241 Committee to consider disclosing Speaker's residence staff numbers

Parliament Secretariat has stated that the number of employees at the Parliament Speakers' official residence, Maafannu Muraidhoo, will be disclosed only after the Committee on National Security Services (241) has reviewed the matter.

Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla moved to Muraidhoo last July following renovations. Mihaaru News on July 28, requested details on the renovation expenses, the number of employees at the residence, and their salary details.

Initially, the Parliament Secretariat responded on July 19, stating that no expenses were incurred by the parliament for the Speaker's move. However, the deadline for disclosing the number of employees was extended by 14 days to allow for further consideration.

In a follow up response on Tuesday, Parliament Secretariat Information Officer Ahmed Maan Assad said that the Parliamentary Privileges and Powers Act mandates additional consideration before disclosing staff numbers for security reasons. The matter is currently under review by the Committee on National Security Services (241), and the committee's decision will be communicated once available.

Although Waste Management Corporation Limited (WAMCO) confirmed the company had undertaken the renovation work at Muraidhoo, the source of the funds and the total expenditure for the renovation have not been disclosed.

Adam Haleem (Mundoo), a veteran journalist, is the Chief of Staff at Muraidhoo, holding the highest position at the state residence. Ali Ashfaq, a renowned Maldivian footballer, was appointed as the Director General of the official residence. However, details regarding the salaries for these positions are yet to be revealed.

Muraidhoo serves as the official State residence for the Speaker of Parliament, a decision made following the 2021 assassination attempt on former Speaker Mohamed Nasheed.