Maldives may end up in poverty in two years if constitution is not revised: Siyam

Meedhoo MP Ahmed Siyam Mohamed has said that the Maldives may end up in poverty in two or three years if the country’s constitution and laws are not revised.

Speaking on the bill to revise the decentralisation act, Siyam said that the Maldives does not have the capability to implement the decentralisation act. He noted that the government and parliament are made up of more personnel than is necessary, resulting in state expenditure not being optimal. Waste of money has increased, and income is constantly failing to meet expenditure.

“I think, unless we revise the laws, and especially the constitution, within the next two or three years, our economy will be completely destroyed. Our country will be left in poverty. Even if we look at this Parliament – it’s larger than any other Parliament in the world, and the government structure is top-heavy. Our economy is not able to survive on its income due to money not being used in the most optimal manner,” he said.

He went on to say that the presidential system is not necessary in the Maldives, and referred to the current system as a ‘pharaoh system’ and called the government to hand over the power to the people.

“If this constitution is to be implemented in the Maldives, our income will not be enough to cover expenditures. So, hand over the power to the people. The current system is not necessary in the Maldives. Presidential system is pharaoh system. That is, when too much power is given to one person, it is human nature that the power is misused. It does not happen any other way,” Siyam said.

He noted that presidential system has been successful only in the US; however even the US is now in poverty as a result of different presidents spending trillions of dollars on wars in the past.

Siyam suggested a system where presidential elections are held once in every 19 years, during which a president is elected from each atoll:

“A ‘people’s system’ will be good for Maldives. Currently elections are held too often. Elections should be held once every 19 years, where a president is elected from every atoll, and these presidents should rotate every year. That way the state financial reserve should not have to suffer because of people who fight for presidency,” Siyam said.

He also argued for taking a public vote on issues which are handled by the Parliament. Unless the constitution is changed to facilitate these things, the country will end up in bloodshed and destruction.

He noted that Members of Parliament should work with sincerity in order to achieve a populace which is wealthy, content and compassionate.