37 dismissed SOE employees file cases with employment tribunal
MDP has also launched a 24-hour helpline, 7341637, for people seeking assistance.
Thirty-seven employees dismissed from state-owned enterprises (SOEs) have filed cases with the Employment Tribunal challenging their termination, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said on Tuesday.
The cases follow a directive issued by the Privatisation and Corporatisation Board (PCB) in April requiring state-owned enterprises and the Ministry of Finance to reduce their workforce by 33 per cent within three months.
Speaking at a press conference, Hassan Latheef, Director General of the MDP's Bodu Badhalu Office, said the party was providing legal assistance to employees it believes were unlawfully dismissed.
According to Hassan, legal preparations are underway for 65 former employees, while 37 cases have already been filed with the Employment Tribunal.
He said MDP lawyers, together with volunteer legal professionals, are representing the affected workers throughout the legal process.
The party has also launched a 24-hour helpline, 7341637, for people seeking assistance.
"President Mohamed Muizzu bears the primary responsibility for this situation. He must be held accountable for subjecting citizens to such harsh treatment. Likewise, PCB President Mohamed Nizar must take responsibility," Hassan said.
He also called on the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) to investigate the dismissals and examine how the workforce reduction is being implemented.
"When such a vast number of citizens are put through such immense hardship, HRCM has a major duty to conduct a thorough investigation, obtain details on how the government is executing these layoffs, and take action—even through Parliament—to stop this process," he said.
Former MDP chairperson Fayyaz Ismail also addressed the press conference, warning that a 33 per cent reduction in the SOE workforce could result in more than 14,000 job losses.
He said decisions with such an impact on employment should not be implemented without long-term planning and measures to support affected workers.
