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Blog
Collective bargaining is in the offing …
Collective bargaining and collective agreements are being introduced into the Maldives. This is being achieved through the introduction of a full-fledged bill on industrial relations. The first reading of this fundamental legislation, motivated by government policy and sponsored by a ruling party parliamentarian, occurred in parliament on 22 March 2023. Spread over 79 pages and …
Happy Eid
Today we celebrate the end of Ramadan – the Muslim holy month – dedicated to fasting, prayers and forgiveness. Eid reminds us of community, compassion, empathy and giving back. Our team joins rest of the Maldives to wish everyone Eid Mubarak! May you find peace, happiness and health – this festive season and always. Related: …
Integrated Tourist Resort Development – The Legal Terrain
On 27 December 2020, the government for the first time introduced a legislative framework for integrated tourist resort development as a separate tourism product in the Maldives. For the purposes of this article, we will call this product an ITR Development. What is an ITR Development? An ITR Development is a combo of tourism products …
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Boundary Regulations Updated
Ministry of Tourism has launched a new set of Boundary Regulations on 14 March 2023 (Regulations). The official citation is 2023/R-90. Consisting of nine pages, the Regulations operate to repeal and replace the set of regulations earlier known as Boundary Regulations 2012 including all amendments brought to them. All boundary matters are now guided by …
Government introduces SPA Regulations
Maldives Government has launched SPA Regulations by the name of “SPA (Registration and Operation) Regulations”. They were introduced and published in the government gazette on 21 February 2023 and its formal citation is R-74/2023. A week later, the government brought further updates to those regulations in the form of an amendment and published this First …
Resort Subleases: An industry subset in need of attention
Sublease of resort properties is a common occurrence in the Maldives tourism industry. In the past half century, a significant share of tourism development is directly attributable to the creative gymnastics of sublease holders. Subleases happen in two forms: sublease of an operational resort; and sublease of a virgin island. In the last twelve months …
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Cross Subsidy Resorts – the in thing
In an amendment brought to the Tourism Act in December 2020, the government created an additional pathway to acquire islands from the government for tourism development. Until then, there were only two ways in which a tourism island may be acquired from the government. One was the rule and the other the exception. The rule …
MOT Updates Construction Period Extension Regulations
MOT has brought out a new set of regulations on construction period extension. The regulations are called the Construction Period Extension and Deferment of Rent and Fines for Places Leased for Tourism Purposes [Regulations No: 2022/R-236]. These regulations came into effect on 6 December 2022 and repeal the earlier rules on the subject collected in …
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Government finally hikes tourism GST to 16%
The Maldives Government has decided to increase the GST tax rate for both the tourism sector and general sector from the new year 2023. The Law This is being achieved through the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (Sixth Amendment) Act of 2022 [Law Number: 20/2022] signed into law today by the President and …