Parliament victory leads to MVR 800K on "celebratory" fireworks

Atoll Times has learnt that at least MVR 800,000 has been spent so far to celebrate the victories of government backed candidates in the recent parliamentary elections.

Commercially, fireworks are supplied by Sifainge Cooperative (SIFCO), a company owned by the MNDF.

Some sources in SIFCO told Atoll Times that from when the provisional results of the parliamentary elections held on Sunday last week was announced to Sunday evening a week later, candidates from 20 constituencies had celebrated with fireworks.

SIFCO normally offers fireworks services for USD 1,000 (MVR 15,420) per minute. The package they offer requires the fireworks show length to be at least three minutes.

It is learned that this time SIFCO had sold a special rate to the candidates:

There is no official statement from the MNDF on the information.

The fireworks celebrations began with a ceremony held at the Artificial Beach area on last Monday evening to celebrate the super majority won by the ruling main party, the PNC. The fireworks show lasted five minutes. Therefore, with 8% GST, the night's light show will cost USD 4,320 (MVR 66,614) at the rate of USD 800 per minute.

Afterwards, fireworks were displayed in Hulhumale and various islands of Maldives. In most islands, the display lasted for three minutes.

If all these islands had a fireworks show that lasted three minutes each, it would cost at least MVR 826,000 in about twenty areas. 

The government has also been criticised for the candidates' expenditure. When asked about it at a press conference at the Presidential Office on Sunday, Presidential Spokesperson Heena Waleed said the government was not paying for it.

"This is being done to celebrate the teams and their candidates. It is not done with any involvement of the government," Heena said when asked if the fireworks is funded by the government or the candidates themselves.