PPM MP Thoriq calls on Fisheries Minister Shainee to resign

Mahibadhoo Constituency Parliamentarian and Parliamentary Group Member of ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM), Ahmed Thoriq had called on Fisheries Minister Dr. Mohamed Shainee to resign.

In a Facebook post, the Parliamentarian called on Dr. Shainee to resign in light of the many issues that plague the Fisheries sector.

Thoriq said a solution cannot be found for the issues facing the nation’s fisheries sector with Dr. Shainee at the helm of the Ministry.

While MP Thoriq made this call, a week back the Ministry had indicated that 'the only reason' why fishermen are not responding to the government's Fisherman Insurance Scheme, 'Beyas Nubeyas' is because they are doing well. A blurb issued by the Ministry showed that fishermen of one island was raking in revenues in five figures, even as high as MVR 87,400 a month.

In spite of this claim, the issues facing the fisheries sector are many. Months back, a fisherman had confronted Dr. Shainee over the failure to achieve the said pledges.

In the video, the fisherman is seen ferociously question Shainee over incumbent President Abdulla Yameen’s campaign pledge that professional fishermen would receive a monthly income of at least MVR 10,000 regardless of their yield. The man questions Minister Shainee stating that he has continuously ‘filled various forms’ and is yet to receive said allowance. He further asks the minister if ‘anyone has received it at all’.

Minister Shainee is seen responding harshly to the criticism, as he asks the man how much he earns every month currently.

The Minister had also faced criticism over tender-less transactions carried out by the Ministry, amounting to over MVR 2 million.