The civil service employees of the Ministry of Dhivehi language, Culture and Heritage have sent a letter to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu requesting a meeting to share their concerns due to challenges after a petition was raised.
In the letter, the employees said that the petitioners were being isolated and harassed and requested the President to meet with them and listen to their concerns.
"A ministry of the state is operating like a boat without a direction, without any rules of conduct, but we would like to note that this ministry has the necessary staff [civil] who wish to reform these issues and strengthen the responsibilities entrusted to this ministry," the letter stated.
The letter said the ministry was created by the President for a special purpose but it has become a ministry that exists only to celebrate special occasions.
The letter also shared the difficulties faced by civil servants and highlighted irregularities within the ministry.
It noted that the ministry was not obeying orders to cut expenditures and that the keys to the offices were being kept in the homes of some employees against the rules.
During a press conference at the President’s Office on September 16, Minister of Dhivehi language, Culture and Heritage Adam Naseer said no employee of the ministry had officially approached him with the complaints in the petition.
However, the employee named in the petition was a very diligent and hard-working employee, Naseer said.
The employees submitted a letter to the President on September 25, but the President’s Office has not yet responded.
Statements have been taken from four employees so far following the petition submitted to the Civil Service Commission.
Adhadhu requested for the number of political employees at the ministry from November 17, 2023 to May 1, 2024 under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The ministry said there were 35 political employees.
