The country is facing all the troubles and difficulties it faces today because of the high budget debt, Parliament Speaker and the main-ruling MDP's President, Mohamed Nasheed, has said.
Nasheed, who is contesting against President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in the MDP's presidential primary, made the statement while speaking at a campaign rally in Th. Vilufushi on Saturday.
Speaking at the rally, Nasheed said he believes that using Waqf principles is the best way to implement major infrastructure development projects in the Maldives. However, President Solih does not share the same view, he said.
'While speaking in Addu City, the president said it is not a good principle and that projects will be implemented from the budget. The state's expenditure is more than the revenue it receives. The amount of money to be repaid is extremely high," Nasheed said.
Nasheed added that implementing several projects simultaneously in several islands would be a huge burden on the state budget. However, the government has launched several projects without any planning, he accused.
"I don't believe your wishes will be implemented this election year," Nasheed said.
Nasheed said that although he is the President of the MDP and the Speaker of the Parliament, the government does not seek any advice from him in doing anything.
"Unfortunately, the current government does not seek any advice or opinion from me regarding anything. Accepting any advice I give to the government is not something the government wants to do," he said.
Noting that the president is now going door to door in his campaign and meeting with the people, Nasheed said President will now be able to hear the complaints of the people about the government's failure to implement government pledges.
"I am also going door to door. I am meeting people. There is no household without a complaint. Every complaint is about lying. About promising to do something and not doing it," he said.
President Nasheed further said that he would win the MDP's presidential primary and this year's presidential election. He pledged to build an airport in Vilifushi on a cross-subsidy basis when he came to power.
Building an airport in Vilifushi is a presidential pledge of President Solih. AVAS has learned that the government has already secured an investor for the project.
The MDP presidential primary is scheduled to be held on January 28.
