Broadcom staff stage walkout after SG suspension

Employees at the Maldives Broadcasting Commission (Broadcom) staged a walkout and halted work on Wednesday following the temporary suspension of Secretary General Mariam Zeeniya.

The suspension, which took effect on Tuesday, followed a petition submitted by employees to Parliament expressing concerns about the conduct of some members of the commission. Zeeniya was suspended for three days over allegations of non-cooperation with commission decisions and for showing a lack of respect towards the commission.

The petition alleges interference by the commission chairperson and certain members in the duties of the Secretary General and department directors.

Head of Human Resources, Ahmed Rashid, said the decision to stop work and leave the office was made in protest over unresolved concerns and what employees view as unfair treatment.

Rashid stated that this was the first time in 14 years he had participated in such an action and noted several ongoing workplace issues. He said employees had been trying to improve working conditions through internal efforts.

He explained that the Secretary General’s suspension was only discovered by staff after it was reported in the media, adding that upon arriving at the office on Wednesday, the server was found to be down.

“There must be someone in place to lead the team. We stopped work because there was no one to provide direction today,” Rashid said.

He added that a key concern among staff is the perceived lack of trust and loyalty from some commission members. Despite this, he said employees remain committed to performing their duties with integrity.

Rashid also said that while employees may be viewed by some as lacking capacity, the experience of running Broadcom for 14 years demonstrates their ability to manage the institution. He called for commission members to treat employees with respect and fairness.