26 July 2013, Male'; President Dr Mohamed Waheed has said that the State in the Maldives might fail if Maldivians cannot agree on important questions of the country's sovereignty, and that it is the duty of every Maldivian to sustain and uphold the power of the State. The President said this at his Address to the Nation on the occasion of the country's 48th Independence Day at the ceremony held at the Jumhooree Maidhaan tonight.
In his Address, the President said that in a pluralistic society, there would always be differences in opinions, but the existence of such differences should not be taken as opportunities to invite foreign interferences in the country's internal affairs, and to offer national assets to foreign parties. The President also said that while the Government is able to relieve the people from begging for money to buy medicine, the Government itself should not have to beg other countries for money. The President further said that if the country depends on the goodwill of others for paying wages, and for fuel, food, and subsidies, then the country would not be able to protect its independence.
In his Address, the President also said that the independence of the country can be protected only if the country has a stable macroeconomic environment. And that it would be difficult to sustain the country's independence when it is faced with a situation where the Government's revenue is around 9 or 12 billion rufiyaa, while the State's expenditure reaches 22 billion rufiyaa per year. Continuing with the topic of the State, the President said that there is a need to strengthen the capacity of the State by cultivating the value of democracy in the society, and in amending the Constitution.
The President said that when he assumed the office of the President in February 2012, the country was on the brink of a civil unrest, with profound economic and political crises. The President also said that the Government's debt then was at 23 billion Rufiyaa, and the total amount of unpaid bills amounted to 2 billion Rufiyaa. The State's expenses were not being managed with the revenues being generated monthly. However, now, the Government has paid 1.7 billion of the outstanding bills.
The President noted that exactly two years from today, the country would be marking the 50th Anniversary of Independence. In 1965, after 78 years of being a British protectorate, the country earned the right to conduct its own foreign relations. After forty-eight years later, Maldivians should be asking whether we are able to make full use of that independence.
The President ended his Address by paying tribute to Shaheed Hussain Adam, who fought and died for the country in a battle to safeguard the country's independence.
ENDS.