State broadcaster Public Service Media (PSM) abruptly ended its prime-time programme Raajje Miadhu on Monday night after a Maldives National Association of Construction Industry (MNACI) board member criticised the government over unpaid dues to construction companies.
The programme, which typically runs for 50 minutes, was cut short to 23 minutes without explanation. No government events were scheduled that evening, a common reason previously cited for shortened broadcasts.
Mohamed Shakir, an MNACI board member, appeared on the programme and addressed the severe financial challenges facing the construction sector. He warned that delays in government payments for Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) projects are pushing the industry to the brink of collapse.
“The entire construction industry will be paralysed if the government continues to hold back payments to companies,” Shakir said. “Some of the largest companies have borrowed heavily from banks, and as they are unable to repay,”
Shakir, speaking on behalf of approximately 400 construction firms, urged the government to release the overdue payments immediately, warning of broader economic fallout.
He also raised concerns about the lack of enforcement and oversight in the industry, particularly regarding the misuse of construction equipment and the involvement of large foreign companies into smaller projects.
“Items imported for specific projects, like resort development, cannot be used elsewhere, and the same goes for heavy vehicles and machinery,” he said. “But these are being misused for financial and other illegal benefits because regulatory authorities are failing to monitor them.”
Shakir further alleged that some paper companies are exploiting the system to bring in foreign workers under false pretences, while certain resorts have illegally employed construction workers on tourist visas.
PSM, which is often criticised for broadcasting predominantly pro-government content, has not commented on why Raajje Miadhu was cut short.