Author: Mohamed Reehaan

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…

The Minister of Education, Higher Education and Skills Development Ismail Shafeeu announces that Key Stage One students will sit in an international assessment in November 2026. The assessment will allow their performance to be compared with international students of the same age group. Speaking at a ceremony held to mark the release of Key Stage Three National Assessment of Learning outcomes report, the minister said that the government believes in an evidence-based learning approach. While the National Assessment of Learning Outcomes for Key Stage One and Two were conducted, adequate corrective measures fell short of being implemented, the minister said.…

The Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development is seeking an interested party to provide consultancy services to develop the master plan for the Rasmalé development project. The current government launched the Rasmalé mega project as means to provide a permanent fix to one of the most prevailing concerns Greater Malé Region has been facing for decades: housing. While launching the project, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu announced the culmination of Rasmalé development means a home for all who need it: and a fully developed city close to the capital with state-of-the-art facilities and amenities. Under the project, a total of…

The Minister of Economic Development, Transport and Trade Mohamed Saeed on Tuesday has said over 3,200 start-ups and ventures have linked up to PayPal via Ooredoo’s m-Faisaa. The minister’s statement came at a press conference held at the President’s Office on Tuesday. Speaking with local press, the minister credits introduction of PayPal’s service to the current administration’s arduous efforts. Saeed noted that the introduction came through by the combined effort of the government, Ooredoo and PayPal. Additional to this, the minister also responded to rumors regarding PayPal’s services in the Maldives. Claims of the service not fully available in the…