From Indian announcement of establishing a consulate in Addu, to reduction in residential broadband internet prices, amendments to the Anti-Terror Law, and Health Minister saying no vaccines to be sought from China...
Lawmakers from Addu City voiced out support for the establishment of an Indian consulate in Addu, claiming it will strengthen business ties and help attract investments from India.
Minister of Finance Ibrahim Ameer on 27 May said that the economy was recovering to pre-COVID levels, with tourist arrival trends expected to do better than estimated, although risks are still high. He estimated growth to be between 13.5 percent and 24.1 percent. Minister of Finance says budget expenditure so far in the year is MVR10.2 billion, against revenue receipts of MVR7.1 billion. The Ministry of Finance says debt at 130 percent of GDP as at end-March. On 27 May, the Ministry of Finance announced that former World Bank acting Chief Economist Dr. Shanta Devarajan, has been appointed as the Minister's advisor.
The government announces reduction in residential broadband internet prices on 27 May, to be effective starting July 2021, with a cap on throttle speeds. Mobile broadband prices to be reduced effective October. Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Technology Aminath Shauna also says that the government has no plans to block Starlink when it launches.
The parliament on 29 May issued a statement raising concerns over detailed and sensitive information related to the security provided to Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed being published in a local newspaper. It said that this was information privy to security services and the leak of such information was against the Defence Act, as well as placing Speaker Nasheed and his family at risk. Journalist bodies in the country voiced concerns over the parliament announcing investigations, saying that source confidentially was guaranteed under the constitution and law. The parliament responded stating it was not investigating the media or its sources, but the possibility of a leak of security information from within the military.
The Attorney General's Office on 30 May announced amendments to the Anti-Terrorism Act that will allow police to arrest terror suspects without a court order and detain them for 48 hours.
Hisaan Hussain, Member of Parliament for Thulhaadhoo on 31 May sponsored a bill proposed by the government to amend provisions related to including hate crimes as an offence in the Penal Code. This includes criminalising labelling a Muslim as a non-Muslim. The amendment proposes classifying this offence as a class one felony, punishable with a maximum sentence of one year in prison. In response to public criticism over the amendment promoting mocking of religion, the Attorney General's Office on 1 June said it had submitted, to the President's Office to submit to the parliament, an amendment to the Penal Code to clearly define and expand existing provisions related to mocking Islam.
Minister of Health Ahmed Naseem, on 31 May in an interview to Times of India said the country was not considering obtaining the Sinopharm vaccine from China, although China had earlier donated 200,000 doses of the vaccine. On 2 June, the Maldives reports its youngest fatality to the disease, a 10-year old girl. Family alleges delays in health sector response for treatment, with the ambulance reportedly arriving at the scene two hours after initial calls.
