Nasheed is obstructing investigations of corruption during his presidency: Yamin

The three-year presidency of Mohamed Nasheed, Leader of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) saw a large number of cases of corruption, and Nasheed has been obstructing the investigation of these cases, said Abdullah Yamin, Parliamentary Group Leader of the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM).

Speaking in a gathering conducted at Artificial Beach last night by PPM, Yamin said that some of the corruption cases of Nasheed’s government have been filed with standing committees at the People’s Majlis and that the opportunity to go on with those cases had not been given.

“The last three years saw corruption everywhere in the government. However, they would not let any of these cases to be investigated. We see such cases on the task lists of Majlis standing committees, cases of corruption by Nasheed and his close associates. However, they cannot tolerate to see any of these cases being investigated”, said Yamin.

Yamin said that Nasheed has been accusing former President and PPM Interim President Maumoon Abdul Qayyoom to have run a corrupt administration, while it was Nasheed’s administration which perpetrated a large number of corrupt dealings.

Nasheed’s government prosecuted a number of officials from the Maumoon administration for corruption, even though none of those persons were convicted. Some cases of alleged corruption from both administrations are currently being prosecuted.

Yamin said that when Maumoon became President of the country in 1978, the Maldivian GDP per capita was at USD 170-190, and that this figure rose to USD3500 in 2008.

“By the time the 30-year presidency of Maumoon ended, national GDP per capita rose to USD3500. Harbors were built in most of the islands in atolls. Airports had been built in different parts of the country. Resort islands had been developed in several parts of the country. All the nations of the world had come to know the Maldives. There is not a single country which does not know the Maldivian struggle for democracy. Hence, something was definitely done during those 30 years”, said Yamin.

Yamin then heavily criticized Nasheed, saying that the only thing that Nasheed can be proud of is the act of conducting an underwater cabinet meeting. Yamin said that Nasheed could not do anything else to protect the environment either.

Yamin also accused Nasheed’s administration of paving way for increased road violence and gang fights in the Maldives. He said that violence has increased because of Nasheed’s decision to free hundreds of violent, convicted and serving criminals from imprisonment under his oft-criticized Second Chance Program.