Author: Mohamed Reehaan

The Ministry of Environment has published the Maldives single-use plastics regulation. The rules target the import, production, and sale of banned plastic items. Anyone who breaks them can face fines of up to MVR 100,000. The regulation takes effect this September. Thirteen items face a phased ban The regulation bans 13 specific items in stages. A 2022 Presidential Decree first named these products. The Environmental Regulatory Authority will enforce the rules. The authority can fine anyone who imports, or produces the listed goods. The banned items include: Single-use plastic straws, plates, spoons, knives, forks, and beverage stirrers Styrofoam boxes Supari…

The Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) has confirmed that the government has started work on a modern National Food Safety Laboratory. The project will give the country a fully equipped facility to test imported food quickly and in detail. Deputy Minister of Health, Family and Welfare Ismail Zahir shared the news on the PSM News programme Raajje Miadhu. He said the feasibility report for the Hulhumalé site is complete. Architects are now preparing the drawings. “We expect to announce the final project details in the last quarter of this year,” he said. A donor-funded programme will finance the build.…

The Housing Development Corporation (HDC) and the Maldives Institute of Technology (MIT) have launched a joint programme to empower women through technical training. The initiative, titled “Vilunveri Kanbalun”, aims to boost women’s self-confidence. It teaches them basic technical skills so they can rely less on others. This year, 264 people applied for the programme. HDC says every applicant has been given a place. The training runs in separate batches and began on 5 June. The programme has grown since its 2023 pilot. This year’s training covers more ground. Participants will learn to repair household electrical appliances. They will also learn…

Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) CEO and Managing Director Mohamed Anas has wrapped up a two-day visit to Thinadhoo in Huvadhoo Atoll. He met local fishermen to assess their needs and strengthen the company’s support across the region. Anas toured several MIFCO facilities around the country before reaching Thinadhoo. There, he met fishermen at the harbour area and the fishermen’s square. The meetings gave fishing communities an open platform to raise the difficulties they face in their daily work. Anas also inspected the Thinadhoo Fisheries Complex project, which is nearing completion. Once it opens, the facility should ease the hardships…

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu says the Maldives National Service (MNS) Programme remains a key government policy for youth development. The programme launched on 1 October last year. Since then, more than 680 youths have completed the training across two batches. The third batch has now left for its initial training. The 352 participants will train at the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Composite Training Center in Maafilaafushi, Lhaviyani Atoll. They applied during the second recruitment phase, which drew 1,785 applicants. The cohort includes 64 women and 288 men. They come from 115 islands across 20 atolls. Muizzu shared the message…

The State Pharmaceutical and Medical Supply Corporation (State Pharma) Limited is poised to execute a major operational expansion on July 1. State Pharma will be officially absorbing the nationwide retail network currently managed by the State Trading Organization (STO). This transition marks a critical step in the government’s strategy to stabilize the national medical supply chain and mitigate persistent pharmaceutical shortages in the Maldives. Operational Expansion and Scale Under the new management framework, State Pharma will assume control of 193 existing STO retail locations. Coupled with the launch of a new flagship pharmacy at the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH),…

Fuel Supplies Maldives (FSM) has officially begun the practical work on a new fuel station being established to easily provide fuel to the residents of Vilimalé and marine vessels operating in the Malé region. This project is a crucial initiative aimed at providing a permanent solution to the challenges faced by Vilimalé residents, particularly marine vessel operators, in obtaining fuel. Once this fuel station is operational, the need to travel to Malé or other areas for refueling will come to an end, significantly saving both time and money. Developed to modern standards, this station will offer both petrol and diesel…

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup just waiting for the kick-off whistle any given moment in June, the State Trading Organization (STO) General Trading has launched a promotion timed to one of the most-watched sporting events in the Maldives. STO on Tuesday announced the “STO World Cup Foari” campaign with discounts up to 28% on selected TVs and projectors: perfect appliances ahead of the biggest sporting event in the world. Football is personal for all Maldivians. It carries with it the stories and aspirations of a young nation that have been dreaming of its own World Cup glory someday. And…

Fenaka generator deployment continues to accelerate. Fenaka Corporation has dispatched 400kW generator sets to eight islands across multiple northern atolls. Fenaka says all units have already arrived and been unloaded at each island. The corporation frames this as part of a long-term strategy to deliver stable and sustainable power across the Maldives. That framing, however, sits against a long and painful backdrop of electricity failure in the outer islands. The Reality on the Ground Electricity is not a convenience for island communities. It runs refrigeration for food and medicine. It powers schools and small businesses. It keeps clinics functional. When…

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu says the Maldives medicine shortage solution will arrive by June or July 2026. He made the announcement during the national media programme “Nation Chat”. The President said State Pharma: formally the State Pharmaceutical and Medical Supply Corporation Limited, is already driving progress on the ground. State Pharma Takes Full Control from July 1 State Pharma will assume fully control of pharmaceutical and medical consumables procurement nationwide from July 1, 2026. The transition rewires how medicine flows into and across the Maldives. The President noted that State Pharma gives priority to two areas: medications for chronic illnesses,…