Health Ministry officials to be summoned to committee over failure to draft Food Safety Act regulations

The Parliament's Secondary Legislation Committee on Monday passed a motion to summon senior officials from the Health Ministry regarding the failure to formulate essential regulations mandated under the Food Safety Act.

In a letter addressed to Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla on March 8, North Galolhu MP Mohamed Ibrahim highlighted that, out of the 20 regulations required to be established under the Food Safety Act—which was ratified on May 23, 2024, and came into effect three months later—only four have been gazetted.

The letter further noted that the statutory timeframe for drafting these regulations ranges from three to six months following the implementation of the Act. However, despite the expiration of these deadlines, the majority of the required frameworks remain incomplete. As such, Kudoo requested the Committee to intervene and obtain a definitive timeline from the Health Ministry for the completion of the incomplete regulations.

The motion to summon Ministry officials was formally proposed by Manadhoo MP Husnee Mubarik during Monday’s Committee session, and seconded by the Velidhoo MP constituency Mohamed Abbas. The motion was unanimously approved by the members in attendance.

The Food Safety Act, ratified by President Mohamed Muizzu, constitutes a key legislative framework aimed at ensuring that all food produced, consumed, imported, or exported in the Maldives complies with stringent safety and hygiene standards. The Act also seeks to safeguard public health by maintaining food quality and establishing the standards and procedures to be followed by food service providers and establishments nationwide.