Will increase GDP per capita to $12,000: Yameen

Abdulla Yameen, presidential candidate for the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has said a PPM government's economic policies will increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita to $12,000.

Speaking at the presidential debate hosted by Maldives National Univesity (MNU) and Television Maldives (TVM) on Sunday night, Yameen said that a PPM government’s aim is not only to produce more jobs, but to increase the country’s productivity.

“We will not only work to produce 94,000 jobs. We want to increase the exiting $4,500 GDP per capita, God willing, if our economic plans are properly implemented, we want to increase it to $12,000,” Yameen said.

Speaking of his education policies, Yameen said that he will ensure that every child gets the proper education, and said that his government will focus on providing vocational education to streamline the workforce to what is needed to improve the country’s productivity. He also promised to improve the standard of teachers.

Highlighting his plans for the economy, Yameen said that a PPM government will bring the State budget to a surplus within the first two years. He said that he will achieve this by increasing foreign investments, by amending the appropriate laws to attract such investments.

He said that tourism will still remain the backbone of the economy and that a minimum of 10 resorts will be made operation within each year of his presidency.

He also promised to established an insurance scheme for fishermen and increase the Maldivian fishing fleet to 1,500 boats.

Stating his strategies for the health sector, the PPM candidate stated that the social protection scheme is expensive, but said the it can be made sustainable if they can increase the country’s revenue.

He promised to establish hospitals to likes of the country’s central hospital, Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in all population centers around the country and develop them to ensure that they are administered with proper care.

He said that he will start a new program to train health professional specialized in maternity care and delivery.

Yameen promised to establish a wholesome public health insurance scheme that will solve the major health and social problems faced by Maldives today.