Resort owners in the Maldives have announced that they will not comply with the government’s order to charge $500 per guest to generate dollars to cover the government’s rising expenditures. The opposition has highlighted that Dr. Muizzu’s administration is unique for having appointed twenty ministers as deputy ministers, resulting in the country having the highest number of government employees per capita globally. The World Bank and the IMF are the two financial institutions that have assisted in the country, but they have repeatedly urged the government to cut public spending and reduce the workforce.
Mohammed Musa Champa, also known as Uchchu, owns the most significant number of resorts and financial institutions in the Maldives, has openly rejected the order directed at resort owners. According to various media reports, the government is increasing taxes and cutting insurance to manage government expenditures. This situation echoes events from 2010 when the military and police ousted then-President Mohammed Nasheed. Political analysts predict the Muizzu government may experience civil unrest due to these financial pressures.
