Speaking in his weekly radio address after the government’s decision to reinstate public sector pay from January 1, President Mohamed Nasheed has said reducing public sector pay in 2009 was instrumental in getting the Maldivian economy back on track during the economic downturn.
The government’s decision to restore public servants’ salaries revoked pay cuts introduced by the government in 2009 as a result of the economic downturn. The government cut public sector pay promising to reinstate the salaries when the national income reached Rf7 billion mark.
The President said the whole nation would appreciate the civil servants’ sacrifice noting that it was because they accepted the pay cut that the government was able to get economy back on track.
In his first radio address of 2011, the President also underscored the Maldives’ graduation on January 1 from the United Nations’ list of Least Developed Countries (LDC).
He stated that, despite the country’s graduation to the middle-income country category, one third of the population still lived below the poverty line.
Continuing in this regard, the President said the government was providing assistance to the people living poverty line, the most vulnerable in the country through its social security programme.
President Nasheed said progressing to the middle-income country status would be more beneficial for the Maldives. He stated that the government’s philosophy was making the country self sufficient rather than seeking foreign aid as a poor country.
In addition, the President noted that the new academic year begins on Sunday, January 9, after the annual school vacation.
He said the most schools were prepared and in order for the new academic year, although there might by minor difficulties in the beginning.