The anti-GMR campaign took to the seas on Monday afternoon in an effort to increase pressure on the government to “reclaim” Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) from Indian infrastructure giant GMR.
A seaborne armada of about 15 dhonis carrying flags and banners circled the airport as part of an ongoing campaign to annul the contract signed between the former government and GMR to manage and develop a new terminal at INIA.
State Home Minister Abdulla Mohamed told Haveeru that 50,000 people have signed the petition put together by a group of NGOs seeking to annul the agreement and nationalise the airport.
In response to the large number of boats circling the airport, the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) increased its seaborne presence to counter the rally, using coastguard vessels to block the entrance to the airport harbour.
Last week Sheikh Imran gave the government a six-day ultimatum to annul the GMR agreement (by November 15).
Former Minister of Economic Development Mahmood Razee said recent actions protesting the GMR agreement, such as Monday’s rally, risked putting off future foreign investors.
13/11/12 Luke Powell/Minivan News
To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline
A seaborne armada of about 15 dhonis carrying flags and banners circled the airport as part of an ongoing campaign to annul the contract signed between the former government and GMR to manage and develop a new terminal at INIA.
State Home Minister Abdulla Mohamed told Haveeru that 50,000 people have signed the petition put together by a group of NGOs seeking to annul the agreement and nationalise the airport.
In response to the large number of boats circling the airport, the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) increased its seaborne presence to counter the rally, using coastguard vessels to block the entrance to the airport harbour.
Last week Sheikh Imran gave the government a six-day ultimatum to annul the GMR agreement (by November 15).
Former Minister of Economic Development Mahmood Razee said recent actions protesting the GMR agreement, such as Monday’s rally, risked putting off future foreign investors.
13/11/12 Luke Powell/Minivan News
