Equatorial Convention Centre in Addu owes MVR 4 million in electricity bills

The Equatorial Convention Centre (ECC) in Addu City owes MVR 4 million (US$ 259,235) in unpaid electricity bills, local media has claimed.

Head of Southern Utilities Company Abdullah Zuhair was reported to have said that the ECC has not paid any electricity bills since it was opened.

According the Zuhair, both the Finance Ministry and Housing Ministry have been requested to pay the money, but no response has yet been received.

Mayor of Addu City Abdullah Sodig told Sun Online there was nothing the council could do in regard to the unpaid bills as the ECC was not under its control. He further claimed that there are other issues facing the convention centre.

“The problem of unpaid electricity is not the only problem faced by ECC. There is no system to clean and monitor the centre either,” he was quoted as saying.

“The equipment that was initially taken there is also no longer there. The only things that remain are tables and chairs. We fear that the place might end up in ruins”

Over MVR 150 million (US$9.7 million), was spent on the construction of ECC in Addu City by the government of former President Nasheed for the 17th SAARC summit, local media claim.

“We had high hopes associated with ECC. We hoped that Addu City would be proud of ECC, that it would increase job opportunities for Addu City. But we don’t have much hope left now for these things,” Sodig told local media.

Late last month,  Male’ City Council (MCC) Mayor ‘Maizan’ Ali Manik claimed the capital was facing having its street lights “switched off” over an outstanding MVR 3.9 million (US$ 254,569) electricity bill.  The MCC at the time alleged that the Finance Ministry was responsible for the lack of payments.
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One thought on “Equatorial Convention Centre in Addu owes MVR 4 million in electricity bills”

  1. this is not a surprise.

    there still many people who have been paid for the work that they have done during the constitution of the building and also many works that were done during the SAARC summit too.

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