President Abdulla Yameen has accused opposition parties of attempting to foment unrest and sabotage the economy in his address to the nation on the occasion of the 49th Independence Day.
Speaking after a flag-hoisting ceremony at Republic Square last night, Yameen said the government would not allow the country to be plunged back into turmoil while it was enjoying a period of calm and stability.
“Opposition political parties are deliberately trying to disrupt stability by creating a spirit of unrest in society,” he said, adding that incitement of such fervour in the past had repeatedly threatened the country’s independence.
“I do not believe that failing to achieve the love and consent of the public should be a reason to plunge the nation into a deep pit of hatred and strife.”
Opposition parties were pushing for a tourism boycott and attempting to convince fish importers to cease purchasing Maldivian fish in a “deliberate attempt to create distress and anxiety,” Yameen alleged.
He added that “attempts to weaken the country economically” was tantamount to threatening independence.
Yameen also condemned alleged “efforts to create doubts” in the minds of foreign buyers of Maldivian fish and an alleged campaign to boycott tourism.
The current administration would “defeat all efforts to impoverish Maldivian citizens, build a peaceful generation of youth, and go forward in securing prosperity for Maldivians,” he said.
Speaking at a press conference on July 16, Fisheries Minister Dr Mohamed Shainee had accused the Maldivian Democratic Party of attempting to “destroy” the fisheries industry after the main opposition party issued a statement condemning President Yameen’s fisheries policy.
Shainee dismissed the party’s contention that the industry was stagnating and appealed against spreading “false information” to international media, suggesting that the fisheries industry was “too fragile” to be made the subject of adversarial politics.
Meanwhile, Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb told Minivan News last month that the government’s “total focus” was on the economy.
“We are not running behind our political opponents and we have stopped political rhetoric now – we have stopped responding to that but we are responding to economic issues,” he said.
Development projects
President Yameen went on to outline his administration’s development plans, referring to the special economic zone (SEZ) legislation currently before parliament as integral to the government’s economic policy.
An SEZ law would ensure investor confidence, increase foreign direct investment, create job opportunities, and mitigate the dependence on the tourism industry, Yameen explained.
Once the SEZ bill is enacted into law, he continued, one of the first projects to be undertaken would be the Ihavandhippolhu Integrated Development Project.
The ‘iHavan’ project would become “the main gateway” for development and prosperity in the northernmost atolls.
Plans for Addu City includes development of both the Gan international airport and the Hithadhoo regional harbour to spur economic activity, Yameen said.
A ‘mega project’ for development of the southernmost airport was in the pipeline while the government has decided to transfer the regional harbour under the Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) for modernisation, he revealed.
MPL would also take over the regional port in the island of Kulhudhufushi in Haa Dhaal atoll, he added.
The formulation of a master plan for the development of the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) was meanwhile ongoing in collaboration with Singapore’s Changi airport, Yameen noted.
The changes envisioned in the master plan include a new terminal and a new runway, he said.
Moreover, a contract has been awarded for dredging and reclamation of Hulhumalé for development of a ‘youth city‘ in the artificial island as pledged during last year’s presidential election, Yameen said.
He stressed that the government would ensure that development projects would not threaten the country’s independence and sovereignty following criticism of the SEZ bill.
Yameen also revealed that criminal records have been cleared for 3,588 youth since he took office in November, adding that he has asked the newly appointed Prosecutor General Muhthaz Muhsin to introduce a new procedure to not prosecute first time offenders under an agreement signed with offenders.
Last night’s ceremony was meanwhile attended by former presidents Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and Dr Mohamed Waheed as well as senior statesmen – Abdul Sattar Moosa Didi and Ibrahim Rasheed – who worked with former President Ibrahim Nasir to secure independence from the British in 1965.
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This would have been a better version :
MY fellow Islanders, today we celebrate in the name of our independence, but from what? Yes it is a question I have no answer, but there is no harm in celebrating, so we celebrate. The important thing is not why we celebrate, we the nation of fishermen, we have to stand up and show the world that we can celebrate anything that you celebrate, so let’s celebrate.
On this important day in our nation, I call upon our people to work hard, if we work hard in unity we can conquer the water world we live in and convert this giant ocean in to floating paradise. Today we enjoy the freedom denied by our own people until very recent and we should be happy that we have now opposition parties, media freedom, freedom of anything without hindrance from the government. I salute all opposition voices which are building blocks to build our small colony of fishermen, without it we may never come out from our savage past. I do understand what an opposition is’; yes there will be people who would try to tarnish our image, but we are not afraid from such opposition, because we have nothing to fear. Our hearts are clean, no one can corrupt our hearts, we are strong and our beliefs are firm so why we should worry about any meaningless voices that has no substance. There may be people who would want harm our economy but our commitment to convert our water world in to Tourist heaven , and our ability to sell our fish universally are not shakable , and I warn those voices you are wasting your time, we are stronger than ever with your voices and surely you can’t shake our existence.
Blessing of giant ocean and give us strength to turn the water in to floating roads. Hail Anni, Hail Qayoom. Sayonara my people enjoy the day
Couple of points regarding this "independence":
(1) Maldives was never gained "independence" from the United Kingdom. Maldives signed an agreement with the UK to gain protection from external threats in return for the lease of Gan and UK having control over foreign relations.
(2) We never lost our "independence" under the British, so how can we regain it? Nasir and his associates were pissed off because the British gave Afif amnesty after the failed uprising in the South against oppression and slavery from the Male government.
Nasir, and his government in Male were none too happy about the people of South having a measure of economic independence by working for the British.
So this "independence" was as much about Nasir's revenge and rage over that incident, more than anything else. The people of the South have lived in virtual slavery to the Male regime ever since.
(3) Yameen's is in no position to talk about unrest and sabotage. The current regime is in power thanks to violent unrest and sabotage that went on for months!
The amount of money spent in creating dissension and dividing is much more than ever spent on building the nation.
This is mainly due to lack of creative and innovative plans for a future. Instead, the prevalent strategy is to stun the public in to religious stupor, and create divisive strategies, so that people forget what the government should deliver to the public.
Make sure you don't plan to go beyond your term, or two max; and funnel as much to the education. And I don't mean Arabian chants schools and contests for them. I mean the kind that helps humanity and nation.
Above all, keep that dumb poodle dog of Mr Laura, from dishing out the money to divide the nation. Money that Maumoon handed over to him on a plate, in the form of resorts.
Hero,minivan dhuvahu ves mi molhu economist raees dhahkavanee mulhin mi kahala vaahaka.Zionist style
Sir, we still remember what your PPM MP's did in 2008.
Now you feel the otherside of the coin.
You get what you give!
hey @Ali
if Maldives never lost independence under the British, how come they kiddnapped a Maldivian citizen (Mr. Afeef) and take him to Seychelles. So check you facts.
FYI, Maldives had an agreement with the Brits for protection. Now a condom is also a protection but you may still get really screwed if you purchase a bad one.
@Wow!!
Thank Allah in Heaven that the Brits protected Afeef and his family from certain death at the hands of the murdering thug Nasir and his buddies! Nasir is not a hero of anything, but a villain in all manner of things.
Nowadays, what Afeef was given is called asylum and protection from tyrants and their tyranny. Afeef's "crime" was standing up to the rights of his people, a true son of his islands. There hasn't been anyone of comparable character who would defend the rights of his fellow islanders as Afeef did.
As for "independence" did any Maldivian feel less "independent" as a result of the British protection? Were they restricted from practising their religion, their culture, their music, their dancing or anything else by the Brits? In fact, unless you were of the ruling class in Male, it wasn't the Brits who took away your independence. It was the said rulers and ruling class who treated the rest of the Maldivians as slaves and idiots.
Nasir's "golden" Parker pen (that signed the agreement of "independence") could have fed and immunised hundreds of Maldivian children who were starving to death. Nasir and his buddies' daily food bill could have fed dozens of islands and kept them from malnutrition. The energy spent on keeping Nasir's home nice and cool with air-conditioning could have powered hundreds of islands and provided them with clean water and sanitation. Were any of these prevented by the Brits, because Maldives did not have "independence"? I think not...
@ Maumoon. What better occasion than this had to address the public the issues that are facing today .?
What you expect him to say other than that ?
No matter how hard Anni and Minivan tries to justify the GMR deal, it is the biggest corrupted deal ever done in Maldives. Nasheed and his allied must be brought to justice for robbing this country.