Convicts building China ‘friendship bridge’ roads

Inmates are building roads that will connect the capital to the US$200 million China-Maldives Friendship Bridge, local media reported.

About 20 convicts were deployed on Saturday for the redevelopment work of the ring road around Malé, according to Mihaaru Daily.

Photos showed prisoners in orange jumpers moving construction material while prison guards patrolled the area.

Although convicts are made available for state-owned enterprises, this is the first time they are working in an open environment in Malé.

A Maldives Correctional Service spokesman told the Maldives Independent that convicts were sometimes contracted to work for a daily allowance according to MCS regulations.

Prisons commissioner Ahmed Shiaan previously said that those convicts who got contracted were the “obedient” ones.

“Every day when the work is done, they are taken to Hulhumalé jail. The industrial employment work is done through our commercial component. All the expenses related to the transportation and protection are monitored and managed by our cooperative society,” he told Mihaaru.

The Malé ring road is being widened and redeveloped from the south western end to the north eastern end in anticipation of the completion of the China-backed bridge, which will connect the airport island of Hulhulé and Malé’s suburb Hulhumalé with Malé.

Photo: Mihaaru