Anti-Corruption Commission of the Maldives (ACC) has stated it finds no legal issues in leasing the seaplane terminal without a counsel.
Speaking at the Parliamentary Committee on State-Owned Enterprises (SOE), President of ACC Mariyam Shiuna said the Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) has requested for a counsel after the Ministry of Finance permitted the lease. Shiuna said ACC believes there are no issues in leasing the seaplane terminal at the Velana International Airport (VIA). She said ACC has counselled MACL earlier regarding the lease issue, adding no further counsel is needed over the issue. However, speaking at the SOE committee, senior officials from MACL stated last month the lease has been withheld until ACC issues a counsel on the case.
The SOE committee is investigating the discussions between MACL and Trans Maldivian Airways (TMA) regarding the lease of the seaplane terminal after the Auditor General's Office conducted an audit upon request from the Parliamentary Committee on Public Finance Committee. As per the audit, the state is expected to lose USD 41 million annually, should MACL lease the terminal as requested by TMA. The public finance committee decided to uphold the decision of the finance ministry to award 6,400 square metres to TMA from the new seaplane terminal at a rate of USD 10.35 per square metre for a period of two years.
Speaking at the public finance committee, Minister of Finance Ibrahim Ameer said the decision to award 31,000 square metres to TMA from the new seaplance terminal was made by the former administration and it has since been changed to maximise the earnings for the state from leasing the terminal.
The new seaplane terminal was developed for a cost of USD 55 million.