Airport was leased to GMR without Majlis consent-Thasmeen

Leader of the main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), Ahmed Thasmeen Ali has said that Male’ International Airport was leased to Indian GMR Infrastructure and Malaysian Airports Holdings without the consent of the Peoples’ Majlis.

Thasmeen said this in his response to the Presidential Address, yesterday at yesterday’s sitting of the Peoples’ Majlis.

Thasmeen said that the 25 US dollars charged from every passenger departing from Male’ International Airport as airport development Charge cannot be carried out except with the consent of the Majlis. He said that it can be implemented by the Majlis passing a law on Airport Development Charge. He added that the opposition are against taking such a charge from the passengers.

“What is the benefit we got from leasing the airport to GMR except that the service charges has spiked?,” Thasmeen posed the question to the government in his response to the Presidential Address. He said that the government should elucidate to the people on the benefits reaped from their decision to lease the airport.

Main opposition leader also noted that although it was said in the presidential address that the development of an airport and land dredging of Thimarafushi has been initiated, till now there has been nothing done except land dredging.

In his response Thasmeen highlighted the lapses made by the government in fulfilling the presidential vows.