Former President Mohamed Waheed resigned special envoy to the president after revelations of an extensive relationship with convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In a press statement, Waheed said any interactions between himself or his family and Epstein were strictly professional, occurred in the presence of individuals of official standing, and were never social or informal. He said he met Epstein to seek information, guidance and support, describing him at the time as one of the most influential fund managers and financial advisers in New York. Waheed said he was unaware of Epstein’s 2008 charge and subsequent imprisonment when he first met him, adding that he “failed to grasp the gravity of the felony conviction in 2008 and his potential deviancy.” He said his team failed to carry out the necessary due diligence ahead of the initial meeting, and expressed regret over any association with Epstein, stating that he would not have maintained any contact with him in any form had he known “the depraved individual Epstein was.”
The Pension Office board approved a proposal to sell MVR 2.4 billion (US$ 155.5 million) in treasury bonds to the central bank and use the proceeds to purchase additional bonds. It followed the resignation of chairman Ahmed Inaz, two board members and the Chief Financial Officer, all of whom objected to the plan and warned of damage to the economy. The pension office defended the move in a press statement, saying it would reinvest the funds in dual-currency treasury bonds with returns in US dollars, helping to diversify investments, boost portfolio returns and extend the average duration of its assets.
The higher education ministry launched a portal to streamline the disbursement of scholarships and student loans. The "Kuri" portal will allow students to track their financial transactions in real time, check eligibility for scholarships and funding schemes, and submit documentation digitally, the ministry said. Higher Education Minister Dr Ali Haidar acknowledged delays in the current system have disrupted students' education and created financial hardships. He said the portal is part of the government's Maldives 2.0 digitisation initiative.
A total of 111 cancer patients were registered last year, the lowest figure recorded in the past six years, according to statistics by the Health Protection Agency.
President Muizzu will undertake an official visit to Germany from February 9 to 13 at the invitation of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the President’s Office said. Muizzu is scheduled to hold talks with Steinmeier and senior German officials, and deliver keynote addresses at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and the German Council on Foreign Relations, focusing on climate change adaptation and the role of the ocean in foreign policy. The programme also includes a business forum bringing together stakeholders from both countries to explore investment opportunities in the Maldives.
The finance ministry instructed all government offices, through a circular, to upload the required documents for the Ramadan allowance by February 10 and to complete payment of the MVR 3,000 Ramadan allowance to civil servants by February 12.
The MDP accused the ruling PNC of attempting to pressure opposition candidates in the upcoming local council elections to withdraw by offering money and other benefits. MDP also criticised the Elections Commission for failing to clearly communicate the election timeline, including the final deadline for withdrawing candidacy. The party said the lack of clarity created space for the ruling party to exert pressure on candidates, and accused the commission of sharing information and data with the PNC.
