for prioritising efforts to increase processing capacity.