Fatal Dhigurah fire: Emergency motion filed in Parliament to investigate regulatory oversight and institutional accountability
The Member of Parliament for the North Galolhu constituency has submitted a formal letter to the People's Majlis seeking to determine the extent of regulatory accountability following a fire in ADh. Dhigurah that claimed the lives of five expatriates. The inquiry includes 12 specific questions aimed at clarifying whether the building was operating in compliance with safety regulations and investigating the measures taken by relevant authorities to ensure the safety and protection of migrant workers.
The emergency motion submitted by MP Mohamed Ibrahim (Kudoo) regarding Aasandha has been rejected. | People's Majlis | Majilis
Member of Parliament for North Galolhu Mohamed Ibrahim (Kudoo), has submitted a motion to the People’s Majlis seeking to determine whether government authorities fulfilled their legal responsibilities following a fire at an accommodation block in ADh. Dhigurah that claimed the lives of five migrant workers.
In a letter addressed to the Speaker of the People’s Majlis, Abdul Raheem Abdulla, the member outlined several points seeking clarification regarding the matter.
In the letter submitted by the member, 12 specific questions were raised regarding the incident. Among these, the member sought clarification on whether the building where the fire broke out was leased for residential use in compliance with regulations established under the Tenancy Act. Additionally, the inquiry requested verification of whether the five expatriate workers who perished in the fire were employed under valid work permits as required by the Employment Act.
Furthermore, as the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology is mandated to monitor and inspect migrant worker accommodations, inquiries were made regarding whether the ministry had inspected the building where the fire occurred to ensure it met the established standards for housing expatriates.
Furthermore, inquiries were made regarding the Ministry's established protocols for inspecting expatriate accommodation blocks under the regulations governing the employment of foreigners in the Maldives. Detailed information was requested for submission to the Parliament concerning the efforts undertaken thus far to identify premises operating under such hazardous conditions. Additionally, the Ministry has been asked to share comprehensive details with the Parliament regarding the specific measures intended to be implemented to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
Furthermore, inquiries have been made into whether the Maldives Police Service has conducted an investigation to determine the cause and circumstances of the incident. Given the Council's general mandate to ensure that buildings remain in a safe and habitable condition, questions were also raised as to whether the site of the incident had been identified as a safety hazard during the Council’s routine municipal inspections.
In addition to these inquiries, the member has requested that further information be clarified through the Parliament’s Government Oversight Committee.
