Author: Ahmed Naish

Voter lists put up at polling stations with ID card photos

Voter lists for today’s council elections have been placed at polling stations for the first time with national identity card photos, prompting complaints from women with face veils.

Speaking at an Elections Commission (EC) press conference this afternoon, EC President Fuwad Thowfeek said photos were included in the eligible voters registry placed outside each polling station as a safeguard to prevent fraud.

“Even though this is something new that we introduced, in most countries, photos of voters are included in the voters list,” Thowfeek said.

Photos of all eligible voters were provided by the Department of National Registration (DNR) from its identity card database with the exception of 1,170 photos, Thowfeek said.

The voters list used in previous elections only included name, address, ID card number and date of birth.

EC member Ali Mohamed Manik said the EC decided to make the lists with ID card photos in the interest of ensuring transparency.

“There are a lot of foreigners living in the country. As there could be a chance for foreigners to vote using ID cards, this was done to prevent that and facilitate the right to vote for Maldivians,” he said.

Manik said the commission has officially received two complaints so far from women in cases where the ID card photos were taken before they wore face veils.

The official in charge of the Elections Complaints Bureau noted that a number of women who wear the hijab were also phoning in complaints about their photos being made public.

“Concerning these complaints, we brought it to the attention of the commission’s members and informed [polling stations] to cover with a piece of paper the photos of people who insist on taking it down,” he said.

He added that voters had an “individual responsibility” to update photos at the DNR after wearing the hijab.

Local media outlet CNM has meanwhile reported that some religious scholars have objected to the photos of women with face veils made public by the EC.

NGO Salaf preacher Sheikh Adam Shameem told the news website that making the photos public was demeaning to the women in question and called to punish those responsible.

Adhaalath Party President Sheikh Imran Abdulla also contended that the practice was contrary to Islamic principles and infringed on the rights of veiled women.

Among other complaints submitted to the EC included two cases where marked ballot papers were displayed, complaints regarding pens with fading ink and complaints over the conduct of election officials.

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President Yameen reiterates campaign pledges ahead of local council elections

President Abdulla Yameen reiterated the Progressive Party of Maldives’ (PPM) pledges at a campaign rally in Addu City last night ahead of Saturday’s local council election, urging voters to choose candidates willing to work with the government.

Addressing supporters in Hithadhoo, President Yameen vowed to fulfil the PPM’s pledge to provide MVR10,000 a month to fishermen during lean months, and to raise old age benefits from MVR2,700 to MVR5,000 a month before the end of the year.

“But I said even then [during the presidential election], these things are not done out of the state budget. MVR2,700 a month is given to all persons over the age of 65 from the state’s budget. In addition to money given from the state budget, what I said was that there are large amounts of money in various state funds,” Yameen said.

“If this money is handed over to a fund manager to earn a better income, an adequate profit could be made from it. It is from this that the MVR5,000 I mentioned could be distributed,” he explained.

The old age pension could not have been increased in the state budget as parliament has not approved any of the government’s revenue raising measures, Yameen contended.

The Fisheries Ministry has meanwhile begun registering fishermen, Yameen continued, after which the scheme for providing MVR10,000 a month would be launched.

Fishermen would have to pay about MVR80 to MVR90 a month as a deposit to a fund, he explained, out of which MVR10,000 would be distributed during months when fishing is poor.

“But I should have the opportunity to do this, shouldn’t I? It is the public that gives me the opportunity. The public gives this opportunity through the councillors and members of parliament you elect,” he said, urging voters to choose PPM or government-aligned candidates in the upcoming elections.

Regardless of political affiliation or ideology, he added, the public should ensure that MPs “do not say no to projects that are beneficial to the people,” which was not the case at present with MPs of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

Opposition MPs should vote for the budget and enable the executive to enact its economic policies, Yameen contended, as the government was elected by a majority of the public with implicit endorsement of its policies.

Refusing to approve ministerial appointees or pass legislation did not amount to “holding the government accountable,” he argued.

Addu City development

A number of infrastructure projects for the southernmost atoll was included in the 2014 budget, Yameen said, including establishing sewerage systems, providing clean water, and upgrading powerhouses.

Moreover, he added, the Addu International Airport at Gan would become “a seaplane hub” that transports tourists to nearby atolls.

As a foreign company has won the bid for the Herethera Resort, Yameen said further jobs would be created, whilst more tourism projects for Addu City were in the pipeline.

The government has also invited bids for the Equatorial Convention Center – which was at present an “eyesore” that was “not utilised for any purpose” – to be developed as “a city hotel complex,” Yameen said.

“We’re talking about thousands of jobs. We’re talking about economic development. We’re not talking about mariculture in a small lagoon here. We are talking about projects, a vision for economic progress,” he said.

Noting that MVR300 million (US$19 million) was allocated for the youth ministry, Yameen also pledged to establish a sports complex in each ward of Addu City this year.

High youth employment and sports facilities were necessary to reduce crime, he stressed.

If the government’s efforts were not obstructed, Yameen said, the country would undergo an “economic transformation” with GDP per capita doubled in the next five years and tourist arrivals reaching 5 million a year.

“Vote for the scale”

Former President Mohamed Nasheed has meanwhile been campaigning in Male’ for MDP candidates from the capital.

Speaking at a campaign event in Maafanu last week, Nasheed urged the public to “vote for the scale [MDP logo]” to preserve and consolidate democracy.

The choice was between the unjust and oppressive practices of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s 30-year reign and the “rapid development” and social security of the MDP’s three years in government, Nasheed contended.

“Do you want equality or for the riches of the nation to be left to a wealthy few? Do you want to maintain individual liberty or lose your freedom of expression and freedom of assembly saying it is for the good of the society?” he asked.

“Do you want the path to development becoming clear through political parties and peaceful political activity or do you want an authoritarian family rule?”

Nasheed called on voters to choose MDP to “reform and improve the condition of this country.”

“It is not possible to do it in one election. Outmoded principles and traits entrenched through the ages can only be changed in this country by repeatedly voting for the scale,” he said.

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Former Finance Minister, MACL Chairman facing corruption charges

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has asked the Prosecutor General’s (PG) office to press corruption charges against former Finance Minister Ahmed Inaz, former Maldives Airports Company Ltd (MACL) Chairman ‘Bandhu’ Ibrahim Saleem, and former members of the company’s board of directors.

The senior officials of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) government are accused of incurring financial losses to the state by amending the concession agreement with Indian infrastructure giant GMR to develop and manage the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA), the ACC said in a statement today.

The agreement was changed upon request by the Finance Ministry to reduce the concession fee on jet fuel sales from 15 percent of revenue to one percent, resulting in a shortfall of MVR53.8 million (US$3.5 million).

The ACC investigation found that the finance ministry disregarded professional advice over changing the clauses.

In addition to two counts of corruption charges, the ACC also asked the PG office to seek damages from the former minister, chairman, and board members as the alteration was approved with unanimous consent of the MACL board.

Along with Inaz and Saleem, former board members Mohamed Ibrahim of H. Noomuthy, Mohamed Waheed of Ma. Fehiali, Ahmed Murad of Ma. Bluegrass, Mohamed Shaz Waleed, Mohamed Shafeeq Mahmood of G. Meadow, and Adam Rasheed Ahmed of G. Thalvaaruge are also facing prosecution.

Concession agreement

GMR, in a consortium with Malaysia Airports Holding Berhad (MAHB), narrowly won the International Finance Corporation (IFC)-managed bid for the airport in 2010, and signed a 25-year agreement with MACL under the government of former President Mohamed Nasheed.

The then-opposition, including the Progressive Party of the Maldives, Jumhooree Party, Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party and Adhaalath Party, opposed the agreement primarily on nationalistic grounds, and alleged corruption in the bidding process.

Following the controversial transfer of presidential power in February 2012, after which opposition parties assumed control of the government, the administration of President Dr Mohamed Waheed declared the concession agreement ‘void ab initio’ (invalid from the outset), and gave GMR seven days’ notice to leave the country.

Meanwhile, in December 2012, the ACC sought corruption charges against former Finance Minister Mohamed Shihab and the MACL chairman over the decision to allow GMR to deduct a US$25 Airport Development Charge (ADC), stipulated in the contract, from concession fees owed to the state.

A report by the Auditor General found that concession revenue due the government had plummeted fourfold as a result of a Civil Court ruling that blocked the developer’s charging of of the US$25 ADC, on the grounds it was a tax and therefore required parliamentary approval.

According to the report, net concession revenue to the government had fallen to just US$6,058,848 in 2012, compared to US$25,424,877 in 2011.

Rather than appeal the Civil Court verdict obstructing the ADC, “The new government took the view that it would not be proper for it to intervene in the legal process for the benefit of a private concern,” the report noted, and instead, on April 19, 2012, informed the developer it was “retracting the previous agreement [to offset the ADC] on the grounds that the then Chairman of MACL did not have the approval of the MACL board to make the agreement.”

The government received US$525,355 from the airport for the first quarter of 2012, compared to the US$8.7 million it was expecting.

In the second quarter GMR presented MACL with a bill for US$1.5 million, and in the third quarter, US$2.2 million.

The Auditor General’s report acknowledged allegations of corruption in the deal, but finding the evidence “not conclusive on this point”, deferred to the judgement of the ACC.

On June 17, 2013, the ACC released a 61-page investigative report that concluded that the bidding process was conducted fairly by the IFC, and that the GMR-MAHB consortium won the contract by proposing the highest net present value of the concession fee.

The ACC further concluded that the awarding of the contract did not contravene amendments brought to the Public Finance Act requiring parliamentary approval for such agreements.

Furthermore,  “Considering the situation (2008, 2009 and 2010) when the decision was made to privatise the Male’ International Airport,” the ACC’s calculations showed that MACL would make a profit of about US$254 million in 25 years if the airport was operated by the government-owned company.

In June 2013, GMR filed a claim for US$1.4 billion in compensation at a Singapore arbitration court for “wrongful termination” of the US$511 million concession agreement.

Upon his return from an official visit to India this month, President Abdulla Yameen said that the government was seeking an out of court settlement with GMR before the arbitration process begins.

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President Yameen vetoes sexual offences bill

President Abdulla Yameen has returned the sexual offences bill passed by parliament last month for reconsideration.

According to the President’s Office, in a letter to the speaker of parliament, President Yameen provided details of issues noted by the Attorney General after reviewing the legislation (Dhivehi).

“The bill containing some provisions that are contrary to Islamic Shariah and Islamic principles was among the reasons considered for returning the bill,” the President’s Office stated.

Under article 91 of the constitution, within 15 days of receipt the president could either assent to a bill or “return the bill for reconsideration of the bill or of any amendment proposed by the president.”

The sexual offences bill was passed on December 30 with 67 votes in favour out of the 69 MPs in attendance.

Following the passage of the bill, Vice President of the Fiqh Academy Dr Mohamed Iyaz Abdul Latheef condemned the conditional recognition of marital rape as a crime and called on MPs who voted in favour to repent.

“With the exception of forbidden forms of sexual intercourse, such as during menstrual periods and anal intercourse, it is not permissible under any circumstance for a woman to refrain from it when the husband is in need,” Dr Iyaz had said on a local Islamic question and answers website.

While the bill did not categorically criminalise marital rape, it allowed for four exceptions: while a case for dissolution of the marriage is in a court, while the divorce filed by either husband or wife is pending a court, sexual intercourse to intentionally transmit a sexually transmitted disease, and during a mutually agreed separation (without divorce).

Dr Iyaz however contended that a woman must still show “complete obedience to her husband” even if she had filed for divorce.

Moreover, in cases of a revocable divorce, a man can renew the marriage during the waiting period (i’ddah) by having sexual intercourse. The woman’s consent would not be necessary in such cases, he argued.

He added however that the woman would have the right to go to court if the man’s intention of resuming the marriage was abuse.

Dr Iyaz is currently campaigning for the Hulhuhenveiru parliament seat on behalf of the religious conservative Adhaalath Party.

The contentious bill was drafted and submitted in October 2012 by now-Progressive Party of Maldives MP for Kulhudhufushi South, Mohamed ‘Kutti’ Nasheed. Nasheed wrote in the draft legislation that it was not intended to replace Shariah, explaining that it did not preclude application of a Shariah penalty for an offence specified in the bill.

The proposed law covers sexual offences ranging from adultery, homosexuality, incest, bestiality and necrophilia.

A 2007 study by the Ministry of Gender and Family revealed that 58.2 percent of female respondents agreed that they were obliged to have sex with their husbands, whilst 29.3 percent of women believed it was acceptable for a husband to beat his wife for refusing sex.

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Former defence chief and two MPs among high-profile switches to pro-government parties

Former Chief of Defence Forces Major General (Retired) Moosa Ali Jaleel and Malé City Councillor Lufshan Shakeeb ‘Loope’ – formerly of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) – signed for the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) yesterday.

Independent MP for Kulhudhufushi South, Mohamed ‘Kutti’ Nasheed, also signed for the PPM today and announced that he would seek re-election on the party’s ticket. Nasheed served in the cabinet of former President Gayoom as information and legal reform minister.

Meanwhile, MDP MP Ahmed Rasheed joined the government-aligned Jumhooree Party (JP).

Speaking at a ceremony attended by former president and PPM leader, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Jaleel said he joined “to serve the public through PPM,” adding that he believed the current government’s policies would ensure development and “save the country”.

After 32 years of service, the chief of defence forces under former President Mohamed Nasheed retired from the military in the wake of the controversial transfer of presidential power in February 2012.

In January 2013, Jaleel told parliament’s Government Oversight Committee that he believed former President Nasheed had “resigned under duress.”

Shakeeb – city councillor for mid-Henveiru – meanwhile said he decided to join PPM based on the focus and opportunities for youth in the party’s manifesto. The film actor quit the MDP in the wake of the party’s electoral defeat in November 2013.

In addition to Jaleel and Shakeeb, senior members of the Maziya Supporters club as well as television presenter Aminath Namza also signed for PPM at yesterday’s ceremony.

“Warm welcome to Moosa Jaleel, Lufshan Shakeeb, Aminath Namza n other prominent figures who joined PPM in my presence last night,” Gayoom tweeted to announce the new members.

Speaking to press at the party office yesterday, Gayoom contended that the new government “could not provide the services it wants to the public without winning the [upcoming local council and parliamentary] elections.”

“A PPM majority will pave the way to go ahead with the PPM manifesto,” he said.

MDP Male’ City Councillor ‘Jambu’ Hassan Afeef also joined the PPM at today’s ceremony. In addition to Nasheed and Afeef, Maldives Broadcasting Corporation Chairman Ibrahim Umar Manik signed for the party this afternoon.

With the new signings, the PPM currently has two councillors on the 11-member Male’ City Council.

Ahmed Rasheed to JP

MDP MP for Hoarafushi Ahmed Rasheed signed for the JP at a ceremony in the party’s headquarters Maafanu Kunooz yesterday.

JP leader Gasim Ibrahim told reporters that Rasheed had offered to join the party “a long time ago” while he was JP’s sole representative in parliament.

“But I said stay there, in MDP, for now. I believe Ahmed Rasheed is a person who worked very hard and transparently for democracy in the Maldives while in MDP,” the business tycoon said.

Rasheed said he decided to join the JP because the public chose the government coalition in last year’s presidential election.

Praising Gasim for his services to the public, Rasheed said he would seek re-election in the Hoarafushi constituency, adding that parliamentary seats were “more important to the government coalition” than the opposition.

Gasim said that Rasheed would be given the JP ticket without a primary by virtue of being a sitting MP, adding that he believed JP MPs should be able to contest on behalf of the coalition for their constituencies.

The Hoarafushi MP was among six MDP MPs who voted against the oppposition party’s whip line to approve President Abdulla Yameen’s ministerial appointees last month.

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Extraordinary sitting of parliament called off

Today’s extraordinary sitting of parliament was called off without debating the government’s revenue raising measures after opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs objected to the proposed tax hikes and alleged obstruction of the upcoming local council elections.

With MDP MPs taking consecutive points of order, Speaker Abdulla Shahid adjourned proceedings 15 minutes into the sitting, stating that he would consult the majority and minority leaders.

After the sitting resumed at 1:50pm, Shahid said that discussions with party leaders were “regrettably not that successful” and attempted to proceed with the debate on government-sponsored legislation for raising revenue.

However, MDP MPs continued to raise points of order and Shahid brought the sitting to a close at the end of normal time.

Today’s sitting was held during the ongoing recess upon request by 27 government-aligned MPs stating that failure to pass the revenue bills during the last session of 2013 was hampering implementation of the budget.

The three bills submitted by the government include an amendment to the Goods and Services Tax Act to raise T-GST from eight to 12 percent as well as two amendments to the Tourism Act intended to reintroduce the discontinued flat US$8 bed tax and require resort lease extensions to be paid as a lump sum.

Following the Majlis’s failure to extend the tourism bed tax before the end of last year, Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad told local media that the resulting losses to state revenue would be MVR100 million a month.

Among other revenue raising measures proposed by the government include revising import duties, raising airport departure charge for foreign passengers from US$18 to US$25, leasing 12 islands for resort development, and introducing GST for telecommunication services.

In December, parliament passed a record MVR17.5 billion (US$1.16 billion) budget for 2014, prompting President Abdulla Yameen to call on the legislature to approve the revenue raising measures, which the government contends are necessary to finance development projects.

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MDP turns focus to local council elections

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) must present its vision of functioning city, atoll and island councils to the public ahead of the local government elections on January 18, former President Mohamed Nasheed said last night at the opposition party’s first post-election rally.

Speaking to thousands of supporters at the carnival stage area in Male’, Nasheed noted that the chapter on decentralisation in the constitution was added by the MDP while others insisted that it conflicted with the Maldives being a unitary state.

“Maldivian rulers should not think after this January that they could govern without city councils, atoll councils and island councils,” Nasheed said.

While the People’s Majlis has oversight powers to hold the government accountable, Nasheed said it was the councils that “directly provide services to the public.”

The purpose of decentralised administration was to bring the government “closer to the people,” he said, adding that the MDP government worked closely with the councils elected in February 2011.

The MDP’s vision for city and island councils should be based on the experience of the past three years, he said.

Nasheed referred to the signing of a waste management contract with India’s Tatva Global Renewable Energy earlier this month.

The contract should have been signed in February 2012 but was delayed by the previous administration, he continued, which worsened the waste disposal problem in the capital and deprived the city council’s waste management section of necessary investment.

The former MDP presidential candidate expressed confidence of winning the council elections against the parties in the government coalition.

Nasheed observed that the MDP won clear majorities in the presidential election from urban centres such as Male’ City and the southernmost Addu City as well as a plurality of votes in most other constituencies.

As the party would win against more than one candidate from different parties, Nasheed said the MDP should assume that government-aligned parties would field single candidates.

“We must face this contest on our own, with our own courage,” he said.

“MDP is a ship for all seas,” Nasheed said, adding that the party was equally fit for governance and opposition.

Nasheed vowed that the MDP would hold the present administration answerable and watch over its actions “every minute of every day.”

The party would keep citizens informed, he added, asserting that the country could “no longer be governed through deceiving the public.”

“Freedom of assembly and freedom of expression must be defended even with our lives. We have to maintain this system that we’ve got,” Nasheed said.

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Six ministers appointed to cabinet

President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom appointed six new cabinet ministers today including Umar Naseer as Home Minister, Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed as Islamic Minister, Dr Mohamed Muiz as Housing and Infrastructure Minister, Dr Mohamed Shainy as Fisheries and Agriculture Minister, Mohamed Saeed as Economic Development Minister and Thoriq Ibrahim as Environment and Energy Minister.

The oath of office for the ministers was administered by Supreme Court Justice Abdulla Areef.

While two of the five ministers appointed on Sunday night were members of the President’s Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), the new ministers appointed today were nominated by coalition partners Jumhooree Party (JP), Adhaalath Party (AP) and Maldives Development Alliance (MDA). The PPM-led coalition also includes a number of smaller parties.

JP Leader Gasim Ibrahim and MDA Leader Ahmed Shiyam Mohamed attended the swearing-in ceremony at the President’s Office this afternoon.

Adhaalath Party members Shaheem and Muiz had served in the same posts in the cabinet of former President Dr Mohamed Waheed.

In addition to the ministerial appointments, former Youth Minister Mohamed Hussain Shareef  ‘Mundhu’ was appointed minister of the President’s Office – a post abolished in 2008 – and former Economic Development Minister Ahmed Mohamed was appointed Commissioner General of Customs.

All cabinet ministers would require parliamentary approval for confirmation of their posts.

In his remarks after presenting letters of appointment, President Yameen congratulated the new ministers and noted that the government was formed out of a coalition.

The aim of the government should therefore be implementing the main components of the manifestos of the PPM-led coalition, he said.

This would bring contentment and prosperity to the people, protect Islam, maintain peace and stability, and overcome divisions, Yameen said.

The coalition government would be “a compassionate government” that “respects the individual rights of all citizens,” he added.

President Yameen said he wished to “speed up our efforts” to deliver on the campaign promises and asked the new ministers to “work tirelessly” and “make sacrifices if necessary” to serve the public and defend Islam.

“So I ask all of you to provide cooperation to me and my government to ensure the development the Maldivian people want,” he said.

The next five years would bring “unprecedented joy and peace” if the coalition government’s vision for the country was realised, Yameen said.

President Yameen said he hoped to present a timeline or roadmap for the first 100 days at the first cabinet meeting.

Home Minister Umar Naseer

Umar Naseer was dismissed from the PPM in April after refusing to apologise for allegations of vote rigging in the wake of his primary defeat to President Yameen.

Naseer had claimed that  Yameen “rigged” the primary by ballot stuffing, falsifying the count and “pouring black money” to buy votes.

He further alleged that criminal gangs, convicts and drug smuggling “networks” were part of Yameen’s campaign team.

“Less than 24 hours after my brother Abdulla Yameen won the primary, the foremost person in the Maldives’ corruption network, Deputy Speaker of the People’s Majlis Ahmed Nazim joined the PPM,” Naseer had said.

After joining the campaign of JP Leader Gasim Ibrahim, Umar had said that Yameen was “the root of all the problems faced by our country today.”

“The 40,000 illegal immigrants who have entered the country are people brought in under his nose. People say that there is a connection between Yameen and the illicit drugs that are sold on the streets of Maldives,” Naseer alleged.

Following Gasim’s third-placed finish in the first round of the presidential election on November 9, Naseer declared that he would back the PPM candidate against former President Mohamed Nasheed.

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Government formulating roadmap for first 100 days to implement PPM manifesto

A roadmap for the first 100 days of the new administration is being drawn up to implement the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) manifesto and fulfil campaign pledges, President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has said.

Speaking to press after an impromptu PPM council meeting yesterday (November 18), President Yameen explained that the roadmap would “outline what will begin to be implemented by the 30th or 45th day.”

“Committees have been formed and work has started on implementing what we promised for youth and fishermen in our manifesto,” he said.

The PPM’s campaign pledges include raising the old age pension to MVR5,000 a month, designating a General Practitioner to each family, providing subsidies for fishermen and farmers, and creating more than 90,000 jobs.

At the ongoing budget debate in parliament, opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs have been calling on the government to incorporate its policies in next year’s budget and fulfil its campaign promises, pledging their assistance and cooperation.

Both opposition and government-aligned MPs agreed that the government should be offered the opportunity to revise the budget based on the PPM manifesto. A budget of MVR16.4 billion (US$1 billion) was submitted by the outgoing administration on October 30.

President Yameen meanwhile told reporters that he has asked Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad to revise recurrent expenditure as “more than a billion could be saved.”

Funds could be reduced from budget items in recurrent expenditures, he said.

Recurrent expenditure of MVR12 billion (US$778 million) – wages, subsidies and administrative costs – accounts for 73 percent of government spending in the proposed budget.

“We will bring big changes to the budget. The budget has to be changed to one that addresses what our parties pledged to do for the public,” he said, referring to the pledges by other parties in the PPM-led coalition.

Other parties in the coalition government include the Jumhooree Party led by business tycoon Gasim Ibrahim, the Maldives Development Alliance led by tourism magnate Ahmed ‘Sun Travel’ Shiyam, the religious conservative Adhaalath Party, former President Mohamed Waheed’s Gaumee Ihthihad Party and a number of smaller parties.

The new administration was also in the process of “restructuring” the President’s Office, Yameen said, and all political appointees at the office were dismissed on Sunday (November 17).

Government ministries would follow “the example the President’s Office is showing” to reduce the number of political appointees and posts, he said.

Cabinet ministers would not formulate new policies but focus on implementing the manifesto, he added.

President Yameen also met former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom at the President’s Office yesterday.

In a statement following the meeting, Yameen said the PPM leader assured the new administration of political support and assistance through the People’s Majlis.

He expressed confidence in implementing the party’s manifesto with the cooperation of coalition partners as well as the opposition in parliament.

The focus of the new administration was on reducing costs and increasing government income, President Yameen said.

“The aim of our efforts will be to provide at the earliest possible opportunity all the services we assured for the public,” he said.

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