Minaavaru seizure after failure to revise practices: Ministry

Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Welfare has stated that the decision to seize Noonu atoll Minaavaru from Sun Travels was made due to failure by the company to revise practices to align with the lease agreement despite having been granted a time extension within which to do so.

Sun Travels is owned by prominent businessman and MP for Meedhoo constituency Ahmed Siyam, who is also the leader of Maldives Development Alliance (MDA).

Minaavaru was leased to Sun Travels on February 6, 2010 for a period of 21 years. While six years of the lease remain, Agriculture Ministry yesterday issued a 14 day notice to vacate the island.

In a related statement issued today, the Ministry said that Minaavaru had been leased for agriculture, value addition and processing works. However, monitoring of the island had revealed that no value addition nor processing work was being conducted on the island.

Sun Travels was granted a period of 30 days from March 19 within which to revise this practice. With their failure to comply, a decision was made to seize the island, the ministry said.

In 2021, the administration of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had also announced seeking a party to conduct an audit of the island to adopt it for government use. However, even since then, the island has been used to provide agricultural produce needed for Siyam World and Sun Siyam Irufushi resorts. The value addition and processing works within the agreement made with the government was not conducted.

The island of Dh. Uhdhoo, leased for agriculture, has also been seized from Siyam.

Although Siyam's MDA previously worked as a coalition partner of the government, in last Saturday's press conference, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu stated that the party is no longer within the government coalition.

Decision to seize Minaavaru due to agreement breach: Ministry