- The MFDA's draft regulation sets professional and ethical conduct standards for food inspectors, with fines up to MVR 100,000.
- Inspectors would monitor food imports and establishments, investigate complaints, and could detain, destroy or return prohibited food.
- New inspectors need A/L qualifications, food safety training and bilingual fluency, plus rules on conflicts of interest and misconduct.
A draft regulation prepared by the Maldives Food and Drug Authority would establish formal conduct requirements for food inspectors, with penalties of up to MVR 100,000 for breaches of professional and ethical standards.
The proposed rules set out inspectors’ duties in monitoring food imports, exports and establishments involved in producing or selling food in the Maldives. Inspectors would be required to ensure compliance with the Food Safety Act, investigate public food-safety complaints and take action against violations.
The regulation would also give inspectors authority to detain imported food, order its destruction or return it to the sender where the MFDA considers it prohibited or requires further analysis.
Inspectors appointed under the rules would receive an official pass or identification document. New inspectors would generally need GCE A/L qualifications, Basic Food Safety Training or a higher certificate, and fluency in both Dhivehi and English. Those who have served at the MFDA for at least 10 years would be exempt from these requirements.
The draft also places restrictions on conflicts of interest. Inspectors would have to withdraw from inspections involving establishments where they have employment, ownership, shareholding or close family connections, and notify the MFDA in writing.
Inspectors would be barred from providing false information, seeking financial benefit, issuing licences to non-compliant food establishments without inspection, or interfering with evidence collected during inspections.
Depending on the seriousness of the breach, the MFDA would be able to impose fines ranging from MVR 5,000 to MVR 100,000.
The proposed regulation forms part of wider government efforts to strengthen food-safety oversight and expand technical capacity for food monitoring and testing across the country.
