President: Rights of people who infringe rights of others, must be restricted

President Abdulla Yameen has said that the rights of people who infringe the rights of others, though guaranteed by the Constitution, must be restricted.

The President made this remark while speaking at a ceremony in Laamu Fonadhoo to inaugurate the Link Road project, to be constructed under aid from the government of China.

President Yameen referred to the bill regarding the law on Prohibiting Threatening and Possession of Dangerous Weapons and Sharp Objects, and said that the bill would help the government reach one of its main goals, which was to reduce the use of sharp objects to intimidate and attack people on the streets.

He stressed that the Constitution guarantees many rights to the people, but the people only deserve those rights if they refrain from infringing the rights of others.

The President mentioned that some rights of criminal suspects, such as the right to silence and the right to a lawyer, must be restricted, to ensure stability and development for the country.

Referring to the mega project that was inaugurated last night, the President said that upon completion of the project, the two atolls must make efforts to attract foreign investment in order to facilitate developmental projects. He said that foreign investors would not, however, invest in a place that lacks peace and protection.

He highlighted that Laamu Atoll, compared to other atolls, is big in terms of the size of its islands and has space for developmental projects, and said that the government has high hopes for the atoll. In this regard, he said that the government has planned many projects for bigger islands under the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) program.

President Yameen said that efforts by the government to establish laws, without ensuring a protective and stable environment, would not attract foreign investors.