Tourism Minister Ibrahim Faisal has requested legal advice from Attorney General Ahmed Usham to terminate agreements for 22 islands leased for resort development due to a complete lack of progress.

Speaking in parliament, Faisal revealed that a total of 58 islands have shown little to no development, with some remaining idle for up to 30 years. The government’s Economic Council has prepared a plan to engage with the entrepreneurs leasing these islands to understand the barriers to progress.

However, Faisal noted that 22 islands have seen no development at all, prompting the need for legal guidance to cancel these agreements and potentially re-lease the islands to more active developers.

In the past, attempts to cancel such agreements have led to legal challenges and compensation claims from lessees. To address this, amendments to the Tourism Act are being proposed and will soon be submitted to the People’s Majlis.

This initiative highlights the government’s dedication to ensuring timely development of leased islands to support the Maldives’ tourism sector and economic growth.