Government cuts costs of foreign missions, sacks staff

The government is cutting the costs of its 13 overseas missions, Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Abdul Samad Abdulla told local media today.

“Foreign mission expenses are very high. In addition to the salaries, a large sum is spent on rent for officials,” Samad said, noting that the Maldives spent MRV 3.5 million (US$227,000) a year just on rent for some employees based overseas.

As well as curtailing maintenance of some missions, Samad said Councillor at the high commission in Malaysia, Hassan Khalid, and Deputy High Commissioner of the Maldives to India Khadeeja Ibrahim had also been dismissed “after serious deliberation”, Samad said,