Qasim Ibrahim, the presidential candidate of the Jumhooree Party (JP), has pledged to forgive loans for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
During a campaign event held in Mathiveri, Alifu Alifu Atoll, Qasim asserted that he would initiate the immediate cancellation of SME loans extended by the government for the establishment of businesses in both Male' City and the surrounding islands. He further said that these loans had been disbursed by the government as part of a political agenda. He, therefore, pledged to forgive these loans in order to ensure fairness and justice for small businesses.
Additionally, Qasim has embarked on a series of comprehensive commitments that extend to various islands. These include the establishment of mosques in close proximity to the harbours on all islands. He intends to enhance the tourism infrastructure by constructing public toilets to accommodate tourist needs. He also pledged to bring about a significant transformation by equipping every classroom within the country's schools with 75-inch televisions and smart boards and fostering an advanced and interactive learning environment.
Highlighting the current political situation, Qasim said that politicians are always expected to visit the atolls with hopeful promises once every five years. He urged the public to ignore the size of the political parties when casting their vote and to not make a decision they would regret later, warning that electing the wrong person would undermine national independence.