Fayyaz questions mayor Adam Azim's silence on govt actions

Former Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) chairperson Fayyaz Ismail on Thursday said he was dissatisfied with Malé Mayor Adam Azim’s failure to hold the government accountable during his time in office.

Incumbent mayor Adam Azim and former Member of Parliament Ali Azim are contesting for the MDP ticket for the Malé mayoral election in the upcoming local council polls. Fayyaz, who has also stated interest in contesting the next presidential election, has expressed support for Ali Azim.

Speaking at a campaign rally for Ali Azim on Thursday, Fayyaz said Ali Azim had presented a vision focused on improving living conditions in the city, but added that his main concern was whether the Maldives could remain stable under current conditions.

He said public debt had increased, economic conditions had worsened, and many small businesses had closed. He said the public was facing financial pressure and accused the government of failing to respond to these issues.

Fayyaz said his main concern was the lack of accountability from the opposition in Malé. He said this was his key criticism of the current mayor.

“In two and a half years, has there been an opposition mayor who has spoken against the government? No. My concern is that the mayor has not spoken up to the government,” he said.

Fayyaz also referred to Rasheed Carpentry and Constructions (RCC), in which Adam Azim has a stake, saying the company had received land allocations and government projects in Malé. Without naming the company directly, he said this could limit the mayor’s ability to criticise the government.

“Someone mentioned a company here. That could be why it is difficult to speak against the government,” he said.

He also questioned the level of political activity by the MDP in Malé, asking how many new members had been added and how many rallies had been held during the current mayor’s term.

Addressing past differences within the MDP, Fayyaz said Ali Azim had been among his strongest critics when Fayyaz served as Minister of Economic Development during the previous administration. Ali Azim was among those who supported a no-confidence motion against him in parliament.

Fayyaz said this record was one reason he supported Ali Azim’s mayoral bid.

“When I was economic minister, Ali Azim was among the most vocal in holding me accountable,” he said.

Fayyaz said he was confident that Ali Azim would continue to hold President Mohamed Muizzu and the government accountable if elected mayor.

He said there were no personal issues between him and Ali Azim and stressed the need to work together politically in the interest of the country.