Following State Electric Company’s (STELCO) decision to cut power to Football Association of Maldives (FAM) on Monday, 24th October, the utility provider has urged the association to settle the outstanding dues in full.
STELCO Managing Director Ahmed Shareef, while criticizing FAM’s decision to counter the utility provider’s decision with defiance, urged to settle the dues without politicizing the issue.
The association owes a total of MVR6.5 million in outstanding bills, inclusive of fines, an official from STELCO earlier confirmed.
FAM criticized STELCO’s Monday decision, calling the utility provider irresponsible in its action. The association is refusing to settle the outstanding bills claiming the FAM House – the main establishment from where it operates – has been used by other entities, and they must bear for portion of utility they had used.
The establishment was used as a Covid facility amid the pandemic outbreak by the state. Additionally, Scout Association’s operations are run under the same roof.
This comes as the latest in a string on state-owned enterprises failing to settle hefty outstanding bills. Previously, STELCO had claimed Public Service Media (PSM) owed MVR 80 million in unpaid utility bills.