Former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom expressed concern over the nation’s financial status, describing the current administration as secretive and not disclosing crucial information to the public.
During a party gathering of his People’s National Front (PNF), Yameen criticised the current Mohamed Muizzu administration for keeping the nation’s financial situation a secret. Regularly published financial reports were now being kept under wraps, he said.
Yameen described some of the expenditure by the administration as inconsistent with the current financial situation, naming the Rasmalé project, the purchase of drones, and the administration’s expenditure on ceremonies as boondoggles.
“I know of a time when the people of the Maldives ate ‘magoo‘ leaves. Of course, the leaders in Malé would not have eaten magoo leaves. They are telling us to drink bitter medicine. The leaders in Malé do not take bitter medicine. The bitter medicine has to be taken by the lowly Maldivian people… When will we be able to savour a drop of honey after taking all this bitter medicine? There is no way that will happen. There is no way for a drop of honey,” Yameen said.
Measures should be put in place to avoid the difficulties ahead and the administration should speak truthfully and explain everything to the public, the former leader said.
“If the Parliament is doing this without giving the information that should be given, I wonder if this is a secret state or not; this has become a secret state,” Yameen said, going on to state that there were several things the people were not aware of. Administration actions were “unsettling,” he said.
“I would tell the MP who made that statement that I see the two sides. We are seeing the two sides. We are seeing all the sides. We [only] don’t know the state the public is in when they talk like this,” Yameen said as he heaped criticism on the current administration.
The people entrusted this administration to office with high hopes, but those elected have dashed them, the former president said.
