President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has stated the administration is working to repatriate 1,500 undocumented workers.
Addressing the nation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, President Solih said a large number of expatriate workers in the Maldives are vulnerable and prone to the infection given that the majority of them in Male' City stays in overcrowded accommodations. He said prompt measures are underway to alleviate the conditions of these expatriate workers.
Highlighting the overcrowded expatriate accommodations is the biggest challenge in mitigating the spread, President Solih said 3,000 expatriates are to be moved to accommodation blocks at Gulhifalhu, Hulhumale', and Vilivaru. The president further said 1,500 unregistered Bangladeshi citizens will be repatriated as many of them lack an official document and do not have an income or a place to live. He stated the issue of undocumented workers in the Maldives is a case of negligence which has accumulated to a huge concern over time.
One of the major decisions of the government to contain the spread of COVID-19 is relocating expatriate workers living in overcrowded accommodations.