Author: Mohamed Reehaan

The Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) has completed the sheet piling works under the first phase of the Boduthakurufaanu Magu upgrading project on the northern side of Malé. The project is a key government priority aimed at delivering a permanent solution to traffic congestion in the capital. Sharing its latest progress update, MTCC said sub-base work for segments 4 and 5 is complete, and crews are now laying the aggregate base course. The company expects to finish the final casting of the capping concrete for the quay wall within this week. Construction of sidewalks and the development of parking…

Tourist Arrivals to the Maldives have picked up since the start of July, according to statistics from the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation. The latest figures show 22,636 tourists visited the country during the first four days of July. This marks a 1.5% increase over the 22,297 arrivals recorded during the same period last year. Daily arrival numbers have also strengthened. The country averaged around 3,000 tourists per day last month, but the daily average has now climbed to roughly 5,000. Yesterday alone, a total of 6,434 tourists arrived in the Maldives; which is the strongest single day of…

The Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) has paid USD 733,000 to fishermen for fish purchased during June. According to MIFCO statistics, 517 fishing vessels, including skipjack and yellowfin tuna boats, supplied fish to the company during the month. MIFCO purchased a total of 568 tonnes of fish in June. Skipjack tuna accounted for the bulk for the catch. The company bought 484.4 tonnes of skipjack from 196 vessels and paid USD 604,858 for the supply. Yellowfin tuna deliveries came from two grades. A total of 109 vessels supplied yellowfin weighing more than 10 kilograms and received USD 21,494. Another 212…

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has gazetted an amendment to the Civil Service regulations, establishing a formal framework for emergency-related absences and remote-work arrangements. Under the revised regulation, civil servants may request permission to work from home or another off-site location during an emergency. To qualify, a medical professional registered with the Ministry of Health or a locally licensed health center must certify that the employee cannot attend the office. The CSC has attached clear conditions to approval. Permission will be granted only if the employee’s assigned duties can be performed effectively outside the office, and only if the employee…

Diving schools have become the fastest-growing segment of the Maldives’ tourism sector, recording a 47% expansion, according to statistics released by the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA). MIRA’s first-quarter report shows the broader tourism industry generated USD 447 million in output tax during the first quarter of this year. This marks a 20.5% increase over the USD 371 million collected in the same period last year. Diving schools posted the sharpest growth among all industry components. The segment recorded USD 32.03 million in revenue during the quarter, a 47.7% surge from the USD 21.68 million reported a year earlier. Goods…

Maldives President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has said the national rehabilitation system for drug users must operate within community participation and adhere strictly to Islamic principles. Speaking on the third episode of the podcast “The Pulse”, the president described the narcotics epidemic as the most deeply rooted and enduring crisis facing the nation. He said resolving it requires the collective cooperation of the public, and confirmed that tracking its underlying causes is the administration’s top priority. “This is not a challenge that can be resolved through superficial or piecemeal interventions,” President Muizzu said. The president said eradicating the epidemic demands action…

Bank of Maldives (BML) has introduced the BML SplitPay; a new installment payment solution that gives credit cardholders greater flexibility and control over their spending. Customers can choose to pay the total amount in installments within a period ranging from 3 to 24 months for purchases above MVR 1,500. BML SplitPay is available to customers who have an approved SplitPay limit and is available through participating merchants. Customers paying with American Express (AmEx), Visa or Mastercard can instantly convert their transaction into monthly installments. Commenting on this new offer, the bank’s CEO and Managing Director Mohamed Shareef said that with…

The Maldives has welcomed over 123,000 tourists in June, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation. According to the ministry’s reports on June this year, total number of arrivals fell 12% below the same month last year, but it was still 0.2% higher than June 2024. As per the report, Maldives welcomed a total of 123,552 tourists by the end of June. A total of 1,067,543 tourists have visited the Maldives during the first six months of this year. As per the ministry’s report, tourist arrivals increased in January and February compared to the corresponding period last year.…

The Maldives has pledged USD 50,000 as its annual contribution to Palestine through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations Dr. Ali Naseer Mohamed announced the pledge at this year’s UNRWA’s Pledging Conference. The conference was held on July 1 at the UN Headquarters in New York. In his statement, Naseer said supporting UNRWA goes beyond a budgetary decision. He described this contribution as an investment in preserving the dignity of a people and protecting the international rules-based order. Naseer further addressed…

The Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises Hassan Zareer has urged government institutions to deepen their cooperation to strengthen the country’s economic resilience. The minister made the remarks at the launch of the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) Financial Sector Awards. He said that the Maldives central bank, the Finance Ministry, and other state institutions must work tightly to deliver fiscal and monetary policies that secure financial stability, and sustainable growth. He stressed that these policies should not place an excessive burden on the public. Zareer also pressed for structural reforms to tackle economic challenges and reinforce the financial system. He…