Current administration acknowledges that government companies were staffed at optimal levels when Solih administration concluded its term: Hassan Latheef
25 ޖުލައި 2026 | ހޮނިހިރު 11:07Hassan Latheef has strongly criticized the Privatization and Corporatization Board's (PCB) decision to reduce the workforce of state-owned enterprises by 33 percent, arguing that the move lacks a coherent policy. He pointed out that since the remaining staff count after these cuts would align with the workforce levels at the end of the previous administration, the current government is effectively conceding that the prior staffing levels were the "right size."
Former West Henveiru MP Hassan Latheef speaks during a televised talk show. | RaajjeMV
Former Member of Parliament for the West Henveiru constituency, Hassan Latheef, has stated that President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration has acknowledged that state-owned enterprises were staffed at optimal levels when former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s term concluded.
Speaking on RaajjeTV’s "TV Talk" program, Hassan Latheef strongly criticized the current administration for its ongoing dismissal of employees. He noted that while the government claims to be "right-sizing" state-owned enterprises, the criteria being used to determine these redundancies remain unclear.
Noting that State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) currently employ a total of 44,645 people, Hassan Latheef stated that the government’s reported plan to reduce the workforce by 33 percent would result in approximately 14,700 redundancies. He added that following these cuts, the total number of employees across these companies would drop to roughly 30,000.
Hassan Latheef stated that by the end of the MDP administration, state-owned enterprises employed approximately 30,000 staff. He noted that officials of the current government had previously criticized those figures as being excessive.
By the end of the MDP administration, state-owned enterprises (SOEs) employed approximately 30,000 people. Therefore, Nizar, is Dr. Muizzu suggesting that the workforce size at the end of the MDP government was actually the "right size"? Is that what he is implying? If so, why hasn't there been a 40 percent reduction in staff? Previously, they repeatedly argued that the numbers should be lower, consistently claiming that the number of employees in SOEs during the MDP administration was excessive. However, now that they have reviewed the figures, they are claiming this is the "right size." And I am referring specifically to Dr. Muizzu here. The reason I say this is because Dr. Muizzu is the one directing these actions following the decisions made by the PCB.Hassan Latheef
Furthermore, Hassan Latheef stated that the government's actions are inconsistent with its rhetoric, adding that there is no coherent policy or transparency in its efforts to dismiss employees.
The Privatization and Corporatization Board (PCB) has instructed the government to reduce the workforce of state-owned enterprises by 33 percent within three months, following an exponential increase in state expenditure.
