Prison-made products to be sold, inmates to receive profit share

Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusan announced plans to train inmates and develop their skills, with the intention of creating and pushing prison-made products to market and providing the inmates with a share of the profits generated from sales.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the "Dhivehi Sagaafee Goathi" [Maldivian Cultural Ground] at K. Maafushi Prison, Ihusan said that reviving, teaching, and fostering the love for Maldives' culture and cultural activities is a presidential pledge of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.

He added that plans have been put in place to sustainably implement this and that work is being done in line with President Muizzu's guidance.

He also said that rehabilitating inmates by incorporating nationalism and culture is a very important policy of the president and that the Sagaafee Goathi in Maafushi Prison is one of the biggest such projects.

"In accordance with the guidance given by the president, I believe that the work done by inmates will be sustainable by teaching them. And the work will generate income and some of that income will be paid directly to the inmates as salaries," he said.

The minister said they are looking into the possibility of selling these products from the prison, as well as the airport where tourists who visit the Maldives would be able to buy them.

He also added that the government's vision is to not have inmates locked up 24 hours of the day, but to make them productive individuals who reintegrate back into the community and become responsible citizens who look after their families.

The minister said that laws would be amended to make this possible.