Yameen slams govt for spending without boosting revenue

Former President Abdulla Yameen on Monday criticised the government for spending without increasing revenue. 

Yameen, who is currently under house arrest serving an 11-year jail sentence, made the remarks while attending a rally held by the People's National Front (PNF), a new party he is trying to form after splitting with the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), which is run jointly with President Mohamed Muizzu's People's National Congress (PNC) days after Muizzu assumed the presidency in November.

Yameen said he would not oppose what is done for the welfare of the people but he always sees expenditure only.

Noting that India is Maldives' closest country, Yameen, who launched a massive campaign called India Out when he was in opposition with the PPM, said Maldives owed $3 billion to India at the end of former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's government.

Yameen said:

“And we have not heard any minister or any other official of this government saying that certain projects are being launched to generate revenue and the results will be seen on a certain day,” he said.

The state budget is inheriting debt year after year and expenditures are still being increased without any revenue measures, he said.

“Recurrent expenditure is increasing... However, there are no revenue projects,” he said.