Room to reduce risks and further improve safety at construction sites, says VP

Vice President Faisal Naseem has stated that there is room to further improve safety at construction sites.

The vice president met with officials from Maldives Police Service (MPS), Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), Malé City council and the Ministry of Planning and Infrastructure on Monday, to inquire on the work being done to ensure the safety of citizens at construction sites.

At the meeting, VP Naseem noted that there is room to reduce safety risks at construction sites, as well as improve construction safety.

He further appealed to all relevant institutions and private companies to work together to “immediately” take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of the public including construction workers.

At the meeting, the institutions updated the vice president on the measures being taken to ensure safety of construction sites.

The meeting comes following the death of seven-year-old Rawshan Jian, who was left in critical condition after a falling cement bag crushed her as she was walking on the pavement in the Maafannu ward of the capital Malé City on Sunday morning. The young girl was in Malé on holiday with her mother.

She passed away on Monday.

Shortly after the incident, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih- who is currently on a state visit to India- ordered the “immediate review of safety procedures, and inspection of all construction sites in Malé, so that more stringent measures may be put in place for the safety of workers and the general public.”

He also instructed the Ministry of Planning and Infrastrcuture "to lead a full inspection on all construction sites, and to take necessary actions against those in violation of the current guidelines."

The president has sent condolences to Rawshan Jian's parent, both doctors from Bangladesh working in Nilandhoo island of Faafu atoll.

The incident has caused public outrage, over “years of recklessness and negligence” by construction companies.