Former Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) chairperson Fayyaz Ismail has said the government should hold the management of state-owned companies accountable for overstaffing before laying off employees.
His remarks came after the Privatization and Corporatization Board (PCB) last week instructed state-owned enterprises to reduce their workforce by 33% within three months.
Speaking at a press conference today, Fayyaz claimed the decision would result in more than 14,000 employees losing their jobs, adding that many of those affected were MDP supporters.
"It is about the income of at least 25,000 people. During the pandemic, we protected 22,945 people who had lost their jobs or whose companies could not pay their salaries," he said.
Fayyaz argued that if the PCB was citing "rightsizing" as the reason for the layoffs, it should first investigate why staffing levels had increased and hold those responsible accountable.
"Before dismissing employees, the people running these companies should be dismissed," he said.
He said the number of employees at state-owned companies had increased significantly over the past two years and claimed that reducing staff by 33% would return workforce levels to those at the end of the previous MDP administration.
Fayyaz also questioned whether the PCB's decision was based on the financial and operational needs of individual companies or whether it had been made under political direction from the government.
"If this is something Nizar [PCB President] is doing at the behest of someone else, he should resign," Fayyaz said.
He further alleged that around 90 percent of those being dismissed belonged to families that support the MDP, raising concerns that the layoffs were politically motivated.
Fayyaz said the MDP would work to seek justice for those affected and expressed concern that state institutions had remained silent despite the impact the layoffs could have on people's livelihoods.
He added that those responsible for what he described as an injustice would eventually be held accountable.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu announced plans to reduce staffing at state-owned enterprises following the local council elections as part of broader reforms. On 17 April, then Finance Minister Moosa Zameer instructed the PCB to reduce staffing levels at state-owned companies by 33% to improve their management and efficiency.
