Ministers work hard; president is negligent: Nasheed

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) president Mohamed Nasheed said Friday that some of the ministers in the current government are hardworking people, but what needs to be done for the people is not done because President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih does not taken care of them.

Nasheed arrived in Laamu atoll on  Friday to campaign for the presidential primary to be held on 28 January. Speaking at Isdhoo, which was the first island to visit, Nasheed praised economic minister Fayyaz Ismail and health minister Ahmed Naseem. He said that while the ministers knew how to do things, the projects could not be completed as President Solih did not "react".

"The requirements for your income are not up to the mark. There is nothing that even ministers can do. I know Minister Fayyaz, who is a hardworking person and a person who wants to actually d the work," said Nasheed, who had earlier accused Fayyaz of corruption after coming out against a candidate backed by Nasheed.

"However, since the President does not react and does not take care of the things, most ministers cannot do a single thing."

Criticising former friend and now rival candidate, President Solih, Nasheed said that although it has been almost five years since he said he would build a hospital in L. Atoll, that promise has not been fulfilled either.

"I know Kerafa Naseem as well. He's also a visionary. However, it has been five years since the airport was meant to be built here. Nothing has happened," he said.

"I'm very clear that the President doesn't even pick up the phone. He doesnt meet with his ministers, for five or two months at a time. Ministers contact me."

Nasheed said this was not what MDP members would want from a leader.

Nasheed then reiterated the allegations levelled by him and his campaign team that state-owned companies were being used to influence the vote in the primaries and that their employees were being threatened with jobs.

"Even in the darkest days of [former] President [Abdulla] Yameen, this did not happen to this level, in the islands," Nasheed said.

Nasheed said that MDP members were threatened during Yameen's administration at that time, but they were participating in MDP’s political activities. But today, this government is doing it to put members on a "much bigger leash", he said.

"In my view, it's a very cunning idea," he said.