The government has not implemented any policy of the main-ruling MDP in the last four years because of the ruling coalition and its policies, MDP's President Mohamed Nasheed has said.
Nasheed said the current government had implemented a few MDP policies, such as transportation and taxes. However, he alleged that the government was not implementing several policies, such as decreasing utility prices, expanding guest house business, expanding agri-business, completing decentralization, and giving fair prices to local fishers, due to the coalition's policies. He said the people of the islands were unhappy as the economy of the islands had not flourished.
"These things become apparent when I go to the people and go from door to door and have tea with them. Therefore, it is worrying that no policy of the MDP is being implemented," Nasheed said.
Noting that the MDP is a center-right party, Nasheed said it is MDP's policy to establish a good market for business. The difference between the opposing PPM and the MDP is the difference between the PPM's view of nationalism and the MDP's view of nationalism, he said.
"There is not much difference in economic and business views between the PPM and the MDP. However, the policy of the [ruling] coalition is significantly different. The coalition's policies make it difficult for the government," said Nasheed.
He added that a coalition is not the "political reality" in the Maldives and that the Constitution doe not recognize it. The isolation of major political parties or a large part of the population is a problem, he said.
The MDP and PPM together account for about 90 percent of the voting population, while the remaining percentage is made up of smaller parties, said Nasheed. However, the MDP manifesto is not being implemented within the government as the alliance causes major parties, including MDP, to lose out on 60 percent of the government. Therefore, he will not form an alliance to come to power, said Nasheed.
