Monday
23rd Dec 2024
Dhivehi Edition
President Solih and Youth Minister Mahloof. Photo: President's Office.
The Maldives Journal submitted a Right to Information (RTI) request to the Youth Ministry of the Maldives, seeking disclosure of the names of political appointees within the ministry. Long after the deadline had passed, the ministry provided a list of appointees, but with all names redacted.
The ministry justified its decision by claiming that the names of political appointees are personal information and therefore cannot be revealed. According to the list, there are 77 political appointees, including the minister.
The ministry's decision to withhold the names has been met with criticism from various quarters. One Twitter user expressed concerns, stating, "Public servants cannot work for the public secretly, their salary, benefit details should be openly accessible to the taxpayers! This is not a private business."
Many government institutions in the Maldives have demonstrated a similar lack of transparency, often refusing to disclose information. It is worth noting that the country's ranking on Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index has dropped since President Solih assumed office.