MRDC workers have been transferred to Civil Service Commission: planning ministry

The Minister of State for National Planning and Infrastructure, Akram Kamaaludeen, has stated that 220 of 326 workers from the Maldives Road Development Corporation Ltd (MRDC) have been transferred to the Civil Service Commission (CSC).

Akram made the statement during a questioning session by the parliament's committee on state-owned enterprises, to discuss the petition for revisions to salary for the MRDC workers joining the civil service. The petition was signed by a large number of former employees of the public works division.

Addressing the discrepancies in salary, Akram attributed it to the difference in the hierarchy of positions. He explained that a worker earns an average of MVR 5,770 excluding overtime. He noted that the wage difference is of MVR 1,700 and that senior positions have a wage difference between MVR 3,000 to MVR 5,000.

While highlighting that most of the workers will be transferred, he stated that only very few will not be able to regain employment. He further divulged that all 30 workers based in Addu will also be given new employment.

Akram also clarified that the new civil service guidelines state that persons older than 55 years cannot be newly introduced into the civil service. Hence, all the previous workers applied for the vacancies except for the 30 workers based in Addu.

MRDC was founded during former President Mohamed Nasheeds' administration. The previous government dissolved MRDC amid corruption allegations in 2018.The corporation has also seen the most changes in Managing Directors appointed to the position in a short period of time.

After MRDC’s dissolution, the Ministry of National Planning and Infrastructure had taken in 300 Maldivian workers and 400 expatriates.

The Road Development Corporation (RDC) was established on 9th June 2019 by the current administration, as a replacement.