Information Commissioner's Office (iCom) has said that their staff are forced to work in two shifts due to space constraints and the rundown condition of their current offices.
Information Commissioner's Office (iCom) has said that their staff are forced to work in two shifts due to space constraints and the rundown condition of their current offices.
In the 2024 Annual Report released by iCom today, they said that the offices had been moved to G. Billoorijehige in 2015 after having major renovations done. However, within a short period, water leaks resume near the bathroom and tearoom in the office, leading to extensive mold on the walls.
The report says that despite multiple repairs, the office falls to its previous rundown state within a few days.
It said that in addition to the bathroom and tearoom, it has now become difficult to use the office's meeting room as well, due to the same reason. Water leakage into the meeting room from the western wall has led to the carpet being damaged, as well as leaving an unpleasant odour from the dirty water.
The report said that iCom has been appealing to relevant authorities to facilitate a solution to this since January 2017, with no solutions found as seven years have now passed since the initial request.
Once the Finance Ministry granted permission to seek office space in 2024, efforts were commenced. However, as the bid price exceeds MVR 7.6 million, on November 19, 2024 it was sent to the Finance Ministry for approval in accordance with the Public Finance Act. It was then stated that the Tender Board will announce seeking office spaces for iCom. However, no such announcements have been made to date, the report states.
As the condition of the current offices poses a health risk, and due to difficulties in using the bathroom and tearoom, staff currently attend office in two shifts.
One shift is from 8am to 11am, while the second shift is from 11am to 2pm.
Those who are not physically in office, work from home, the report said, adding that this is not conducive to maximum productivity. Space constraints in the office also force some staff members to work out of the meeting room, further adding to challenges.
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