Minister of Youth, Sports, and Community Empowerment Ahmed Mahloof has stated Maldives Sports Corporation Limited needs to be shut down immediately.
Speaking at a parliamentary sitting, Minister Mahloof said the corporation has done nothing useful since its establishment under the Sports Act. The minister highlighted that no other country has such a corporation and said the company has repeatedly failed to complete tasks handed to it.
Mahloof said the corporation was tasked with building outdoor gyms in 67 islands within three months but had only managed to complete the project after a year-and-a-half. He added the company had failed to unload the goods imported for the project on time and had requested the President's Office to resolve the demurrage fees.
Furthermore, Minister Mahloof said the sports ministry currently works with other companies, as the Sports Corporation lacks the capacity. The minister also noted the Sports Corporation is headquartered in an office at the National Football Stadium, which is established for employees of the sports ministry.
He expressed concerns that the Sports Corporation is using the ministry's office space while not being affiliated with the ministry. He highlighted that Commissioner of Sports Heena Ahmed Saleem and members of the sports associations still lack the necessary office space for their work.
The current Chairman of the Sports Corporation is the former General Secretary of the Volleyball Association of the Maldives Hussain Mohamed, and the Managing Director is the former goalkeeper of the national football team Mauroof Ahmed.
At the sitting, Minister Mahloof said he does not question the leadership of the senior company officials and that he is only concerned with the company's mandate. He said the senior company officials can be more effective if they work for the sports ministry instead of the sports corporation.