MDP declines participation in MVR 17 million development plan

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has announced its refusal to participate in the government's new 20-year national development plan, citing concerns regarding its implementation.

Nexia Maldives, a private consultancy, was awarded the MVR 17.9 million contract by the Finance Ministry to develop the 'Viluntheri Raajje 2045' (Resilient Maldives 2045) plan.

In a statement released on Sunday, MDP confirmed its response to Nexia's request for a meeting following the government's entrustment of the plan to the company.

While acknowledging the importance of a long-term national development plan, the MDP expressed reservations about the government's methodology in formulating it. The party stated it lacked information regarding the plan's formulation process for the next two decades and the individuals consulted in its decision.

Furthermore, the MDP noted that President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has continued to announce new projects, such as airport construction and various other construction initiatives, independently of this declared plan.

The MDP identified the following issues:

• The government's attempts to dredge the Fushidhiggaru lagoon through various means without completing ongoing land projects in the Male' area.

• Non-compliance with the Constitution and laws, and violations of good governance principles.

• The prevalence of disrespect for state systems.

• Sudden alterations to previously established strong regulations, including environmental protection regulations.

Considering these factors, the MDP stated it has no guarantee that the government will implement this new plan and, therefore, does not deem it necessary to participate in its planning process at this time.

Despite the MDP's decision, the Nexia team has commenced island tours to solicit public and stakeholder opinions on the development plan.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu first announced his decision to formulate a 20-year national development plan on September 17 of the previous year. He inaugurated the public consultation process for the plan a month later, on November 6.

Upon launching the plan, the President emphasized its critical importance and urged participation from individuals of all political ideologies, from all islands, and across all age groups. The President articulated his goal for the Maldives to be classified as a fully developed country by 2040 in all respects, asserting that this objective is achievable through collective effort.