On Wednesday evening, Dr. Muizzu shared his first 100-day plan dubbed ‘Week 14’ which provides a detailed roadmap of the initiatives and efforts of the new government.
At the special event held for the purpose in Dharubaaruge, President-elect revealed that the deportation of Indian military and the appeal of the Chagos Archipelago dispute will be the top priorities during the first 14 weeks after he assumes office on November 17.
Deportation of the Indian military from the Maldives was a key pledge of Dr. Muizzu during his presidential campaign, which he promised is the top priority of the new government along with the revitalization of the country’s total independence.
The roadmap also states that provisions made in detriment to the Maldivian sovereignty in the agreements entered with foreign countries will be publicly revealed and resolved. He also promised the deportation of Indian soldiers will be peaceful and in adherence with the diplomatic policies.
Dr. Muizzu also promised to appeal the Maldives-Mauritius boundary demarcation case which ended “in favor of” Mauritius at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). The President-elect said he will appeal the case with ITLOS to reclaim the “lost waters” from Maldivian territory.
Dr. Muizzu also promised to appeal the Maldives-Mauritius boundary demarcation case which ended “in favor of” Mauritius at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). The President-elect said he will appeal the case with ITLOS to reclaim the “lost waters” from Maldivian territory.
Among the key pledges of the incoming President is also resolving the housing difficulties faced by the public, especially in the Greater Male’ region. Dr. Muizzu has announced various initiatives planned for commencement during this period as well.
Dr. Muizzu pledged to launch multiple housing projects within the first 100 days of his presidency, establish a special trust fund for housing, and formulate the policy to maintain housing loan interest rates at five percent.
Additionally, the incoming president promises to establish a housing-specific portal that will show the eligibility standards and status of applicants in real-time, as well as ‘conveyance’ amendments to the Maldives Land Act, ensure housing for residents living in Greater Male’ region and commence reclamation of Fushidhiggaru lagoon.
Dr. Muizzu’s primary approach to solve the housing crisis is by reclaiming land in Fushidhiggaru lagoon, which has been included in the 2024 state budget.
The plan also includes commencement of airport development projects in designated islands, extend utility, water and sanitation facilities and services to the islands lacking them, road development initiatives in larger islands, reduce the rent prices of social housing units in the islands. It also states that construction will begin on the Transhipment Port in Laamu Atoll Gaadhoo.
The President-elect further revealed plans to categorize tourism industry professionals and put them into a single registry. Additionally, he promised to introduce a registry for taxi drivers and fishers as well, along with the promise to extend shares from Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) to local fishers.
He also promised to ensure expense cuts in state-owned enterprises (SOEs) while subsequently granting them autonomy. Dr. Muizzu further said that policies will be revised and enforced to deposit US Dollars to the Sovereign Development Fund (SDF) through a special legislative on the fund, which he promised will be submitted to the parliament.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Muizzu said that with his presidential election win in October, efforts are already underway to realize the “Maldives for Maldivians.”
While assuring the public he will remain true to his pledges, Dr. Muizzu said that the items specified on the ‘Week 14’ plan are the minimum number of initiatives he aims to achieve within the first 100 days, but added he aims to achieve in excess of this plan within the same period.
Dr. Muizzu assured he will fulfill all the pledges made during the presidential campaign, and the ‘Week 14’ book released on Wednesday evening was a testament to the incoming government’s transparency and guarantee.
“We will be able to achieve much more than the things listed in our ‘Week 14’ plan,” the President-elect said.
The President-elect also assured to begin work from day one to strengthen the Maldives’ economy, improve the government’s revenue while subsequently reducing its expenditure.
“Some suggested it was risky to share this book [100-day plan] noting that it diminishes any room to evade accountability, to which I replied that we have been elected by the public to fulfill our pledges to them and not to evade answering them,” Dr. Muizzu said.
He reiterated that the incoming government will be transparent and accountable to the public.
“There is no need to conceal [our conduct]. Why should we hide anything? When the public elects us to serve them, there should not be anything kept hidden from them,” the President-elect added.
Dr. Muizzu promised to resume the State Expenditure Accountability Act and bring an end to the government’s extensive overdraft and money printing practice within the first 100 days. He also pledged to establish a new investment bank within the same period as well.
The ‘Week 14’ roadmap includes 161 pledges in eight different areas the President-elect and his administration aims to achieve within the first 100 days of assuming office.
Sign In
