Govt goes back on its word on SOE job cuts: MDP

Opposition party, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), on Wednesday has said the current government has gone back on its earlier promise of not cutting jobs from state-owned enterprises (SOEs).

The administration of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu pledged during last year's campaign that no SOE staff would be laid off.

MDP said this in a statement issued condemning recent job cuts initiated under the current government across multiple SOEs. In its statement, MDP criticized President Muizzu and claimed his failure for economic management has led the country into a ditch.

The opposition claimed that while the state has been engaged in massive lay-offs across SOEs, it has not slowed down political appointments to these corporations, which MDP said was worrisome.

“We also would like to point out this has begun immediately after a PPM/PNC coalition parliament member recently warned of laying off SOE employees who do not support the current government or President Muizzu,” MDP in its statement highlighted, noting this was in contradiction to the government’s promise during both the presidential and parliamentary elections.

MDP assured it will advocate on behalf of wrongful terminations, and added it would assist the victims of such terminations through legal recourse.

The party also called the government to begin austerity measures close to the central government’s agencies instead of laying off SOEs. MDP called for a dismissal of the alleged over 2,000 political appointees across government bodies and SOEs to cut the expenditure wastage.

MDP previously shared its concern to the public over the current government’s non-conformity to reveal the actual number of political appointees. The party has already submitted an extraordinary resolution to the parliament to acquire information on this as well, though it is uncertain if resolution will get picked up by the PNC-supermajority parliament.