Government of Maldives has issued temporary permission to serve alcohol and pork products at resorts operated by Villa Group. Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) had temporarily nullified the alcohol license of four resorts operated by Villa Group over failure to pay tax, according to government authorities.
A statement published by Ministry of Tourism said it is aware of the importance to provide tourism related services to meet the expectations and demands of the tourists and noted that tourism economy is crucial to Maldives. The Tourism Ministry revealed that a 14-day temporary permission has been granted to Villa Group after discussions with Maldives Association for Tourism Industry (MATI), along with other relevant authorities. The government will continue to prioritise protecting and maintaining the image of the country as a tourist destination while also boosting investor confidence, said the Ministry.
Noting that MIRA has also filed cases of delinquency in paying tax from resorts and islands leased to companies associated and administered by Villa Group, the Ministry reiterated that it is illegal to develop and manage resorts without paying tax. The statement further urged all companies operating in the tourism industry to abide by the laws to avoid any unnecessary interruptions to tourism related services.
The Tourism Ministry has previously said companies associated and owned by Villa Group have breached various laws and regulations and revealed that cases have been reported on illegal import of alcoholic beverages to Maldives by Villa Group.
MIRA stated that 4 resorts operated by Villa Group have failed to pay tax throughout 2017, which amounts to USD 5.1 million. Villa Group owes a total of about USD 18.9 million dollars to the authority by the end of 2017, according to MIRA.