News Desk
MALE’, Maldives — The Maldives is now embroiled in a storm of a different kind. Unrelenting rain has kept air conditioners off in many households, yet an unexpected surge in electricity bills has sparked a wave of outrage across the island nation.
Maldivians have taken to social media, sharing snapshots of their electricity bills, juxtaposing them with previous months’ charges. The images tell a grim tale: inexplicable spikes, with some dubbing it “daylight robbery.” The discontent is palpable, culminating in a planned demonstration outside the headquarters of the State Electric Company Limited (STELCO) in Male’ tomorrow.
“Is this some kind of joke?” one resident tweeted, posting a picture of a bill that seemed almost doubled from the previous month. “We haven’t even used the ACs because of the rain!”
The discontent isn’t confined to Male’. Reports have surfaced from various islands, where even vacant homes received bills mimicking the previous month’s usage. According to the bills that’s seen by TruthMV, some apartments in Male’ that had been empty for over a month were still billed at unusually high rates. “No one lived in the apartment on the dates the readings were taken,” one frustrated resident noted.
STELCO has yet to provide an explanation, leaving many residents frustrated with the lack of action taken by the state electric company to address their concerns.
“Even if the heat was extreme and the house and meter caught fire, I don’t believe it would be this high. Explain why it is so high. “This is not political,” another resident commented on social media.
The public outcry has been particularly loud as the timing coincides with recent promises made by President Mohammed Muizzu to reduce electricity bills during Ramadan. Despite his assurances, bills sent in late April and early May have shown unprecedented increases.
Government officials have framed the discounts on electricity bills during Ramadan as ‘a gesture of the benevolent president’s goodwill’. However, many citizens see it differently.
The escalating situation has not only sparked social media debates but also stirred a public demonstration. Tomorrow’s planned protest at STELCO’s headquarters in Male’ is a testament to the growing frustration. Citizens are demanding transparency and immediate rectification of what they perceive as grossly inflated charges.
This wave of grievances is not just an isolated incident but rather indicative of a broader systemic issue within the Maldives’ utility management. There are whispers that the government, strapped for cash, might be leveraging utility bills as an alternative revenue stream. “There are thousands of political appointees, and with government coffers running dry, it seems they are finding alternative ways to confront the financial shortage by ripping the public,” said one Twitter user, capturing the prevailing sentiment.
As Maldivians prepare to voice their frustrations on the streets, the nation waits to see if their cries will bring about the much-needed transparency and fairness in their utility billing. The rainy season might keep the air conditioners off, but it has undoubtedly turned up the heat on STELCO and the government.
