Another political appointment has been made at the Makunudhoo Health Center in Haa Dhaal atoll, where services have considerably worsened.

Coinciding with the council by-election held on Saturday, an additional person was appointed alongside an existing political position holder.

A person who spoke from Makunudhoo revealed that the newly appointed person was placed as a Political Director above the person currently in the position.

The person noted that people have been saying it is a position worth about MVR 30,000 and that it is being rumored that the position was confirmed on the day of the polls.

According to a reliable source, the additional political position created at the Makunudhoo Health Center is filled by Abdulla Shakeeb, who is involved in the fuel business on the island.

He was someone who signed for the then-ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and handed over the form to the then-President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih when he visited the island as MDP’s candidate during the last presidential election campaign.

Although a Political Director was appointed to the Makunudhoo Health Center, the candidate of the government-ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) was defeated in the by-election.

The person speaking from the island revealed that the new appointee is “very close” to the MP of the island and that the appointment doesn’t have anything to do with educational qualifications. The person stressed that the money should have been spent on improving the condition of the center instead.

Coinciding with Saturday’s by-election, the government also appointed three more employees to Fenaka Corporation. Such positions are now being filled without even making an announcement.

In last year's Presidential Address, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu assured the people that he had brought the appointment of people to political positions to an end. However, despite Muizzu's statement, the appointment of people to political positions has not stopped. Although the government earlier said that political positions would not exceed 700, some parties estimate that close to 3,000 political positions have been created. The government has been reluctant to disclose the number of political positions. It has also been reported that some people in political positions have nothing to do and don't even have a desk to work at.