Malé, Maldives – President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has dissolved the Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology as of today.
The Communications Ministry is now combined with the Ministry of environment as the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology.
The newly formed Ministry under the leadership of Aminath Shauna will be be mandated with undertaking the functions and responsibilities of the dissolved Communications Ministry. The staff would also be transferred to the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology.
The Communications Ministry was dissolved after former Communications Minister Maleeh was removed from office through a no confidence vote by the parliament of Maldives. After this, the Minister of Economic Development, Fayyaz Ismail was appointed as the acting Minister of Communication, Science and Technology on 1 May 2021.
Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology was heavily criticized by the public on multiple occasions due to the issues pertaining to the internet services and prices of internet in the Maldives.
While the incumbent government’s Strategic Action Plan (SAP) states that efforts to lower internet prices will begin in the year 2022, little progress has been made on the front.
The President dissolved the Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology under powers vested upon him in Article 116 of the Constitution of the Republic of Maldives.
