Gov’t Proposes Stricter Conflict-of-Interest Rules in Civil Aviation Authority Overhaul
The government has submitted proposed amendments to the Civil Aviation Authority Act, introducing stricter conflict-of-interest rules for board members and redefining the policy-making framework for civil air transport. The revisions aim to modernise aviation governance and align the Act with the forthcoming Civil Aviation Bill.
The Civil Aviation Authority Act governs the Maldives Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which is responsible for regulating the country’s civil aviation sector. The proposed amendments, submitted to parliament by Dhaandhoo MP Mohamed Fazeeel on behalf of the government, seek to enhance regulatory oversight and enforcement in line with international standards.
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A central feature of the proposal concerns board member eligibility. Current legislation disqualifies individuals from serving on the CAA Board if they own more than five percent of a company involved in civil air transport or subject to CAA regulation. The new amendments remove this threshold entirely, barring any individual with any level of interest or shareholding in such entities from board membership.
The proposed reforms also alter the structure of policy oversight. Under the existing framework, the Minister is responsible for setting civil air transport policy, with the CAA obligated to follow ministerial directives unless instructed otherwise. The amendments seek to eliminate this provision, signalling a shift in the authority’s operational autonomy.
In addition to governance changes, the bill introduces measures to improve administrative efficiency. At present, the CAA Board must make a decision within five days if the Chief Executive submits a matter requiring urgent attention. The proposed legislation reduces this response time to three days, enabling swifter action on time-sensitive issues.
If approved by parliament, the amendments will come into force following ratification and publication in the Government Gazette.
