The mashi maali costume and float parade held every Eid in Kulhudhuffushi city took place this year as well.
This year's Eid parade also featured costumes, props and floats depicting political jokes and serious problems facing the country. The most prominent costumes and floats this year involved challenges facing fishers and fisheries pledges made by the government.
A float depicting a big shark eating a human was included to show the difficulty posed to fishers by sharks. Other costumes highlighted unfulfilled government pledges such as clearing outstanding payments owed for fish catch and placing buoys and fish aggregating devices.
Other costumes mocked the government’s pledge to pay fishers within 48 hours. Payments will be made “after you give birth to 48 children,” a slogan on a float read.
The many costumes about fisheries came after the crew of 35 fishing boats protested in the Male’ harbour last week over the outstanding payments owed to fishers and the government’s plans to authorise long-lining for yellowfin tuna fisheries.
After the protest by the fishers, the government acceded to some of their demands and lowered the price of diesel to bring it down to the rate at petrol sheds. Diesel was previously sold to fishers for MVR 14.53 per litre. With the government's decisions, diesel is now being sold for MVR 13.92 per liter to fishing boats as well.
In a post on X on Tuesday, Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam said he accepts the criticism of the government’s management of fisheries in the Eid parade.
The Kulhudhuffushi mashi maali parade on the joyous occasion of Eid is an activity that always draws the attention of the public, Shiyam wrote, adding that he accepts the props and slogans about government policies as constructive criticism.
Prop featuring shopping card used by MPL managing director. — Photo: Kulhudhuffushi Online
In addition to fisheries, the costume parade also highlighted some other trends in the country, including props referring to Speaker of Parliament Abdul Raheem Abdulla as well as the alleged use of a Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) credit card for personal shopping.
Organised with the participation of people of all ages from Kulhudhuffushi, the mashi maali parade is an age-old event that takes places every year on the island on the day after Eid Al-Adha. Along with the costumes, attention is drawn to the inventive floats in the parade.
The tradition has been for the people of Kulhudhuffushi to express their views through the parade. As in previous years, floats were prepared this year as well to show the difficulties and challenges faced by the people of Kulhudhuffushi in accessing public services.
