Author: Mohamed Reehaan
Applications are now open for the inaugural edition of the “MIB Guesthouse Awards 2026”. According to the organizer, the Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB), guesthouses can apply across eight main categories to compete for the awards. The categories open for guesthouses are: Service Excellence and Hospitality: for guesthouses providing the highest standard of hospitality and service quality Authentic Maldivian Experience: for guesthouses that best showcase Maldivian culture, cuisine, and traditions Island Excursions and Experiences: for providers offering safe and exceptional maritime activities and island tours Culinary Experience: for guesthouses offering outstanding dining services with an emphasis on Maldivian flavors Eco-Friendly Award:…
The total amount of uncollected state revenue in taxes, rent, and fees increases reaching MVR 14.5 billion. According to the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA), the unpaid funds grew by MVR 600 million during the first three months of 2026. This indicates a 5% increase. By the end of 2025, the total receivables stood at MVR 13.8 billion. The largest portion of uncollected revenue stems from taxes. The pending amount of taxes increased from MVR 7.8 billion to MVR 8.2 billion. Income Tax receivables rose to MVR 2.4 billion, while pending General Goods and Services Tax (GGST) reached MVR 3.5…
Maldives President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has officially appointed Ambassador Thoriq Ibrahim as the Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The nomination has already been forwarded to the Parliament for its approval. The president is required to seek parliamentary approval for the appointment of representatives to international organizations. This presidential discretion comes directly from the Maldives Constitution and the Foreign Service Act. Following the formal submission, the matter has been referred to the Parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee for review. Thoriq’s appointment will become set in stone once the committee concludes its evaluation and the nomination…
The Ministry of Finance has set MVR 2.5 billion for next year’s Council Block Grant. Block grants were first issued to councils in 2020. Under this system, councils are allocated five percent of state revenue as block grants. While MVR 2.15 billion has been issued released to councils as block grants last year, MVR 2.25 billion was disbursed the year before. Block grants are provided to councils to invest in community needs, generate income for the councils and deliver municipal services to the public. A circular issued by the ministry said that under the Public Finance Act, the ministry is…
The State Pharmaceutical and Medical Supply Corporation Ltd held a meeting with the Faculty of Health Sciences, Maldives National University (MNU) to explore opportunities of collaboration. According to State Pharma, it held this meeting with the Faculty to discuss training and educational opportunities. The discussions also centered around collaborating in workforce development efforts. This meeting is aligned with State Pharma’s ongoing efforts to enhance medical sector; more specifically around areas that fall under the corporation’s purview. As such, the corporation is making numerous announcements to recruit pharmacists across different parts of the Maldives. In the past month alone, the corporation…
Grand Park Kodhipparu Maldives secures two nominations in this year’s Wold Travel Awards (WTA). The luxury tourist resort has been nominated in the categories of Maldives’ Leading Boutique Resort and Indian Ocean’s Leading Villa Resort. The nominations reflect the resort’s continued commitment to service excellence, guest satisfaction and innovative hospitality experiences. Speaking about these nominations, General Manager of the Resort Raffaele Solferino said, “these nominations recognize the commitment, professionalism and passion shown every day by our team.” “Hospitality is ultimately about people, and this recognition belongs to every colleague who has contributed to the guest experience throughout the past nine…
De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited (“De Havilland Canada”) signed a letter of intent with Island Aviation Services Limited (Maldivian), on Wednesday, 22 July 2026. This agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Farnborough Airshow, held at Farnborough, United Kingdom. The Maldivian national airline signed with De Havilland Canada for the purchase of two DHC-6 Twin Otter Classic 300-G aircraft. The order mark the first Twin Otter Classic 300-G aircraft to be delivered to the Maldives. This makes Maldivian the first local carrier to add a Classic 300-G to its fleet. De Havilland on its website cites this arrangement…
The Maldives Blood Services (MBS), operating under the Male’ City Group of Hospitals, has officially launched Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) for blood testing on Thursday, 23 July 2026. This marks the first time such a service has been introduced in the Maldives. Abdul Razzak Haleem, Chief Executive Office of Dharumavantha Hospital, stated that this is a historical milestone in modernizing the blood services of the Maldives. NAT technology is internationally recognized as the “gold standard” for detecting dangerous viruses that may be present in donated blood. Health experts agree this technology allows conditions such as HIV, Hepatitis B (HBV) and…
Bank of Maldives (BML) rolls out the latest update to Aaya, the bank’s AI-powered digital assistant feature on both the mobile and internet banking applications. The bank says this update aims directly at customer convenience, specifically regarding banking requests. Customers now will not see the feature to send banking requests through the messaging feature within the digital banking applications. Instead, Aaya will provide timely support by resolving customer queries and facilitating banking requests efficiently, “allowing quicker assistance and a more streamlined service experience.” Customers also have the option of connecting with a bank staff member through Aaya, ensuring personalized support…
Five non-resident ambassadors presented their Letters of Credence to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu. The newly appointed ambassadors met with the Maldivian head of the state for discussions focusing on expanding bilateral cooperation in areas including the blue economy, climate change, health, education, tourism, trade, youth development, sports, and regional pace and security. Each ambassador presented their credentials during separate ceremonies held at the President’s Office. The newly appointed ambassadors are from the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Kosovo, Slovenia and Somalia. The non-resident ambassador of the Dominican Republic to the Maldives, Francisco Manuel Comprés Hernádez discussed areas of mutual interest, with a…