Environment Ministry's 31 Political Appointees Cost Over MVR 800,000 Monthly

The government of the Maldives has been revealed to be spending over MVR 800,000 monthly on political appointees in the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Technology. This information was obtained through a Right to Information (RTI) request submitted by The Maldives Journal to the ministry, which disclosed the details of the appointments.

According to the ministry, there are currently 31 political appointees holding various positions, including:

4 Executive Directors
14 Senior Executive Directors
6 Deputy Ministers
4 State Ministers
1 Personal Assistant to the Minister

The total monthly expenditure on salaries for these appointees amounts to MVR 879,464, which equates to an annual cost of MVR 10.5 million. Many of these appointments were made during the internal elections of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's administration has come under scrutiny for having more than 2,000 political appointees across various departments. Critics argue that such appointments represent a burden on the nation's finances and call for increased transparency and accountability in the selection process.