Whistleblower Unit slaps Maldives Post with landmark first fine

It was the first penalty from the independent unit set up under the Human Rights Commission by the 2019 whistleblower protection law. The unit has the power to impose fines not exceeding MVR 1 million for non-compliance with orders.

Anti-corruption NGO Transparency Maldives welcomed the “encouraging” move by the unit to exercise its powers to protect whistleblowers.

“When people can see that the unit is proactively offering protection, they will feel more encouraged to come forward and report any wrongdoing,” Asiath Rilweena, Executive Director of Transparency Maldives, told the Maldives Independent. 

“At the same time, the whistleblower protection unit itself needs more support to establish necessary frameworks and fully carry out their mandate. State institutions, including government companies as well as private companies, must implement guidelines and frameworks at an institutional level to provide proper protection to whistleblowers."

The post office was fined last Thursday for violating an order to suspend action against an employee, allegations that the company has denied as completely unfounded.

The Whistleblower Protection Unit's action came after the watchdog learned of plans to retaliate against the employee for lodging a complaint with the unit, HRCM spokesman Zajil Shaheed told the Maldives Independent. 

Last week, the unit ordered the Maldives Post to halt disciplinary action against an employee in the business development and marketing department, pending the outcome of an ongoing Anti-Corruption Commission probe, according to media reports.

But the post office terminated the employee and defied a second order for reinstatement.

A complaint alleging wide-ranging abuses by Maldives Post Managing Director Ahmed Shafeeq and senior officials was submitted to the Anti-Corruption Commission last October, Adhadhu reported at the time.

The whistleblower accused the Maldives Post leadership of improper compensation practices, manipulating board meetings for personal gain, nepotistic hiring and promotions, creating positions for specific individuals, establishing services that created business conflicts of interest, violating procurement protocols, and falsifying attendance records.

According to the complaint, Shafeeq was paid a salary above his authorised level for B-category companies. The managing director was also accused of manipulating company operations for personal gain, canceling board meetings to serve his personal interest, and arranging promotions for staff with personal connections through "internal recruitment."

Other alleged corrupt recruitment practices included altered mark sheets to favour candidates with close ties to senior officials and hires in direct violation of Privatisation Board directives to reduce costs.

Executive Director Mohamed Ahmed was specifically named in multiple allegations. His position had been created through a targeted vacancy announcement tailored for the specific appointment, the whistleblower alleged. Mohamed Ahmed allegedly benefited from unnecessary hires and from the creation of the "Etukuri Plus" online shopping and delivery service, which was alleged to have benefited his private business interests. 

The complaint flagged unjustified mobile phone restrictions for mail operations staff and improper single-source procurement for contracts without mandatory competitive bidding processes. Moreover, the Maldives Post shop at the Velana International Airport facilitated business for a specific commercial party, the whistleblower alleged.

The anti-graft watchdog was unavailable at the time of publication for comment concerning the ongoing investigation.

On Saturday, the Maldives Post denied dismissing an employee for whistleblowing, dismissing media reports to the contrary as "complete lies."

The recent termination of an employee was entirely due to disciplinary issues and poor performance despite a "performance improvement plan" and multiple warnings during a 10-month tenure, the post office said.

The six-page press statement characterised the whistleblower as a disgruntled former staff with personal grievances stemming from a rejection for the Company Secretary post and the failure to make short lists for other senior roles during the probation period. 

The employee in question was accused of sending a "dignitary" to threaten the managing director and demand a promotion and office space, the statement alleged.

The Maldives Post addressed the six allegations raised by the whistleblower complaint and sought to deflect blame to the previous management. It flatly denied corrupt hiring practices, accusing the former leadership of having recruited 49 people without merit. In contrast, the current management has implemented proper procedures as directed by the Privatisation and Corporatisation Board, it added.

The statement attributed several corrupt practices to the previous management: questionable single-source maintenance contracts, manipulation of attendance records to avoid salary deductions, and an improper agreement (since terminated) with a Quran class to supply goods to the Maldives Post shop at the airport. Parties with financial interests in terminated agreement were behind the present allegations, the statement suggested.

The managing director was not paid an inflated salary and he did not promote staff with close personal ties, the press statement continued, disputing suggestions that the leadership was unqualified and describing senior staff as veteran officials with bachelors and masters degrees from foreign universities and a long history of service across multiple managements.