Opposition coalition’s Presidential candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has pledged to provide a part of green tax money taken from island’s guest houses, to the island councils.

Speaking to residents of Gulhi island in Kaafu atoll after having officially inaugurated the campaign site in the island, Solih said that Green Tax is a tax taken from tourists as compensation for the negative impact on the environment due to non-green products or services. Although a solution is yet to be brought to waste disposals in the island, Solih pledged to hand over environment protection tasks to the island council along with a part of the money paid for green tax to the island’s guesthouses.

Green tax is payable at the rate of 6 United States Dollars per day of stay from tourist resorts, tourist hotels and tourist vessels, and 3 United States Dollars per day of stay from tourist guesthouses. Maldivians and resident permit holders are not required to pay Green Tax.

Highlighting that there are many residents of the island who wish to have plots of land which have not been granted due to lack of available land, Solih pledged to provide a solution to this matter during his tenure.

Solih further said that the state’s vows to install a water plant and sewer systems in the island are just for show, adding that a unity government led by the opposition coalition will ensure a water plant and sewer systems are established in the island, further pledging to conduct training programs for watersports in order to promote them in islands.

The opposition Presidential candidate set out on a one-day trip to three islands of Kaafu atoll on Thursday. While his first stop was at Gulhi, he was in Maafushi island this afternoon and is currently headed to Guraidhoo after which he will conclude his trip and return to the capital city Male’.

Solih is to open campaign sites in all three islands and is also to visit guesthouses and some residences in Maafushi island, as well as some residences in Guraidhoo.