Parliament of the Maldives has opened the employment petition submitted by resort employees who have lost their jobs for public comments.
The petition signed by 261 individuals have indicated a large number of resort workers have experienced dismissals, pay cuts and unpaid leaves due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The petition further stated families have been significantly impacted due to the measures from the employers.
During a time the government is making plans to open the borders for visiters, the public is urging resorts to enforce a policy formulated by the Ministry of Tourism, mandating all resorts to employ at least 45% of local staff. The petition submitted to the parliament states resorts must hire expatriates only after offering the opportunity to locals.