Four parties submitted bids to upgrade the Hanimadhoo International Airport. The project involves the development of a new 2.6km runway and a terminal building with the capacity to serve 1.3 million passengers annually.
A poultry farm developed in Addu City by the Btec company began selling chickens. The MVR12 million (US$778,200) farm reportedly boasts a laboratory, a hatchery and two fully automated broiler houses. The company expects to sell about 1,000 chickens daily
The State Trading Organisation opened the country’s first fuel testing laboratory “aimed at augmenting quality assurance of fuel imported to the Maldives.”
Gaaf Dhaal Atoll’s Kaadedhdhoo airport was handed over to Villa. The domestic airport was returned to the local company in accordance with a 2018 civil court judgment after the previous administration cancelled a 50-year lease agreement.
The Villa Group decided not to seek compensation. The airport is expected to be operationalised by the end of the month.
The state-owned Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company increased the price offered to local fishermen. Iced fish above 1.5kg is now bought for MVR17 (US$1). The purchasing price was raised by MVR1 for all categories.
Despite the hike, MIFCO assured customers that its products will be available for the same price.
The Maldives Association of Tourism Industry, a lobby group that represents resort operators, inaugurated annual scholarships in partnership with the British High Commission.
The Chevening scholarships are open for Maldivian students to pursue a one-year Master’s degree in a travel or tourism-related field at any accredited university in the UK.
A recreational picnic park for residents of the congested capital is under development at the Crossroads multi-resort leisure destination near Malé.
The waterfront area on the cluster of manmade islands will have three hectares of open space and facilities for up to 500 people, including 200 metres of public beach, a mosque, large gardens, multiple barbecue areas and beach huts. The park is expected to be completed in the last quarter of 2022.
The Bank of Maldives opened a grant to “build and fully furnish houses for three vulnerable families across the country.” NGOs and island councils were invited to nominate families in need of safe housing.
The housing grant is among 12 high impact monthly community initiatives to celebrate the national bank’s 40th anniversary in November.
Resorts owe US$171 million in unpaid taxes, rent and fines, a right to information request revealed.
