Yameen criticises govt over unmet promises, rising costs

Former President Abdulla Yameen on Thursday said the government is not fulfilling the promises it made to the people.

Speaking at the People’s National Front’s (PNF) first national assembly held at Artificial Beach, Yameen, who was elected as the party’s president, said the government has failed to take action to improve conditions or provide relief to citizens.

He said that while there are many ways to address national challenges, the government must demonstrate its ability to act independently — a quality he said is lacking in the Maldives today.

“They do not talk about Aasandha, about students abroad who cannot buy dollars, or about the high cost of foreign exchange and goods,” Yameen said. “If the people were prioritised, the government would earn an ‘A’ report. But that is not the case today.”

He added that the government’s approach focuses on appearance rather than results. “Today, performance is shown through things that appear to be done but are not. It looks polished, but when you scratch it slightly, it shows what lies beneath,” he said.

Yameen described the government’s actions as deceptive, accusing it of creating numerous political positions to maintain a public image rather than improve governance.

“If you cannot provide services, then you speak about providing them. Many political posts are being created to do that,” he said.

Calling it “glossy governance,” Yameen criticised the proposed MVR 64 billion state budget for 2026, claiming it was designed to mislead the public.