Pres announces 1km liveaboard rule, dress code for guesthouse tourists
He said changes to the relevant rules will be gazetted in the near future.
President Mohamed Muizzu on Thursday said liveaboards will be required to anchor at least one kilometre away from residential islands, as part of measures aimed at preventing the smuggling of alcohol to guesthouses.
He also said the government will introduce a dress code for tourists staying at guesthouses on residential islands.
The President made the remarks while speaking at the opening of the headquarters of the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) at H. Veyovilaage on Thursday night.
President Muizzu said government policies are shaped with priority given to Islamic principles and that recent policy decisions have been reflected in laws and regulations. He referred to a proposal to criminalise gambling, noting that the move had drawn criticism from some opposition politicians.
He accused certain political figures of promoting views that he said were contrary to religious values and said such individuals should not be given positions through elections, including local council polls.
The President said local tourism has expanded across inhabited islands and that some illegal activities, including the sale of alcohol, have occurred in these areas. He noted that safari vessels are licensed similarly to resorts and are permitted to sell alcohol to tourists staying on board, but said problems arise when such vessels remain close to residential islands.
“For this reason, we are changing the rules so that safari vessels must anchor at least one kilometre away from islands where people live,” he said.
He also stated that some tourists staying at guesthouses dress in ways that conflict with local social standards, and said regulations will be amended to introduce a dress code for such areas.
President Muizzu said the government supports local tourism and cited the installation of foreign currency ATMs on islands as part of that policy. However, he said residents have raised concerns about certain practices, prompting the government to amend existing regulations.
He said changes to the relevant rules will be gazetted in the near future.
The President added that electing opposition-led councils would hinder efforts to address these issues. He said councils with members opposed to the government’s policies would not take action on matters such as drug or alcohol smuggling.
He also said the public had called for action against massage parlours in Malé, adding that 104 such establishments had been closed in the past month. He said around 200 massage parlours continue to operate.
