Fayyaz raises concerns over EPA shift under ministry

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been renamed the Environmental Regulatory Authority and will now operate directly under the Ministry of Tourism and Environment. The change follows a recommendation by a special governing board appointed by the President.

With this move, a new leadership position will be created to oversee the agency’s work under the ministry’s control.

Opposition Chairperson Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Fayyaz Ismail, expressed concern over the changes. In a post on X, he said the move is a step backward in protecting the environment. He warned that such sudden changes could damage investor confidence and hurt the economy. He also raised concerns that EPA’s independence had been compromised.

Responding to the criticism, Environment Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Ajwadh Musthafa told Mihaaru News that the EPA has not been dissolved. He explained that the name change reflects the agency’s role as a regulatory body, especially now that there is a dedicated environment ministry.

"EPA was always a regulatory body. We are only changing the name to better reflect that. The agency’s responsibilities and powers remain the same," Ajwadh said.

He added that the amendment is intended to speed up the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process for government development projects that need to be carried out urgently. However, the EIA procedures themselves will remain unchanged.