Implementation process of the Goods and Services Tax

The newly applied law for implementing GST from the Tourism related activities pose questions of possibilities and perception of negative influence which may drive tourism to a plunge are the possible question which many of us put to questions.



Business in Maldives are runs freely with few vulnerabilities, specially the mega industry Tourism is the focus of our business. The impact of tourism on the GDP has been massive and it had shown in downturn such as the Gulf War, Swine Flue, September 11 and the Global final Crises. Most of the causes has been seized only the Global final crises remain still a risk as in countries which caused a high level threat has caused on the people a fear which still remain immanent over the periods.

Therefore those constant demand for the Maldives has plunged as the consumers perception has changed and the price of per room per night has plunged over the years despite the economic or vulnerable situations. The impacts is not going to cease easily as its already have had its side effects.

Maldives was been labeled as a high end destination due to its prestige lonely island resorts, with panoramic views of infinity and the lovely beaches and the dazzling blue lagoons and the crystal clear water. Which will still not be the same if you travel around the world twice or thrice.

A destined dream, but how this all could come true , for the loved holidays makers to boost their confidence on their deeply routed reality. We still care to come to Maldives , but its hard to make choice as at same it would effect our life after!

The destination has to find a mean to be competitive among its lovers, new markets plunging but the existing markets need to revitalized by means. The new GST has pored in other burden on the consumer, yet it has a figure. The tourism industry need to stand back without an increase its price as to recover from the proceedings and adjust so that consumer believed to gain confidence in due years to come.

The Government has put up this proposal so the economic prosperity of the industry is calculated in real-time, so the profit and loss is equally shared among. This will enhance equality and will tend to proper with business means and markets need to calculate its vulnerability and the importance of the consumer who has already experience the thrill.

ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ރަށްތަށް އުފެދިފައިހުންނަނީ ކުދިކުދި ޖަޒީރާ ރަށްތަކެއްގެ މައްޗަށް، މިކަމުން ނުހަނުގިނަ ތަކުލީފްތަކެއް ދިވިހީން އުފުލަން ޖެހޭ. ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ރިސޯޓުތަކުގައި މަސައްކަތް ކުރާ ހީވާގި މުވައްޒަފުން ނަކީ އެތަކެއް ކަމަކުން މަހުރޫމް ކުރެވިފައިވާ ބައެއް، ރިސޯޓް ބަންދުގައި ދުވާލް ހަތަރުދަން ހޭދަކުރާ ބެއް ، އަމިއްލަ އިޙްތިޔާރުން ބޭރުވެފައިވާބައެއް. މަސައްކަތް ނިމުމުން ކާން އޭރުހުންނަ އެއްޗެއް ކާލައިގެން، ނިދަން ދައްކާތަނެއްގައި ނިދާ، އަދި ކެއުމުގަޔާ ނިދުމުގައި އުޅޭ ސަރަހައްދު ފިޔަވައި ދެން އެއްވެސްސަރަހައްދަކަށް އެރުން މަނާ ކުރެވިފައިވެއެވެ. އަމިއްލަ އިޙްތިޔާރުގައި ތަނުން ބޭރަށް ދެވޭނެ އެއްވެސް ގޮތެއް ނޯވެ. ގިނަ މުވައްޒަފުންނަށް ރަށުން ބޭރަށް ދާންފުރުސަތު ލިބެނީ އަހަރަކު އެއްފަހަރު.
މިކަން މިގޮތަށް މޫއެޅިފައިވުމުން އެތަކެއް ފަރުދީ މިނިވަން ކަމެއް ނިގުޅައި ގަނެވޭ. ދެވަނަ ބޮޑު ހަގުރާމައިގެ ފަހުން ތައާރަފުވީ ޗައިނާ މީހުން އެކިއެކި ގައުމުތަކުގައި އަޅުން ގެންގުޅޭ ގޮތަށް ވަޒީފާ އަދާކުރުން، އެއީ އިތުރުގަޑިޔައް ނުބަލައި މަސައްކަތް ކުރުވުމާ، ކުދި ކުދި ސަރަހައްދުތަކުގައި ބަންދުކޮށްގެން ގެންގުލުން، މިކަންތަށް އުވި ދިޔައީ މިއީ އިންސާނިއްޔަތާ ޙިލާފު އަމަލެއްކަމަށް ދެކި އެކަމަށް ހައްލު ހޯދުމަށް މަސައްކަތް ކޮށްގެން.
ވީމާ ރިސޯޓުތަކުގައި މަސައްކަތް ކުރާ ދިވެހީންނަށް ވާ ހައްގުތަކެއް ވާކަން ކަށަވަރު، ރިސޯޓުތަކަކީ ޖަލެއްކަމަށް ނުބުނެވޭނެ، ނަމަވެސް އަޅުގަޑުމެންގެ ރާއްޖެ 1972 ގައި ފެށި އިގުތިސާދު އަދިވެސް ތަފާތުކަމެއް ނެތި އަމަލުކުރާ ގޮތަކީ މުވައްޒަފުންގެ ހައްގުތަށް. ގާމާދޫ ނުވަތަ ދޫނިދޫ އަކީ ރިސޯޓަކަށް ވިނަމަ އެތާގާ ތިބޭ މީހުންގެ ހައްގުގެ ވާހަކައެއް ނުދައްކާނެ.

Local Island Tourism with a Twist!!!

At the beginning of tourism 1972-1980's several tourist tend to visit the local islands and interact with the local communities, but now it been consider something which even tourist are hesitant to experience. The island tend to congest and the people living are much more on the developing stage.

To my knowledge guest who has been to local islands talk about the unclean beaches and garbage’s all around the island, do we care for an instance when we say we are open for both local and international tourist, our surrounding remains as horrific as never!

This is heart breaking since we always say our islands are coral islands with nice lagoon and white sandy beaches, but its not true for most island where local lives, I would never encourage a guest to be to a local island.

We do not realise how tense is our garbage problem , specially man made, plastics ...! The lagoon are fully of rubbish..!!!

A dream we hoped has faded away due to unclean beaches and lagoon...

Minimum wage bill

A bill to endorse a minimum wage for the resort employment is been submitted to Majlis, this bill has been sent for the committee (Iqthisaadhee) to which is chaired by Qasim Ibrahim (Villa). As this bill is of an utmost importance for the employments in this sector even know tensions mount on the resort owners. It’s been declared that Qasim already requested to delay the continuation of discussion on the bill as it might hinder their motive for the council election.
It remains true that Tourism owners has the biggest influence on the Government and has to liaise at a time of vulnerability as they may call. Even the opposition DRP cannot support such a frame work as most of their finances are governed from this sector, Champa, Qasim and the Thasmeen.
Those who are trapped so called jailed tourism still do not support the key role the resort owners plays in making this sector sustainable.

$$$$ where does all of its goes?

The issue of Dollar shall be resolved, as we witness as the only country which gain 80% foreign currency (USD) in its earnings, but still the goverment and banks are unable to sustain dollar depleation. Much of the income to this industry does not enter to the local banks and nearly all goes to the Banks overseas. We could STOP this by enforcing the law of foreign investment, where all money shall come to banks and tax is levied for the leakage. Then we could sustain a healthy foreign currency exchange in Maldives.

Tourism in Maldives, does it deliver the excepted benifits to communities?

Tourism in Maldives comprise of small island resorts developed immensly to serve guest with all the possibilities. The guests are restrained at less than an acre of land. What does this constitute to.Massive amount of profits, a five star resort makes more than 20-45 million in profit and the direct or the indrect wealth it delivers to the local communities around is less than 1%.

There is no linkage with either fishing, agriculture and or any other commercial industry. Therefore we need to focus our direction as to expand the industry to a broader perspective. Lets bring about our contribution by posting your thought...s.

Hens that lays golden eggs!

Where are those hens that lays the golden eggs for the owners! Who became rich and still he wants more from the hens and never ever recognise that they also have some soicial needs!Everything they do, every egg they lay, even the smallest and of a low quality egg, shall be announced with great publicity in the social pages of their newspaper that belongs to one of the gentlemen of the henhouse. Don’t you laugh to see so many hens publicly showing their eggs? There they show that they have a sense of belonging to the the egg and they should not be ill treated or their concerns are not understood.

Are we prisoners!

The hotel employees are kept at the resorts and they are served with food and have a place to sleep. They spend more than 11 hours serving the guest and had not much socialising only what they see is their fellow staff suffering like him.Can we phrase is as Quatanamo Bay! or Rehabilitiation (no worse than rehab) but could be considered as Dhoonidhoo!.

Keeping employees at close space is an act against human right.

Is there any other country where they practice the same concept of keeping employees during their entire tenure?I beleive there is no other country which practice this act as these resorts are completely dispersed from the community, but hence lets think about it in depth.Can this be a critical issue for the resort owners or will they be reluctant to believe this as a real issue. Some resort has spend millions of dollars for the staff facilities and their daily expenditure on staff are reasonable. But lets look on the benifits they could attain they could use less structure at the resort so that more facilities for the clients can be setup.Lets propse this to the tourism Master plan as per our former Tourism minster Dr. Mausooms comment, we should face this at an early stage or else this country cannot attain qualified local employees to cater for the much needed clientel. I need your voice to be heard , please say something aginst this or your new propostions. This is an issue which needed to delt with.

Immigrant workforce!

Confined employees working at a resort is the most vulnerable element of our industry. Employees brings about the only good deal revenue which local community could attain, this wealth is only limited for the work force and the money is not been circulated within the resort surrounding communities.
There is no emphasis or illustration to deploy employees from community, except in case of Herathera which is only for a political motive. Let’s learn from those white people, who wants to delivers exceptional service from our local people. For example Shangri La , Maldives they thought of a way not to keep their local workforce at bay.This is a responsibility of all individuals to fight for a responsible Tourism and we should voice these concerns.