Finance Minister Moosa Zameer says the government has proposed amendments to increase tourism taxes after consulting the central bank, the Maldives Monetary Authority MMA.
Last week, the government submitted three bills to the Parliament that would increase the Tourism Goods and Services Tax, the Green Tax, and the Airport Departure fee.
The Parliament has accepted the bills and is now researching their contents. All three bills are expected to be approved within this parliament's term.
After a news conference yesterday, when pressed on whether the government consulted businesses before proposing the hikes, Minister Zameer said right now the government has no choice but to cut down on its expenses.
Zameer added that the government decided to introduce these reforms after consulting with the MMA and relevant businesses.
The main opposition party MDP has opposed the government's proposal and called on the government to cut down on their expenses to alleviate the stress on the country's economy and state finances.
