President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has announced significant measures to support Maldivian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including the extension of the demurrage-free period from 80 to 124 hours and the transition of cargo clearance to a 24-hour service.
The announcement was made during a consultative meeting with local SMEs, held at the Maldives Centre for Social Education on Wednesday evening, as part of a series of meetings aimed at directly addressing public concerns and suggestions.
During the meeting, business owners raised several challenges, including delays in Government payments, the need for tax flexibility during such delays, a shortage of affordable storage space, and bottlenecks at the Malé Commercial Harbour.
In response to these concerns, President Dr Muizzu announced that cargo clearance services at the Malé Commercial Harbour for both sea and air freight will move from an 18-hour to a 24-hour operation. He also noted that arrangements would be made to allow businesses to use private vehicles for cargo collection and assured that the Government would seek solutions for certain fees currently payable in Rufiyaa.
Regarding outstanding Government payments, the President said efforts would be made to settle as many payments as possible by the end of the month, with the aim of clearing all dues before the beginning of Ramadan.
To address storage issues, the President announced that land would be leased in Hulhumalé for warehouse use at affordable rates. He also addressed concerns regarding expatriate quota fees and the requirement for Government hospital prescriptions for Aasandha-covered eyeglasses, stating that streamlined solutions would be explored.
Concluding the session, President Dr Muizzu reaffirmed both his commitment to finding practical solutions to revitalise Maldivian businesses and the Government's dedication to fostering sustainable national economic growth.
