President says will retain all possible Fenaka staff
The President said it is believed that the employees were hired for campaign purposes, without any designated work.
By
Ahmed Naif
President Mohamed Muizzu has said that some of the Fenaka Corporation employees who were hired as contract employees during the previous government will not have their contracts renewed after expiry due to the current situation of the company. He did say that he would not let go of any employee he could afford to keep.
The opposition MDP has moved an emergency motion in the Parliament on Tuesday alleging that many employees hired by Fenaka are being dismissed during Muizzu’s government.
In the debate on the issue, MDP members said they would think twice about approving President Muizzu's ministers if he did so
Asked about the criticism at a press conference held at the President's Office to announce cabinet decisions, President Muizzu said that Fenaka debt was very high and some expenditure had to be cut to counteract it.
Noting that no permanent employees are being laid off, the President said the management of Fenaka decided not to renew the contracts of temporary employees who were contracted during the election period after their contracts expire in November. The President said it is believed that the employees were hired for campaign purposes, without any designated work.
"I would have told them to renew any employees who could barely be afforded now. To try to take them on without letting them go, if it was at all possible." he said.
Going into more details of the problems faced by Fenaka, the President said that some islands where Fenaka projects are not being implemented have hired employees enough to burden the company. The President said that no company can keep employees who are not necessary for the company's operations.
"You can't hire and keep employees in a island without a project or work. That's why their contracts were not renewed when it expired in other islands," he said.
"This is not irresponsibility”.
The president asked the opposition if not renewing contracts of some contractual employees of Fenaka was enough to not approve the cabinet. He said that even in civilised countries of the world, ministers are not approved for reasons that are sufficiently popular.
"In my heart, political parties in the country will be very responsible. The opposition in the country will be responsible. It is up to the Parliament, everyone, to move forward in such a sensitive time. I don't think any political party will work on any other ideology," he said.
