Inguraidhoo MP Ibrahim Falah has denied the government's plans to control the taxi service despite an announcement by Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen.
Galolhu South MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem, from the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), submitted an emergency motion at today's sitting of the People's Majlis after several taxis were towed during a protest last year.
“His [President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's] government is trying to solve the problems faced by taxi drivers. The government is not trying to provide taxi services. The President is looking very closely at the challenges faced by taxi drivers and working to solve these issues," Falah said during the debate.
The government first announced the launch of a taxi line at a ceremony on July 25 last year. However, the government changed its decision on August 4 after taxi drivers protested against it.
However, Transport Minister Ameen told the parliament's Economic Affairs Committee in October that the government has decided to task a State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) with providing taxi service.
"We are going to bring brand new things [cars] and hand them over to an SOE. We are at the point where the government will allocate land to the ministry as parking areas," he stated.
Speaking during today's debate, Hulhumale' North MP Hussain Shareef from the ruling party said taxi drivers' peaceful protests disrupted public transport after the government refused to respond to their demands.
“The concerns of taxi drivers should be accepted as a reality and if there is any challenge in registering their vehicles in the transport system or parking, the relevant institutions should listen to their complaints and respond to them,” he said.
