President Mohamed Nasheed has said that one third of the Maldives population are poor people, despite the Maldives being a country rich with natural resources and able fulfill all the basic needs of the government.
Speaking at an information session yesterday on the Maldives’ social protection program, President Nasheed said that the country’s GDP showed that the country earned US$7000-US$8000 per head.
The only government could compensate for the disparity in incomes was through government aid, said President Nasheed, ”but there are a lot of difficulties for people to receive this money.”
President Nasheed said the government had introduced 10 types of direct aid to the people.
”When one’s salary has to be spent on shelter, it makes him lessen the amount of care given to a child,” President Nahseed said, ”and there will be no money to spend for the children’s education and no money to maintain good health.”
President Nasheed said that the government was seeking ways that would make its revenue to spend in other beneficial ways.
”Our former president spent Rf 500 million annually to operate the presidential palace,” Nasheed said. ”We decreased it to 50 million and used the left 450 million to introduce allowances for the elderly.”
He said there were 32,000 civil servants with salaries of Rf 5 billion.
”To determine whether it is wise to decrease that amount we know what it is being spent on,”‘ he said. ”Some of this could be used for social protection.”
He said the more the government decreased its expenditure, the more social protection increases.
”if we spent all the money on a block of lifeless concrete, it would not be beneficial,” he said, ”instead we shall spend it on the people.”
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A per-capita of 7000 and one third of population (100,000) below a dollar a day is economically a very unfair and an unjust society.
But his is a good start from president. Hope there is more focus on the economy rather than ..you know.. whatever..
just bull
Bastard. You still brag about former president. What have you done to eliminate poverty since you came? You removed my dad from a governemnt job when he was left with less than a year to get his pension, you have cut the civil servants salary so much that there wasn't a paediatric doctor to see when my niece got seriously ill. later she was urgently taken to Colombo where she was diagnosed with a hole in the heart. Thanks to a relative because of whome she got medical service on time. You have our lives a disaster and yet travelled all over the world spending the governemnt on your flights, hotels and your beers. So shut up you bloody liar and resign from that post.
Disparity could also be decreased by introducing income tax. I think government still need to reduce civil servant. I know its the most difficult decision to make, however in a long run it will be benefited. I believe its a good news that at least government has confessed the fact that the majority of Maldivians are living below poverty line.
@ ibrahim yasir,
You forget to mention about the destruction of our national unity, increase in crime. Why did we vote for this idiot. We would have been better off with the previous dictator..
Social Protection is gaining it's true meaning. For example take poor Yasir's case. The boy had a tough run and he needs a Social Protection Net (of the type President Nasheed is talking about) to ensure his Dad got a decent retirement package, ensure a pediatrician for his niece who was unfortunately diagnosed with a hole in the heart. We should therefore tax Yasir's rich relative to contribute to the safety net Yasir so badly needed all his life.
We are well on our way and Yasir, please do not despair...and err, would you please mind the language....I mean cool it a little! We are going to be OK! InshaAllah.
Mr. President, there are is a contradictory with the figure that you mentioned about the GDP figure. The world CIA factbook states that Maldives per capita was US$4200.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications//the-world-factbook/rankorder/2004rank.html?countryName=United%20Kingdom&countryCode=uk®ionCode=eu&rank=34#uk
I reckon you have used the figure US$7000 to exaggerate this issue. Also, with regard to the expenses of former President Palace, the last audit report reveals that a huge portion of their budget was on medical assistance for normal Maldivians.
I would highly appreciate if you could develop an enhanced and a fair social protection scheme during your presidency. However, I sporadically hear some accusations that NSPA has a special rule for MDP members.
Disparity will not be stopped unless 80% national wealth is devoured by the landlords of Male'. Mr.President, instead of talking bull you have to urgently do something to kill-off the demand for a grain of sand in Male'.
And I know unless a poor islander comes to your seat - no one will bother to walk the f**king talk!!
ah ha ..Yasir and Umn must be benefiters of Golhaa regime. Poor guys, the days are gone. But we know for sure that our parents are well looked after. Madhana medical insurance and the Rf 2000 monthly allowance means a lot for them. You buggers must have got Raffles Hospital treatment from Theemuge. National unity was destroyed by buggers like you. Power hungry bastards like you and DRP thugs have destroyed this nation. Buggers like you could not digest the transfer of power. Look at USA and UK recently. The former governing parties stepped aside and dont bother. They will wait for their turn. Get a life buddies.
Yeah reduce the civil servants and make all your friends ministers. Cut the budget and embark on another foreign trip: leaving to Australia now. What a crap liar this Anni is. Go to hell. I wish he die like a rotten rat.
@ Andy
Our president is the woorld's greatest liar.
He doesnt do research of statistics before opening his binge drinking smelly gob.
His advisors are low level actors and famous gangsters of the Maldives.
So dont be surprised of what he talks. The man is a liar. Just ignore him. HE is stupid. 🙂