Current administration is labeling Maldivian citizens as criminals and treating government employees in the same manner: Nishan

Legal counsel Mohamed Nishan Ibrahim has stated that the current administration is labeling Maldivian citizens and workers as criminals, adding that employees in state-owned enterprises are being treated in the same manner.

Speaking on RaajjeTV’s "Fala Surukhee" program, Nishan stated that this is most clearly evidenced by the government's current treatment of Fenaka Corporation employees.

There has been ongoing rhetoric regarding Fenaka Corporation, with various claims circulating about potential staff reductions and other measures. It has been argued that the company's revenue is insufficient to cover employee salaries while remaining financially viable, suggesting that Fenaka is not generating enough income to sustain itself. Amidst these discussions, the first official directive issued was for all Fenaka employees to submit their educational certificates to the main office. Since assuming power, this administration has operated under the assumption that those recruited by the previous government were unqualified or lacked the necessary credentials for their positions. Driven by this perspective, all Fenaka employees were ordered to submit their educational certificates. However, it should be noted that employment in the Maldives has always been contingent upon the submission of educational qualifications.

Mohamed Nishan Ibrahim

He stated that Fenaka had extended employment offers only after verifying the specified qualifications and other requirements. However, Nishan noted that following the change of administration, the educational certificates of employees stored in Fenaka's archives have mysteriously vanished.

It remains unclear whether the records were destroyed or incinerated. While their exact fate is unknown, what is certain is that every employee was hired only after submitting all the necessary documentation. Despite this, the government eventually began seeking any possible justification to terminate staff. To achieve this, a circular was issued instructing employees to submit their criminal records—information that companies typically verify prior to recruitment. Those original records have also been destroyed.

Mohamed Nishan Ibrahim

Nishaan further stated that when the government failed to find a legal justification to terminate employees despite these efforts, they introduced a voluntary redundancy scheme. However, as employees were unwilling to resign voluntarily, the government resorted to dismissals, including the abolition of certain positions and various internal restructuring measures. According to Nishaan, these actions demonstrate that the current administration now views its workforce as a burden. He asserted that this situation is the direct consequence of the government’s own practice of awarding jobs unfairly for political purposes.