Solih urges voters question feasibility of pledges

Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said citizens should consider whether government promises can be carried out.

He made the remarks while speaking at the launch of a council campaign in Gdh. Thinadhoo on Monday. He said several pledges announced by the current administration could not be achieved in practice.

Among the commitments he listed were a plan to connect Rasmale and Malé through a 200-metre glass tunnel and a proposal to provide $400 per citizen each year from resorts developed by state companies. He also referred to a plan to connect Gdh. Kaadehdhoo and Gdh. Thinadhoo, followed by land reclamation and the establishment of a floating terminal.

Solih said the company that submitted the proposal had met the government during the previous administration and that he had reviewed its work at the time.

He questioned how a company involved in poultry farming could build a city and airport project on an island, adding that the scenes presented during the visit had not materialised.

Solih said citizens should assess whether statements made by leaders could be implemented. He described many government pledges as empty and asked voters to consider the outcome for islands if such policies were accepted and candidates were appointed to councils.

He said council members elected through the Maldivian Democratic Party were not appointed to praise the government or follow instructions without review. When the government proposes a project, officials should consider independently whether it can be done, particularly those in senior posts, he said.

Solih added that the government was altering projects without sufficient assessment and referred to difficulties linked to a fish processing factory developed by Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company in K. Kanduohgiri.

He said Saudi funding had been allocated for the development. After the change of administration and the transfer of the island to the Maldives National Defence Force, work funded by the Saudi party stopped.

The island was handed to the defence force in August under an arrangement in which the Housing Development Corporation would identify land suitable for the company’s operations.

According to Solih, the financier stated that the funds had been provided for fisheries development rather than military purposes. He said the site was later returned to the fisheries company and that the earlier investment could not be used as planned.

He said the government should now take steps to complete unfinished projects.