President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Tuesday met the executive committee members and senior officials of National Boating Association of Maldives (NBAM) and held extensive discussions on the development and management of the boating industry in the Maldives. The meeting was held at the President’s Office this afternoon.
The NBAM members conveyed to the President the challenges they face, such as the lack of a designated harbour for mooring large vessels and the need for an internationally recognised crew development programme in order to improve human resources in the boating industry. Other issues raised by the members include difficulties in collateralizing sea vessels to secure loans; legislative issues that make operating international cruise lines in the Maldives inconvenient, and the need for a national resource management plan to make the Maldives' natural resources more accessible to all. The executive committee members of NBAM also expressed concern about the lack of an office space.
Addressing their concerns, President Solih stated that the lagoon next to the “Dhiyanaru” lagoon in Kaafu Atoll had been allocated specifically for docking purposes, and that the necessary land reclamation would begin in November of this year. The President assured that the administration would consult with the relevant ministries and stakeholders to find mutually acceptable solutions to the issues that were raised in the meeting.
The NBAM was founded in 2007 and was formerly known as the Liveaboard Association of Maldives.
