President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has stated that citizens need to scrutinise the actions of governments during times of crisis. He made the remarks while addressing a campaign gathering held with members of the main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) in Kanditheemu, Shaviyani Atoll.
Speaking at the campaign event, President Solih compared the actions of his administration and previous governments during a global crisis that impacted the Maldives. He urged citizens to scrutinise the decisions made by leaders during those times, as governments are beholden to the people.
As such, President Solih highlighted the economic turmoil faced by the Maldives during 2008 and 2009 and said it was plain to see how the government’s actions had negatively impacted citizens. He noted how the government had reduced costs by laying off and drastically lowering the salary of civil servants. He said that his administration has never taken any action at the cost of the well-being of citizens and that Maldivians were the least affected by the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the other countries.
The administration of President Solih did not lay off any government workers following the COVID-19 pandemic, unlike in other countries. The administration also disbursed millions in loans to keep small and medium businesses afloat.