Male’, Maldives – Youth Minister Ahmed Mahloof has aided the only female taxi driver in Male’, Aminath Waheedha (Ainth) after her taxi was vandalized by a group of unknown people for the fifth time.
Minister Mahloof contacted and repaired the taxi driver’s car, when he came to know that the car had been vandalized and that the windshield of had been shattered. Ainth restarted her work as a taxi driver today, while thanking the Minister for his help.
“It is because of Minister Mahloof that I am able to resume my work this soon. If it were not for Minister Mahloof, I would not have anyway to earn income as my current situation does not allow me to fix the car myself” said Ainth.
Aminath Waheedha is the only female taxi driver currently working in greater Male’ area and this is the fifth time that her car has been vandalized. Ainth said that it costs around MVR 11,000 to MVR 14,000 to repair the car, each time it gets damaged, which she has taken on lease from someone else.
She further detailed that this time she has no way to pay for the repairs after paying rent, which cost MVR 18,000 and paying for electricity and water on top of that, as well as the expenses of her two kids. Ainth then said that if Minister Mahloof had not helped her, she would not have been able to make ends meet this month.
Ainth has previously accused her former husband and his friends for attacking her car but the person found from the CCTV footage this time, has not been identified and Ainth also does not know who the person is. Ainth said that the CCTV footage shown to her by the police shows the person breaking the windshield of the car using a large stone taken from infront of the Drug Court after previously trying to break it with a bag of rocks.
In addition to this, Ainth said that her concern is due to the fact that no-one is being punished for damaging her car so despite this being a repeated occurrence. She also said that the person on trial being released everytime due to lack of evidence is something that greatly saddens her. She has asked of the police to take proper actions this time as the perpetrator has been caught on camera during the act.
“Staying awake at night to watch the car due to the fear of it being vandalized and then doing the job in the morning is not something that is possible. I wish for a peaceful environment where i can do my job properly” said, Ainth.
