President-elect Dr. Mohamed Muizzu said on Saturday that he will appoint a cabinet of 22 ministers following his swearing-in ceremony next Friday. He added that the selected cabinet members would be individuals capable of efficiently managing the government without incurring additional expenses.
In an interview with PSM while commemorating Maldives' 55th Republic Day, Dr. Muizzu stated that his cabinet appointments would align with the pledges he made during his presidential campaign.
In line with his campaign commitments, Dr. Muizzu highlighted that competent individuals, capable of independent decision-making and communication, would hold key positions in the cabinet, state-owned companies, and other senior government roles. He emphasized the importance of appointees who can hold positions without the need for external permissions.
"I have made promises to the people with full commitment. I will ensure the appointment of capable individuals who will work day and night, if required" said the President-elect.
Dr. Muizzu said his team would be educated and capable enough to deliver results that would please the people.
"[We] have considered all these factors, and I expressed my desire to progress together. Our aim is peace within the country. We do not wish to perpetuate a path of division, vengeance, and constant hostility. We want to move forward in friendship, we want peace," Dr. Muizzu said.
“I looked to ways we can achieve [our goals] while making the team.”
He added that the cabinet list that has been publicized on social media is about 90 percent accurate. However, small changes are yet to be made.
Dr. Muizzu said that in order to give opportunities to as many women as possible during his tenure, they have decided to hire six women for the heads of state-run companies and now they have also received confirmation as well. He said it was much higher than previous governments.
"In the team I am forming this time, I have already given confirmation to six people. Six important companies with 100 percent stake in the government will be managed by capable, managerial women," Dr. Muizzu said.
He said that his administration will have the highest number of women at the top-level management, when the cabinet and state-owned companies are accounted for.
- To pick an individual who is relevant to a field or has studied in that field, or has as much experience as possible in that field.
- Individuals who can efficiently oversee portfolios assigned by Dr. Muizzu, with a close alignment to the respective sector, displaying effectiveness in both management and experience.
- A person who does not have at least their first degree in education will not be in the cabinet.
- Nine people with PhDs will be appointed
- Eight people with Masters degrees will be appointed
"Each of them is an individual in whom I have complete confidence. I am considering their track record in terms of delivery, commitment, and honesty. My vision is to establish a transparent government, one that unequivocally rejects corruption. Whether it's a cabinet member or a managing director, there will be zero tolerance for corruption, I am certain," said Dr. Muizzu.
If anyone in his team fails to produce results, it will also be looked into and he will also give space for the public to give their opinions and criticism.
Dr. Muizzu said that the decision to add ministries stemmed from his experience, recognizing that attempting to address too many responsibilities under the jurisdiction of a single ministry often hampers effectiveness. He assured that even with the addition of two or three ministries to his cabinet, the operational costs will remain unchanged.
"Now that we have segregated the ministries, the number of ministries will go up. It's because we want to do focused work and do serious work that produce results, so when we do this separately, the recurring cost of building rent will not increase either," he said.
Dr. Muizzu has reiterated his commitment that the number of political positions in the government will not exceed 700.
Sign In