President speaks on economy, democracy, and climate-change at British Conservative Party conference

In an address at the annual conference of the British Conservative Party in Manchester, the President highlighted the economic situation in the Maldives, the democratic reform movement, and climate-change.

On the economy, the President said his administration inherited an ‘economic crisis’, which was caused by the global economic recession and the fiscal irresponsibility of the previous administration.

He said overhauling the public sector, cutting down on waste, and reducing the number of public sector employees, were some of the reforms the government was taking.

The aim of the government was to half the deficit which stands at 30 per cent of the GDP, said the President.

He said, “I have taken immediate action to tackle it and ensure we live within our means.”
Referring to the shared policies with the Conservative Party, the President said, “Quality of governance is now the key”.

In his address to the conference, attended by senior Conservative Party leaders and hundreds of others, the President also spoke on the democratic reform movement in the Maldives.

After highlighting the plight of the hundreds of political prisoners, including his own, during the democratic reform process, the President said the experience was a reminder that “the individual should not be destroyed at the whim of an over-mighty state”.

He then went on to say that, “I am proud to report there are no political prisoners in the Maldives.

“We continue to campaign in support of those in other countries such as Aung Sang Suu Kyi, who are not so lucky.”

The President also used his address to pass the Maldives’ message on climate change.

Underscoring the importance of the Copenhagen climate summit – which will be a chance to seal a deal on a successor agreement to the Kyoto Protocol – the President said the summit might be a “matter of life or death” for the Maldives.

Before he concluded his address, the President thanked the officials of the Conservative Party for their cooperation with the Maldives.

The President spoke at the Conservative Party annual conference at the invitation of Conservative Party leader David Cameron.