President Mohamed Muizzu has once again pledged to pay all pending bills owed to private businesses within the next five weeks after failing to meet two earlier deadlines to release the money.
In a post on X, Muizzu said payments due from both the government and state-owned companies would be cleared within the timeframe, provided claims were submitted in line with regulations.
Muizzu had previously promised that the money would be paid before November 2024 and again before Ramadan in January 2025. Both pledges were not fulfilled, leaving contractors waiting for overdue payments.
Former Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer said the government does not have the capacity to meet the new deadline either, noting that Muizzu’s previous assurances had also lapsed without action. He estimated that the finance ministry alone owes contractors at least MVR 8 billion.
Ameer added that state-owned companies also need to pay contractors but are running out of cash and cannot make payments without budget support. He said the failure to meet earlier promises shows the country’s finances are not being managed and the government is not receiving the revenue it expected.
The renewed pledge comes as the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) prepares for a mass protest against the government on Friday. Government offices have arranged activities, including sports and social gatherings, to limit participation.
Island Aviation Services Limited, the state-owned operator of the national airline Maldivian, has separately asked the Civil Court to freeze the MDP’s accounts, claiming the party owes it MVR 3.6 million for ticket purchases. The court has yet to issue a ruling.
Police and army officials held a meeting on Thursday ahead of the protest. Police, who held training exercises in Malé earlier this week, accused the MDP of planning riots, a charge the opposition dismissed.
The Adhaalath Party has announced it will join the MDP protest, scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m. in Malé.