Former President Mohamed Nasheed has called for an inquiry into the fire at the Malé Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC) on Thursday (December 4) that caused the capital’s ongoing water supply crisis.
“We absolutely need an inquiry, an investigation, right now [in order to find out] how this happened,” the opposition leader said at a Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) rally in Haa Alif Dhidhoo last night.
The public should be duly informed about the efforts of the ministerial task force formed by President Abdulla Yameen to resolve the crisis and given a date for resumption of water supply services, he added.
The MWSC cut off water supply in Malé after underground cables connecting the switch room and generator caught fire, causing damage to the reverse osmosis plant used to produce desalinated water.
Nasheed said the Danish government had advised MWSC to keep 21-days worth of water supply in reserve after completing a project to provide water to Malé.
The water crisis was caused by President Yameen appointing “thug activists” to the MWSC after dismissing experienced and qualified staff at the company, Nasheed contended.
The MDP government had a plan to deal with similar situations as well as natural disasters, Nasheed said, asserting that the crisis would have been resolved in 24 hours under his administration.
Of the 2 meters of annual rainfall in the capital, Nasheed observed that less than half was collected for use.
He went on to express gratitude to police and military officers for their efforts in assisting residents of the capital as well as the Indian government for promptly responding to pleas for assistance.
Referring to reports of foreigners denied water at collection points, Nasheed called on President Yameen to apologise to expatriates residing in the capital.
President Yameen’s “biggest failure” was his administration’s foreign policy, he continued, which he said should not be biased in favour of any particular country.
Nasheed also repeated his criticism of President Yameen “ruling in absentia” and called on the president to disclose his alleged health problems to the public.
Briefing the press this morning, Defence Minister Colonel (Retired) Mohamed Nazim urged the opposition to refrain from “politicising” the crisis.
The Maldives Police Service has meanwhile launched an investigation into the fire incident at MWSC. Commissioner of Police Hussain Waheed has reportedly tasked a special team with the investigation.
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Whether the defence minister likes it nor not, it IS a political crisis! How can it not be:
(1) Both the president and vice president were out of the country when a major man made and avoidable disaster fell upon nearly half the population. It took days for the vice president to turn up, whilst the president is still absent.
(2) The "task force" has been doing more spin that doing "tasks". This is evident in the promises made by this "force" in their first press conference. Any intelligent task force would have refrained from making promises without understanding the full extent of the problem at hand.
(3) Nasheed is also absolutely right in that it is criminal not to have backup supplies of water for such a large proportion of the population.
(4) Heads must roll as a result of this man made disaster. A thorough public investigation needs to be started immediately. There is no need for a "task force" to mask and hide an absolutely avoidable disaster. Citizens need to make a choice.
Yameen and his administration is so out of touch with reality:
His top priorities:
o A bridge that'd cost US$ 300 million.
o Looking for oil in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
All the while, the majority of the population do not have access to bare essentials such as clean water and sanitation! Well, well, what'd they know?
The President, Vice President and his close ministers spend more time in Singapore or other fine spots around the world more than they spend in the country whose population elected them to their jobs!
If there was no 'back up plan' for water during the MDP time, they are also EQUALLY criminal. Same standards apply.
There is no gurantee that oliticising a crisis would help MDP. It may infact backfire.
Its a tricky ground. Infact, there is a high chance that PPM turning the crisis to their advantage, if you understnd politics..
Nobody has died of dehydration or related causes. So whats there to get so worked up about. We all have to just get through this mess. Toughen up folks. Let the inquiries take place once things get back to normal.
why did Nasheed never did the back up plan when he was in power and when he sold the majority share to Foreign company ?
Its lousy for him to talk these kind of non sense when he had chance to do and never did.
Nasheed was only after money and he made a big bucks out of the MWSC deal and that was it
Neither Nasheed or Yameen never did a back up plan. So why the hell Nasheed make that irrelevant speech at the stage?? however i appreciate to hear that Nasheed urged police or whatever to investigate on this.
Investigation has to be conducted as to why, how and to whose benefit the water comany was privatised...
Also if ' Nasheed said the Danish government had advised MWSC to keep 21-days worth of water supply in reserve after completing a project to provide water to Malé' why has he failed to do it.
Answers..
Seriously nasheed needs to know when to shut up, I supported MDp, i marched with them in protests and even voted for him in the presidential election. He is a good man but his hardline supporters are idiots, and he will say anything to please them. Tell me why Anni didnt have a back up system when he was in power. Also he has a point of activists in those key posts while the qualified individuals were thrown out.. BUT: did nasheed not do the same when he was president, fill government positions with activists???
this is a national crisis, politicians on BOTH sides should just put their own agendas aside and work together so I we can all wash our asses properly and stop being so irritated all the time 🙂