President Dr Mohamed Muizzu on Monday officially inaugurated the new headquarters building of the Maldives Correctional Service (MCS), marking a significant milestone for the nation's correctional system.
The state-of-the-art facility, located in the first phase of Hulhumale', represents a strategic move from previously rented accommodations to a permanent, dedicated asset owned by the service.
The opening ceremony was attended by a distinguished gathering, including Internal Security and Technical Minister Ali Ihsan, Commissioner of Prisons Hussain Zareer, as well as numerous corrections officials, officers, and employees. During the event, President Muizzu signed the guest book and inspected the various facilities housed within the new headquarters, engaging with staff and observing the operational infrastructure.
Speaking during the ceremony, Commissioner of Prisons Hassan Zareer described the facility as a new era of resource security and operational efficiency for MSC.
Hassan Zareer highlighted the severe resource constraints faced by the service in recent years, noting that the MCS previously had to rent six separate buildings simply to maintain its administrative functions.
The Commissioner pointed to the extensive financial burden and practical difficulties of relying on scattered, inadequate facilities.
"Before [MCS] was running an office in PSM’s Block A. There was not enough space to run the office. The state spent USD 713,359 on the renovation," he said, illustrating the high costs incurred merely to manage cramped conditions.
Marking a significant institutional upgrade, the Commissioner confirmed that crucial operational assets are being procured for the first time in MCS’s history, including five new official vehicles and two ambulances. Hassan Zareer emphasised the immediate practical benefit of this investment, noting that staff currently rely on buggies to transport sick inmates to the hospital. The new fleet, he said, would solve this operational bottleneck, facilitate service delivery, and improve the standard of care.
The MCS currently manages the security for three primary prisons nationwide, in addition to overseeing several immigration detention centres. Official figures confirm the wide scope of the MSC’s responsibility, showing that of the 1,718 total prisoners currently held in the Maldives, 1,591 are incarcerated in correctional facilities.
Spanning an area of approximately 12,000 square feet, the two-storey building is designed to consolidate and enhance the MCS's administrative and operational capabilities. It now houses a multitude of critical sections, including the Office of the Commissioner, Media and Public Relations, Administration, Procurement, Budget and Finance, Offender Service Division, Information Technology Division, Rehabilitation and Reintegration Command, Parole Office, Healthcare Service Division, Professional Standard, Legal Service Section, Uniform Service Section, Central Security Command, and Transport Service Section.
The establishment of this fully-owned headquarters is a major improvement for the Maldives Correctional Service, which was founded on 31 December 2013, under the Prisons and Parole Act of the Maldives.
Operating from its own premises is expected to significantly boost efficiency, streamline operations, and reinforce the government's commitment to modernising and strengthening correctional services across the archipelago.