Maldives this week: 12 – 18 August 2021
President departs on official visit to Th. Atoll, Finance Minister says will not go into sovereign default, changes to parliament representation, and parliament reconvenes for third sitting...
On 17 August President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih left for Th. Atoll on an official visit. He will be visiting seven islands in the atoll.
On 17 August Controller of Immigration and Emigration Mohamed Ahmed Hussain (Hanafy) said that 180 tourists have been sent back to their country after arriving in the Maldives with fake hotel bookings.
On 16 August Minister of Finance Ibrahim Ameer gave his assurances that the Maldives will not go into sovereign default. He said that the country did not have a history of default and regularly serviced its debt.
On 16 August, Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed said that he was hesitant to return to the Maldives until the investigation into the 6 May terror attack against him was complete. He requested parliament to extend his leave and allow him to stay abroad.
On 16 August, the Maldivian parliament announced a change in representation in parliament, due to the formation of the Maldives National Party by parliamentarian and former Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim. The current composition is 65 members from the MDP, six from the PPM, three from the JP, three from the PNC, two from the MDA and eight independent members.
On 16 August, the Ministry of Finance said that the operations of issuing of treasury bills and bonds has been transferred to the ministry from the MMA, under efforts to centralize the government's debt management function.
On 16 August, the parliament reconvened for its third sitting of the year.
On 15 August, the ambassadors of South Korea, Vietnam and Cuba presented their letters of credence to President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who spoke to them on further fostering ties with the Maldives.
On 15 August, the Maldives Police Service (MPS) said that it was working with Interpol to bring back former Minister of Tourism Ali Waheed to the Maldives to complete his sentence of 2 months and 12 days in prison for contempt of court.
On 15 August, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) launched the COVID-19 vaccine program for 12- to 17-year-olds. President Solih visited the Islamic Center vaccine center to review the program.
On 14 August, the Auditor General's Office said that its performance audit on the Income Support Allowance Program showed payments had been made to some applicants who did not qualify for support.
On 12 August, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih appointed former Minister of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture Zaha Waheed as the Minister at the President's Office.
On 12 August the Civil Service Commission (CSC) said that all civil servants who have not completed two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine will be required to submit PCR negative tests every two weeks to report for work, from 1 September.
