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Resignation over Maldives plan
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The Tourism Minister of the Maldives has resigned over a plan to develop resorts on 31 Maldivian islands.
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Mahmoud Shaugee resigned from the Government because of his disagreement with developments which, he thinks, would put increased pressure on natural environments and the delivery of services, and would go against aspects of the Government's current blueprint for tourism.
Underwater concerns revolve around the condition of the islands' coral reefs. Apart from supporting marine life, these play an important role in protecting the islands from threatening sea conditions.
The island developments are being considered in response to a reported $180 shortfall in revenues which, when announced, led to the resignation of the country's Finance Minister, Gasim Ibrahim, in the week preceeding Shaugee's announcement.
General economic worries have included a warning from the IMF that the Maldives faces high inflation unless it can reduce expenditures, such as subsidies and wages, and increase revenues.
The Government would make money from the tourism developments by leasing out the presently uninhabited islands to developers and, probably, taxing profits. The new resorts would add to 92 already in operation and a further 60 now under construction.
Shaugee said that it is 'important that we protect the future of the tourism industry for the people of the Maldives' and that, as such, there is 'only so much that an economy can absorb'.
He said that the developments would almost certainly take place 'without any planning', a point taken up by environmental campaignersm who have claimed that impact assessments in relation to resorts are often shelved until developments have been completed.
One Maldivian campaign group, Bluepeace, has said that the islands are in need of nature reserves rather than 'wholesale' tourism development.
Tourism already contributes a reported 28 per cent of GDP and around 60 per cent of the Maldives' foreign-currency earnings. A large number of visitors arrive from the UK.
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