Cigarette Price Hike Fueled Black Market; Government Misappropriated MVR 2 Billion in Customs Revenue: Ghafoor
During the debate on the proposed amendment to the Export-Import Act to reduce duties on tobacco products by 50 percent, Hanimaadhoo MP Abdul Ghafoor Moosa heavily criticized the government's policies, alleging that the change is not based on any formal research but is instead intended to facilitate a market for corruption within the administration. The lawmaker further highlighted that the illicit smuggling of cigarettes and vapes is causing the state to lose significant potential revenue.
Abdul Ghafoor Moosa, Member of Parliament for the Hanimaadhoo constituency. | Majlis
Abdul Ghafoor Moosa, the Member of Parliament for the Hanimaadhoo constituency, has stated that the government’s decision to hike duties on cigarettes and tobacco products was not motivated by public health concerns, but rather to create a market for illicit trade.
During Wednesday's People's Majlis sitting, debate continued on the government-proposed amendment to the Export-Import Act, which seeks to reduce the duty on tobacco products by 50 percent. Contributing to the debate, the member emphasized that the public are not subjects for governments to manipulate at their whim.
Ghafoor stated that any significant action should be informed by thorough research and based on its projected outcomes. He further asserted that the current administration's decision to increase tobacco prices was not motivated by public welfare or a genuine concern for the health risks associated with smoking.
When a government acts on every whim without foresight, the public is inevitably forced to swallow such bitter pills. This administration has shown no other pattern of behavior. The decision to hike cigarette prices was never about public health or addressing the nuisance of smoking; rather, it was a calculated move to create a black market for illicit trade. Fifty 40-foot containers have already been smuggled into this country. This was the true objective behind the price hike. With the direct complicity of this administration, two billion Rufiyaa has been siphoned from Customs revenue. This is a heist of a magnitude never before seen in the history of this nation, and cigarette prices were inflated specifically to facilitate this corruption.Abdul Ghafoor Moosa, Member of Parliament for the Hanimaadhoo constituency.
The Member stated that the government will learn a lesson today, adding that they are now being forced to face the bitter consequences of acting arbitrarily and doing as they pleased.
Ghafoor stated that when President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu initially raised tobacco prices, he claimed it was a measure taken for the sake of public health. However, Ghafoor noted that even as prices are being lowered today, the President maintains the same justification. Consequently, Ghafoor remarked that today’s developments clearly demonstrate that this is not a government capable of maintaining a consistent or credible stance.
Furthermore, the Member alleged that a container of vapes is smuggled out of Customs every single day. He asserted that these activities are not being carried out by MDP members, but are instead occurring with the complicity of the current administration. Ghafoor repeatedly emphasized that this constitutes the theft of public funds.
The amendment to the Maldives Export-Import Act was introduced on behalf of the government by Mohamed Ibrahim, the Member of Parliament for the Komandoo constituency. The bill proposes a 50 percent reduction in the import duty currently levied on tobacco products.
