Maldives Ministry of Economic Development has planned to extend the business operating by 24 hours for restaurants, cafes and shops.
Deputy to Economic Minister, Adam Thaufeeq has confirmed that the ministry was currently attending the prerequisites for fully implementing a 24-hour operation for the said businesses.
According to Thaufeeq the ministry is assessing and finalizing a comprehensive guideline and regulation for businesses to operate for 24 hours.
Cafe and restaurant ventures along with several wholesaler and retailer outlets previously were granted a 24-hour business operation permit under former president Mohamed Nasheed's administration.
However the 24-hour business operation was slashed off from all local ventures after Nasheed's regime change while under incumbent president Abdulla Yameen's earlier years of presidency the operating hours for local retailer and wholesaler outlets was slashed off another hour - thus making the closing time 22:00hrs instead of 23:00hrs.
At a time when Economic Ministry is planning to grant several local ventures the license to operate their businesses for 24 hours, the ministry had also expanded gas station as well as cafe and restaurant operating hours.
Under the newly implemented change to business operating hours cafes and restaurants can be opened until 01:00hrs instead of 00:00hrs.
