Landhoo women hijack island council over non-payment of dues

Women from the island of Landhoo in Noonu Atoll have hijacked the island council office in protest of non-payment of dues owed for sweeping and cleaning the island.

Sun Online reports that about 50 women entered the administrative office and locked it at about 3:30pm today.

Landhoo Council Chair Mohamed Fayaz said that the disgruntled women appeared unlikely to leave the office.

The women claim that the council office owed them Rf19,000 (US$1,479) per month for the past six months. The decision to lock the council office was made after the national administrative office failed to come up with the money after promising to make the funds available within a week.

Councillor Fayaz meanwhile said that the women had informed him that they would only leave once the administrative office gave them assurances and “a guaranteed date for payment.”

In a similar incident, women from the island of Isdhoo-Kalhaidhoo in Laamu Atoll had protested the non-payment of dues last week.