Parliament has passed to charge 12 dollars for Maldivians and 25 dollars for foreigners. The bill was passed with 48 votes and 18 members voted against it.
MP for Gahdhoo constituency Ahmed Rasheed proposed the bill to levy an airport development charge in today’s parliament meeting on behalf the government. Initially the bill proposed to charge 25 dollars from Maldivians as well. However, MP Asmaa proposed to reduce the charges on Maldivians to 12 dollars. MP Asmaa’s proposal was supported by PPM PG leader MP Nihaan Hussain Manik. The bill says that there will be no airport service charge for those who depart from the airport, however an airport developmental charge will be levied on Maldivians and foreigners. In addition, it says that transit passengers will also have to pay the airport development charge and airport service charge as well.
As per the bill, diplomatic passport holders will be exempted from paying these charges. The bill says that it will be implemented, 4 months after it is published in the gazette.
At the moment, and airport service charge of 25 dollars is levied on foreigners and with this bill, foreigners will have to pay 50 dollars. Speaking at the budget oversight committee, Minister Zuhoor said that the government wants to charge 25 dollars from both Maldivians and foreigners.
Parliament passes to charge 12 dollars from Maldivians and 25 from foreigners as airport development charge
