Thursday
19th Dec 2024
Dhivehi Edition
Youth Minister Ahmed Mahloof.
Partial disclosure of financial statements has shown that Ahmed Mahloof, Minister of Youth, Sports & Community Empowerment, has spent over MVR 800,000 (US$ 52,117.62) on travel since assuming office.
Dhiyares had filed a Right to Information request with Information Commissioner’s Office of the Maldives (iCOM), seeking to find the details of travel spend since the Minister took office.
The Ministry had disclosed expenditure on 10 trips.
As per Ministry’s disclosure, the state had spent US$ 51,961 (MVR 802,798) on six trips in 2019, three trips in 2021, and one trip this year.
- Breakdowns for 2019 trips:
- - Trip to Nepal to attend South Asian Games opening ceremony: US$ 6,445 (MVR 98,930.75)
- - Invitational trip to Switzerland given by Federation International Volleyball President: US$ 8,536 (MVR 131,027.60)
- - Trip to Belgrade, on invitation from Serbian Youth Minister: US$ 1,782.48 (MVR 27,361.07)
- - AFC Asia Cup UAE 2019 opening ceremony: US$ 360 (MVR 5,526.00)
- - World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth 2019 and Youth Forum trips to Lisbon: US$ 8,463 (MVR 129,907.05)
- - Trips to Mauritius, Kenya, Comoros, Reunion, Madagascar, Seychelles to drum up support to hold Indian Ocean Island Games 2023 in Maldives (accompanied by President’s Representative Abdullah Shahid): US$ 14,070.48 (MVR 215,981.87)
- Trips carried out in 2021
- - Dubai Expo participation: US$ 6,467 (MVR 99,268.45)
- - Invitational trip to Bahrain, extended by Bahraini Youth Minister: US$ 3,369 (MVR 51,714.15)
- - Four Nation’s Football tournament in Sri Lanka: US$ 180 (MVR 2,763.00)
The state also spent US$ 2,289 (MVR 35,136.15) on Minister Mahloof to travel to India to engage in dialogue with the Mumbai team in charge of building sports facilities under the line of credit extended by the Indian government. In this trip the Minister also observed some of the existing facilities created by the Mumbai team.
While the Ministry had not opted for full disclosure, it is believed that these figures are on the lower end of the expenditure scale.
While the Ministry had not opted for full disclosure, it is believed that these figures are on the lower end of the expenditure scale.