President Muizzu believes Maldivians possess the mindset of a common garden lizard: Zariyand

Financial expert Ismail Zariyand has stated that while President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu may believe Maldivians possess the short-term memory of a shrew, the public will not forget the reality of the situation.

Speaking on a RaajjeTV talk show, Zariyand stated that President Muizzu’s rhetoric is consistently contradictory. He noted that the President’s initial statements often fail to align with his subsequent remarks, pointing out that these inconsistencies are evident in his comments regarding both the Ras Male' development project and the current ongoing issues.

The President likely assumes that Maldivians have the memory of a common garden lizard—that they will forget everything within seven days. But he is mistaken; the people will not forget. In his speech at the inauguration of the Ras Male' project, the President initially declared that the new city would be connected to Malé via an underwater glass tunnel. Today, however, there is no mention of that tunnel.

Ismail Zariyand

Zariyand noted that Housing Minister Dr. Abdulla Muththalib had previously stated that the Maldives lacks the capacity for such an undertaking. According to the Minister, the technology required to construct a tunnel across the Vaadhoo Channel—the depth of which remains unknown—does not currently exist anywhere in the world.

Zariyand further noted that whenever the President delivers a speech, his remarks invariably contradict his previous statements. He added that, as a result, the Maldivian people now find it difficult to trust the President's words.

Current projections suggest that this location will become the primary source of the Maldives' tourism revenue, generating between $12 billion and $20 billion. However, while the President makes these claims, it must be noted that nearly $1 billion of our citizens' resources and public funds have already been injected into this project. At a minimum, between $700 million and $1 billion in US dollars has been poured into the site. Furthermore, in addition to these costs, state-owned enterprises have secured loans for the reclamation phase that will require $22 million in annual interest payments over the next three years.

Ismail Zariyand

Zariyand questioned why the agreement with Eagle Hills has not been disclosed, noting a consistent discrepancy between the President's rhetoric and his actions. He pointed out that while the public remains deeply concerned over the Ras Male' issue, the government should be transparent by making the agreement public.