Government must reward those who helped win presidency: Yameen

President Abdulla Yameen has refuted allegations that his administration was creating a high number of political posts, but said the government must provide incentives for those who helped him win the presidency.

“We are not creating useless political positions just to appoint persons to them,” Yameen told the press at a Wednesday event in which former President Dr Mohamed Waheed and senior members of his party joined his ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

Yameen said members of the ruling coalition were only raised to political positions after the resignation or dismissal of those who currently filled the posts.

“What I want to tell all politicians and citizens regarding this matter is that in reality, it is the work of a united group that made it possible for us to get this presidential term for ourselves. And so even citizens will accept that this government must provide incentives for those who took part in that work and put in responsible work. That cannot be called partiality towards them,” Yameen said.

He went on to say that political positions must be filled with individuals who share the ideology of the government, and who will work to reach the same goals, adding that this must be inclusive of government coalition members.

Yameen pointed out that the coalition would not be complaining about failure to receive jobs if his government was increasing the number of existing positions.

However, he pledged to assign all promised positions under the coalition agreement to all the involved political parties.

He called on those who are currently filling political positions who are not part of the government coalition to leave their jobs and “make space” for those within it.

The current administration has 112 known political positions within the government; 15 cabinet ministers, 3 other ministerial rank positions, 33 appointees at the level of state minister, 50 appointees at the level of deputy minister and 11 high commissioners and ambassadors, as per the President’s Office website.

These 112 positions do not account for presidential appointees to the boards of state enterprises and other institutions.

Government coalition

Besides ruling party PPM, the government coalition consists of Maldives Development Alliance (MDA), Jumhooree Party (JP), Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP), Adhaalath Party (AP) and Gaumee Ihthihaadh Party (GIP).

With GIP leader former President Waheed and many of its senior members joining PPM on Wednesday, the party council has announced their decision to dissolve the party.

“I have not set any conditions in joining this party, and am doing so as I believe it will be most beneficial for the country at this time. I have neither asked for any political appointment nor have I asked for any share of the government,” Waheed said, speaking to media at Wednesday’s event.

Earlier in December, rumours arose that Adhaalath Party had left the government coalition, after the party announced it will be contesting in the upcoming local council and parliamentary elections separate from the coalition. The party later refuted the claims on December 8, asserting that although they will contest separately, the party fully supports the government. The party, along with a number of state and deputy minister posts, holds two cabinet seats.

On November 26, JP Leader Gasim Ibrahim said in a party rally that the government had thus far failed to allocate the promised state positions to the party, adding that he believed this could be due to the government being “hectically engaged in other government matters”.

“Our President Abdulla Yameen is an experienced man. Maumoon [Abdul Gayyoom, former President and Leader of PPM], too, is a person who has far more political experience than seen otherwise in the history of the Maldives. They will certainly not act in a way which will deprive us of benefits,” he said then.

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6 thoughts on “Government must reward those who helped win presidency: Yameen”

  1. Maumoon is very experienced, yeah. He did not deprive Gasim of any benefits, this is true. But anyone who criticised Maumoon was very much deprived. There are lots of "experienced" men, but is there any "experienced" man who care for the country rather their the "coalition" and their pockets?

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  2. Presidential win is not like wining a medical war to share the spoils.

    Presidential election in particular was won on the theme of protecting Islam and nation. Not for material gain to individuals which contradicts the spirit of Islam

    No body is politically entitled to any posts on behalf of citizens unless they are full qualified

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  3. Overburdened exchequer is about to get another load..
    who is paying for the salaries of all the people being employed?
    I guess more loans need to be taken to support the economy..
    what happened to educating our youth ...to start running our country....

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  4. Welcome to the start of things to come, but again, this is what Maldivians voted for.

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  5. The first 30 days which we had seen is far better than Nasheed 30 days.

    The political post during Nasheed regina was over 1000 but we are talking here just 112 which is also not true . Out of these 112, still there are few MDP guys holding positions and some from Dr. waheed time also.

    But those guys have to be removed and must be replaced with the people from coalition .

    One things for sure is that this Governmnet does not appoint useless monkeys for those position and all the people who had been appointed had credibility .

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