Male’ City Mayor Shifa Mohamed has said that she has been urging on authorities to allow 24-hour stores and cafés.

The Mayor said this in an TV interview before the government announced plans to allow 24-hour businesses.

Mayor Shifa said that a large number of Maldivians working the nightshift need services to remain open at night, and that porters will also need them to be open due to the government restricting transporting of merchandise to between 6pm to 6am.

The Mayor said the city council has been receiving numerous complaints from porters, who already 17-hr shifts when taking into account the time needed to release the goods from Customs and MPL.  

Shifa also said that the government should have discussed the transportation issues in the capital city before implementing the changes.

She added that taxi stands should also be established, since people currently have to walk into the middle of the road to get on after stopping a taxi.