President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has said that recognizing the hard work of fishermen and honoring their efforts is a national duty. He made these remarks in a post on his official X account in celebration of National Fishermen’s Day, being observed today.
“It is a national duty to honor the contributions of fishermen who work tirelessly at sea, regardless of weather conditions,” President Muizzu said. The biggest concern of fishermen is the delay in payments for their catch weight at fish processing facilities.
Speaking to citizens of Kaafu atoll Gaafaru yesterday, President Muizzu said that in accordance with the President’s pledge, starting today, payments for weighed fish will be deposited within 48 hours for fishing boats that have accounts at the Bank of Maldives (BML). In addition, efforts are underway to facilitate payments to fishermen with accounts at Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB) as well, President Muizzu said. President Muizzu noted that a crucial agreement had been signed between the Ministry of Finance, MIFCO, and the Bank of Maldives to facilitate payments to fishermen without delays.