MDP gov’t won’t respect projects that current gov’t is trying to implement through contractors at unjustifiably high prices: Ameer

Former Minister of Finance Ibrahim Ameer has stated that an administration of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) will not pay for projects that the current administration of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu is bringing to the Maldives at unjustifiably high prices under contractor financing.

Speaking at the main opposition party’s campaign site on Thursday night, Ameer described such contracts, which are submitted at many times the actual cost, as looting of state funds.

Ameer said that the incumbent is thinking of bringing contracts from different countries across the globe, bringing contracts from countries like China and giving instructions, saying that they would start making payments “after four years”.

The former minister said that the current administration knows they won't be in power four years from now, so they are facilitating the opportunity to submit high prices, assuming they won't have to be responsible for the payments.

Further, the former minister indicated that by postponing payments for many years, contractors are submitting prices that are many times higher for projects they carry out by finding their own financing.

He explained that what happens is that the work that can be completed for MVR 10 million, the contractor is doing for MVR 100 million.

Ameer stressed that an MDP administration will not pay for contracts brought in this manner.

Describing such contracts as a way of plundering the Maldivian people, Ameer stressed that when the government changes, an MDP administration should it hold power, will not honor such contracts.

Ameer has spoken along these lines at a time all the major projects announced by the current administration so far, including the project to build council offices in all islands and the housing project announced to be carried out in islands across the country, were announced under the contractor financing model.

The government has not disclosed the cost of said projects.

Speaking about the housing project that the government recently announced for building houses across outlying islands, the former finance minister said that it was also a project announced in an unreasonable manner.

Noting that the incumbent president in his presidential address for 2025, said that the construction of 12,940 housing units will begin in islands across the country this year, Ameer said he does not see that happening as the incumbent promised.

Urging the Maldivian people not to fall for this, Ameer said that when the Ministry of Finance announced the project, in addition to the contractor bearing the responsibility of finding financing, all terms related to payment were left to the contractor's discretion.

Ameer said that the incumbent administration “has no plan”, that there is no money in the budget, that there is no one “in the world” who will come to the Maldives and invest like that.