Minister of Finance and Planning Moosa Zameer has said there is no other political leader who understands decentralisation or is better equipped to implement the system than President Dr Mohamed Muizzu.

Minister Zameer made the remarks while speaking to MMTV during a door-to-door campaign activity conducted by the People’s National Congress (PNC) in the South Galolhu constituency.

He stated that the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) had failed to make effective use of the opportunities it was given to serve the public. Minister Zameer said that significant progress was achieved between 2013 and 2018, but claimed that during the MDP Government from 2018 to 2023, several sectors experienced setbacks and a number of issues arose.

The Minister described President Dr Muizzu as the most experienced and committed leader in advancing decentralisation for the benefit of citizens. He noted that during his tenure as Mayor of Malé City, the President delivered a wide range of services and managed the affairs of the capital effectively.

He further stated that under the current decentralised approach, President Dr Muizzu has visited islands across the country to meet residents, listen to their concerns and document their views. Minister Zameer said ministries of the Government are working to address the needs raised by the public and to implement development projects in line with those priorities.

Highlighting what he described as a direct engagement model, Zameer said no previous Government had consistently gone to the people, gathered their views firsthand and shaped development efforts accordingly.

Minister Zameer also stated that while many councils fulfil their responsibilities responsibly, some councils with an MDP majority have acted politically to obstruct development initiatives pursued by the Government.

He urged voters to elect PNC candidates in the upcoming Local Council Elections, stating that past experience shows MDP-led councils have fallen short in delivering services and have hindered projects undertaken by the Government.