The infuriated fishing community and local residents in Dhaandhoo island of Gaaf Alif atoll have driven out a team of officials from the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources that arrived on the island.

A resident of the island told RaajjeMV that the team of eight officials from the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources including the deputy minister, arrived on Thursday.

The island resident added that they understand the team arrived to hold a meeting to discuss installing RSW systems on fishing vessels.

Although the team was originally scheduled to arrive at 01:30pm on Thursday, they arrived during the Luhr prayer time while everyone was at the mosque.

The fisherman who provided information to RaajjeMV said that when the residents of the island exited the mosque after prayer and learned about the fisheries ministry team’s arrival, everyone gathered at the harbor and expelled them as the residents and the fishing community were against their arrival.

The island resident added that residents and fishermen did not want the fisheries ministry to enter because the island’s fishermen have not been paid for their catch for over a month, and many fishing boats are owed more than MVR 300,000 by the government.

They added that there was “nothing more” to discuss with ministry officials.