MP Latheef questions if government is following MDP’s manifesto

Chairperson of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and member of Henveiru west constituency, Hassan Latheef | Photo: Majlis

Male’, Maldives – Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s Chairperson and MP for West Henveiru constituency, Hassan Latheef said last night that he is not certain that government policies align with MDP’s manifesto.

Speaking on a program on “Dhivehi Rajjeyge Adu”, MP Hassan said ” What’s different now (compared to the 2008 coalition) is that many people, including many government officials, believe that since this is a coalition government, a coalition manifesto must be followed. It is very difficult for me to accept this, especially from the perspective of the chairperson of MDP”.

He said that this does not mean he has any issue with members of coalition parties serving as Ministers.

MP Hassan said that the government must make policies and fulfill vows that MDP made in their manifesto and that he believes the work of the current coalition government “are not good”.

Addressing rumors that MDP is split into factions that supports president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and a faction that supports Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed, Hassan said that while there are some disagreements in the party, he does not believe that factions exist within the party.

Hassan said that President Solih and Speaker Nasheed are individuals who can continue to work together even with differences in opinions and they would not abandon important policies set forth by their party.

Speaking on the recent attempt to dismiss Minister of Economic Development Fayyaz Ismail, MP Hassan said that when Speaker Nasheed said Minister Fayyaz would not be dismissed, he meant that the dismissal would not be done through Parliament, and that some decisions should be decided within the party.

He added that MDP has a parliamentary group and a congress and that individuals serving in various positions must be trusted by these committees.

MP Hassan said that he agrees Minister Fayyaz is powerful within the government and added that he has known Fayyaz when they were children. He further added that Minister Fayyaz was a person that does not wait for instructions ti be given and while it isn’t clear how much of the work he attempts is authorized or known by the president, Fayyaz desires to do as much work as possible.

“So a person who does a lot of work, especially if that person is a minister, will have a lot of power” Hassan said, adding that while many people can see his strength, it is interpreted differently by some individuals.