The Minister of Construction, Housing & Infrastructure Dr. Abdulla Muththalib stated last night that elections should be combined because the people do not want time to be wasted due to political tension.
During the ceremony in laying the foundation stone for the 182 flats to be built by the Bank of Maldives in Hulhumale', Minister Muththalib said that a government is elected to serve citizens and not to have time wasted without serving them due to political obstacles.
The minister also said that the citizens do not wish for a term to end with the government and the Parliament going against each other due to political differences, resulting in no real developments to the country. He continued by saying that the citizens would not wish for time to be wasted in the progression of housing projects due to the structural issues in the Constitution and the law.
"The people request that the government fulfil their wishes. For flats to be constructed. For a water and sewage system to be established. For harbors to be built. The people do not want time to be wasted and nothing to be done due to political tension."
According to Muththalib, the decision to hold the Presidential Election and the Parliamentary Election on the same day is not being done only from an administrative angle. He said that it is so that the time that can be used to serve the people can be saved instead of the decisions of a Parliament at the end of their term wasting time even before the elected President, via a majority vote from the people, can properly begin their five-year term.
Muththalib went on to say that the government was unable to move forward with their plans within the first year due to the budget that was passed by the Parliament without taking the government's agenda into account.
"This government had to conduct its first year as per a budget that was formulated from the previous government. A budget that was passed by a Parliament that had six months left on its term when the government took office. The budget from the Parliament was prepared without taking the government's agenda into account," said Muththalib while expressing worry.
While highlighting that these actions resulted in delays to projects, Muththalib said that there were obstructions in serving the nation and it had caused negative impacts on its citizens.
"That caused a delay in results. Services were obstructed. The citizens were negatively affected by this."
Muththalib went on to say that time wasted due to such reasons is an obstacle to providing housing to those without it and in need, and will only dissatisfy those who want services to be better.
And so, the amendments to the Constitution is an important change for the government to deliver to the citizens, said Muththalib. While stating that the citizens vote because of their trust and for the results in the future, Muththalib said that last night's foundation stone laying ceremony for the project shows the results of a focused government.
