Attorney General Ahmed Usham has stated that hotels developed on Rasmale may be licensed to sell alcohol, differing from previous statements by President Mohamed Muizzu.
Usham clarified that any sales would be limited to foreign guests inside designated hotel premises and that no casinos would be permitted. He described the arrangement as consistent with existing resort regulations elsewhere in the country.
President Muizzu had earlier indicated that alcohol would not be available on Rasmale. The attorney general’s remarks have therefore drawn attention as an apparent clarification or revision of that position.
The Rasmale project involves large-scale reclamation and commercial development under agreements with foreign partners. Questions about the legal and regulatory framework for the site, including licensing of hospitality services, have featured in public debate.
Usham has also addressed other aspects of the project in recent statements, including land tenure and residency rules. The latest comments form part of ongoing efforts to explain the administrative arrangements that will govern the new island.
Opposition figures and civil-society groups continue to call for greater transparency on the full terms of the development agreements.
