Nazil claims govt paying $200,000 a day for each Rasmalé dredger
Three dredgers were initially deployed for the Rasmalé reclamation project last year. The government later said that two dredgers were in operation.
Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Parliamentary Group Leader Ibrahim Nazil has alleged that the government is paying USD 200,000 per day for each foreign dredger engaged in the Rasmalé land reclamation project.
Nazil made the claim while addressing a gathering at the MDP headquarters on Thursday night.
He accused the government of mismanaging public funds during its time in office, alleging that it had failed to secure foreign financing while continuing to spend the country's foreign currency reserves.
"They are taking money from the state treasury, turning it into sand and dumping it into the sea until it is all gone. They have to pay two hundred thousand dollars per day for each of these dredging boats," Nazil said.
He claimed that two dredgers are currently operating on the project, bringing the daily cost to USD 400,000.
Nazil questioned how the public could expect access to US dollars at the official exchange rate if the government continued to spend foreign currency at that level.
The government has not disclosed the cost of the dredging operations.
Three dredgers were initially deployed for the Rasmalé reclamation project last year. The government later said that two dredgers were in operation.
Former President Abdulla Yameen has previously alleged corruption in connection with the reclamation project.
The government had earlier stated that land reclamation at Rasmalé would be completed by April this year. However, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu said in June that around 60 per cent of the reclamation work had been completed, adding that the government now aims to complete the project before the end of the year.
