President calls for national dialogue on economy

President Nasheed has urged all political parties of the Maldives to opt for dialogue on national issues, during his weekly radio address, and spoke of the country’s economy.

The president said the government will be able to begin a number of new development projects within the next few months, provided with proper frameworks and funds.

He stressed the importance of passing the proposed taxation bill, and urged newly elected leader of Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), Ahmed Thasmeen Ali, to work on passing the bill.

The President spoke of the budget deficit and the need to to ensure a fast recovery from the economic downturn.

The taxation bill, along with the loans agreed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), should give the country a budget surpluss by 2012, he said.

Before concluding his address, the president noted the significant increase in the number of tourists arriving in the Maldives this January. With 67,478 tourists arriving in the month, it became the highest number of tourists arriving in the month of January in the last five years.

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