No need to take loans, can build airport from recovered funds: Dr. Jameel

The first Vice President of this administration says that development of the airport terminal can be carried out without taking massive loans, if the Government seeks to recover the amounts stolen from Government companies.

Dr. Mohamed Jameel Ahmed said this in a tweet posted on Wednesday, where he had also criticized the Government, stating they cannot be trusted.

He sent out the tweet in response to the Government’s decision to sign another loan agreement for airport development. In his trip to the United Arab Emirates, President Abdullah Yameen signed an agreement with the Abu Dhabi Fund to acquire US$ 50 million. This had prompted concern from the public and opposition over the rising debt in the country.

Airport development project is one of the most expensive development projects undertaken, with loans taken for the project previously. The project is expected to cost around US$ 800 million.

As such, around US$ 50 million had been taken from Kuwait Fund for Arabic Economic Development, US$ 100 million from Saudi Fund for Development and US$ 100 million was taken from the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) had been taken as loans for the project.

Billions had been grafted from state, including MVR 1.22 billion stolen from Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation.