Managing Director of Orca Media Group, Mr Ahmeem Abdul Razzaq, Chief Operating Officer Mr Ahmed Nasir, Ambassadors, C.E.O.’s, and Managing Directors of esteemed companies, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen;
And a good evening to you all.
It is my profound honor and pleasure joining all of you here at this seventh edition of the Gold 100 Gala in the beautiful island of the CROSSROADS.
I would like to thank the Orca Media Group for inviting me for the second time in a row to join this event. I would like to congratulate all those who have achieved this award. And my special thanks and congratulations goes to Mr Ahmed Nashid, the group C.E.O. of the ADK Company. I think you do not need any more introduction from myself since you all have seen a video. However I would like to state again, Mr Ahmed Nashid, I have known him for many, many years. Just looking at one thing started 36 years ago, the ADK medical facility, today ADK hospital, that proves what he has done for this country. What he has contributed to this country. Congratulations. Thank you very much.
I think when we talk about the development of a nation, it is all about working together. And when we also talk about the development of a country, it is not only the Government. Today from the Maldives, from the north to the south, from the east to the west we see the involvement in every sector. The private sector has played a major role. We look at one area of tourism. That is proven. That is a model to the whole world. More than 50 years ago it was totally given, left to the private sector and today we see how much it has grown and this is an example, this is second to none which is making the Maldives the leading destination of the world every year, every year. So thank you very much for those private sectors, those people have worked so hard. Thank you very much.
Today, when we look at sectors we also see healthcare, high education, we see the fishing sector, and we see the construction, aviation and many more. We need to look at ways to do new things. We need to take initiatives. We can’t just be lying. We can’t just take it easy thinking that we have an industry that is bigger, that is better than everyone.
The whole world is changing. Whole world is changing. We all know that the Covid-19 which is, everyone knows the Covid, came all the way and changed the way we live, changed everything. And it is a challenged world today, it is a very much challenged world. We need to look into new ways, new initiatives, diversifying our economy. So there are many things that we can do and I may not be the right person here to tell you what you should be doing. But all I know is that you can do it, and you all have proven it.
We look at the countries neighboring, I can see some neighboring countries, and those are our friends from neighboring countries. Remarkable, remarkable success, so much of development that has taken place there. It did not happen automatically. It also never happened overnight. But that was an effort made with the Government, public sector, all working together for the betterment of those countries and guess what? That’s why we were able to host the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. We need to move, we need to go forward.
You can also see that this Administration, the whole of the past four years, with all these major challenges, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has focused so much, and given so much of time for the development of the country, in the areas especially the infrastructure and building a team that is fit for tomorrow. We need to develop our people, we need to give opportunities to our locals. They have talent, they all need to be given an opportunity. So today all the esteemed, my beloved managing directors, C.E.O.’s, colleagues, I just would like to request you, we can build high rise buildings, we can have many facilities, we can do many things. We have the money, we can do it. But if you don’t have proper people to run it. ADK Nashid can build a better hospital, unless you have people to work there that’s not going to be a success. So please we need to try harder to produce a team that is more resilient, that is more prepared for anything that may happen in the future. Because we know that we have no control over these things.
We have experienced the Covid that has devastated lives, businesses, and then we also met another conflict, we call it, the war. And there are so many other things. Many things, the climate, the climate change crisis that we are facing, these are things not in our control. So unless we change, unless we diversify, unless we look into other ways, other means of strengthening our economy we will not be a better country.
I have got to translate my Dhivehi, so this is taking a bit of time to process because I was prepared to talk to you in Dhivehi, but then I thought I better finish it in one go because there is no need to talk in both Dhivehi and English.
Orca Media Group is doing a fantastic job. What we should do is when people do good things that is affecting many people we should appreciate it. We should value it. So this is, I think no matter who does, as long as something is benefiting the country, benefiting its people, we have to salute them. We have to do everything possible on earth that they can do it better.
This Government is very much committed. We will always be there, with the private sector, we will do all what we can. We will facilitate everything that is possible to run your businesses. Because we know that you are doing it more for the people of the country. So I guarantee all of you that the Government will be working together with all of you and we appreciate, and we will always value. And we should not underestimate how important it is to work together. We should come together. It is time that we give some time to the country. For the stability of the country. For the peace of the country.
The state always be much bigger, much, much bigger than any individual. We should not be focused on individuals. We should be focused on the state, on the whole, larger population. Unless we do that we will never reach our goal. So today I call upon all my colleagues, all those people who contribute to advancing this country, to the betterment of the people, to come together. The President, this Government has a vision, we have a vision. If there was no vision, such a vision, we would have faced the same issues that are faced by some of our neighboring countries. I am talking about Covid-19. The right decisions at the right time made us to travel this far, not only in tourism, but also in other things.
So today just before my conclusion, I call on all of you to come together as a nation. Do even a little thing that you can do even as an individual and give time to the nation for the stability, the peace and harmony which is above everything, more, more important than any other thing.
I thank you very much for the opportunity and congratulations all of you for your remarkable achievements.
Thank you very much.