In this week’s radio address, President Mohamed Nasheed has said it is crucial that people with good educational qualifications and experience in administration contest in the local council elections, which are to be held later this year.
“As the Maldives undergoes [political] transformation, where opportunity for participation is open for all, it is crucial that qualified people contest in the upcoming elections,” he said.
Speaking further on the elections, which will see decentralized local governance for the first time throughout the Maldives, the President said the current appointed councilors would not remain in their positions there after elections, adding that they must contest and win the elections to remain as councilors.
In his radio address, the President also discussed 2011 budget, describing it as a “programme budget”.
The purpose of a programme budget, he added, was to determine the targets every government office wanted to achieve in the year 2011, and identify the means to achieve those targets.
The President also discussed Gulheefalhu development project, where land is being reclaimed to develop port, storage and warehouse facilities. The President said government had planned to develop 2000 housing units in the reclaimed land.
Last week, President Nasheed visited Gulheefalhu, a shallow lagoon North West of Malé, to inspect land reclamation.
