Politics

Translation: Solih administration’s ambitious 100-day agenda

There are 161 pledges covering 23 sectors.

18 Nov 2018, 9:00 AM

Hours after President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih took the oath of office Saturday, the president’s office published a 15-page document outlining his agenda for the first 100 days.
There are 161 pledges covering 23 sectors with targets set for the first day, the first week, the first month, and the first 60 and 90 days.
First Day

Establish a committee and launch investigations into state funds lost through corruption, fraud and money laundering

Free all political prisoners

Review cases of political prisoners and those arrested for personal gain

First week

Propose to rejoin the Commonwealth of Nations

Strengthen police patrols in Malé City

All the appointees to the administration, state companies and independent commissions will publicise theirs and their spouses’ financial statements.

Start investigations into abuse of state positions to commit illegal acts and neglecting of protection and security to people

Start revising laws passed with the sole purpose of providing benefit or causing harm to a specific person or group

Start restoring justice to all victims of murders, abductions, jailing, forced exile or property infringement

Cut Goods and Services Tax on pads, tampons and sanitary napkins

Stop giving permits for foreign fishing boats to fish in Maldivian waters

Start renegotiating contracts and loans that would damage sovereignty and put the country into debt

Cut fees for taxi boards

Opening up closed harbour areas in Malé lagoon

Start towing unused parked vehicles in Malé streets

Restore the powers and responsibilities of local councils withheld by the president in the last five years

Make expired national identity cards usable in seeking medical services

Start a regular programme to reduce mosquitos, rats and bats across Maldives

First 30 days

Start teaching Quran in mosques

Install CCTV and speed cameras in bridge

Start an environment and road safety police service

Compile a police reform programme with input from police and public

Build a platform to easily submit opinion and corruption complaints

Start a zero-tolerance of corruption campaign

Amend the Anti-Corruption Act to hold the people who accept bribes equally criminally liable as much as the one who gives the bribe

A system will be set up to award housing to people who deserved flats but were deprived due to corrupt awarding practices. Those responsible will be held accountable

Start making changes to the Judicial Service Commission and courts to reform the judiciary

Start working on giving back the jobs of people unjustly sacked, and moving back people who were transferred from their jobs

Expedite the cases in UN Working Group Enforced Involuntary Disappearances and the UN Human Rights Council

Start weekend markets and recreational activities

Pave way to hold town hall meetings of local councils upon request by a certain number of people

Start widening the road of Fuvahmulah City School

Close off designated roads in Malé on Friday morning and create a Jazeera (island) environment for children and families

Create municipal inspectors

Make therapeutic services free for disabled people under Aasandha scheme

Open opportunities for persons with disabilities to apply for job vacancies and shape their life from these jobs

Submit Child Rights Protection bill to parliament

Gather information about persons with disabilities on all islands, recovering addicts and people in need of social welfare on all islands, and create a community based rehabilitation network

Make a policy to operate 24-hour businesses

Start the service of an SME bank for small and medium businesses

Introduce Diamondback squid fishing for Maldives

Slash import duty for diesel for fishing boats

Hold a symposium for guesthouses

Slash import duty for agricultural products

Create a system to ensure that agricultural produce is safe for health

Reduce the cost of domestic flying

Create bus stops in Malé and Hulhumalé for Malé-Hulhumalé bus

Designate loading and unloading areas in Malé roads

Designate free parking space for airport employees

Mark parking zones for motorbikes, cars, pickup and lorries in Malé

Strengthen the Inland transport regulations

Begin awarding undergraduate scholarship in the university of choice for top achievers in A’ Levels

Introduce low-interest loans for people who wish to study abroad

Revise the high-achievers scholarship scheme and make the scheme applicable for renowned universities in OECD countries

Conduct training programs on environment protection for all elected and appointed state officials

Conserve at least one island, one reef and one wetland in each atoll

Start a tree planting initiative across Maldives

Empower the Environment Protection Agency and start environment protection with the involvement of experts and the public

Publish environmental studies online and make it accessible to the public

Protect areas needing environment protection according to the law

Initiate a Clean Maldives program

Propose changes to Decentralisation Act

Hand over flats completed flats across Maldives to those who deserve it

Increase the budget to raise awareness about harmful products like tobacco, supari, energy drinks and sugary drinks

Ensure that medicine and medical services for thalassaemia patients in all parts of the country are available from where they reside

Conduct a symposium on local medicine and alternative medicine

First 60 Days

Start utilising pension funds for Hajj pilgrimages.

Start a campaign to spread road safety awareness and distribute 5,000 free helmets

Submit Whistleblower Act to parliament

Submit a bill to stop illicit enrichment

Conduct a training program on anti-corruption and good governance for all elected and appointed state officials

Introduce Juvenile Justice Act to parliament

Revise and research amendments to the state expenditure through the pay commission

Pave way for Majlis to call for a vote on issues petitioned by an appropriate number of people

Make swimming at night possible in Hulhumalé beach and provide clean water in the area

Re-create Addu City square and hoist the national flag in Koattey

Make information about civil society organisations available in one place online

Submit an NGO bill to parliament

Formulate a policy to create a conducive environment for small and medium businesses.

Revise Fisheries Act and make required amendments

Pave way for individual farmers to access financial loans and credit schemes

Create a travel masterplan for the entire Maldives

Make undergraduate degrees tuition free

Conduct an audit to determine resources needed to change schools back to single session

Formulate a comprehensive plan to stop bullying and help victims of bullying

Conduct an assessment to determine resources to strengthen special needs education

Start a pilot program to provide free breakfast for school children

Start running the outpost of Biccoca University

Create a system to apply for flats without queueing up

Conduct a housing need assessment through councils

Facilitate medical check-ups through the school system

Introduce emergency care and ambulance service to all atolls

First 90 days

Make arrangements for women to pray in designated mosques

Use renewable energy to air-condition mosques

Legally mandate protection of heritage sites in all islands, create a list of the sites and look after heritage

Find Kalhuvakaru mosque and put it back together

Hang LED solar lights in the streets of Malé, Hulhumalé and Villingili

Designate a sports councilor in all islands

Allocate a budget of at least MVR500,000 for all national sports associations

Conduct a sports audit of the entire Maldives

Eliminate wage difference for men and women national sports teams and all national teams

Hold a water sports convention

Start “Fit and Healthy Eid” across Maldives

Start building an olympic size swimming pool complex in Malé area

Take measures to stop corruption in awarding quotas for expatriate workers and all expatriate matters

Submit amendments to make independent commissions function independently

Conduct an audit of all independent institutions and start making them efficient

Conduct an audit of the entire judiciary and start making it efficient

Give six months paid maternity leave for all state employed mothers. One month paid paternity leave for all state employed fathers.

Conduct a nation-level training need assessment

Designate a picnic area or island for islands without a picnic spot

Make Raalhugandu, Artificial beach, Rasfannu, Usfasgandu, City Park and Lonuziyaaraiy relaxing places

Start making Fuvahmulah City roads

Create public toilets in Hulhumalé

Make drug rehabilitation centers in three areas outside of Malé

Gift a “baby box” – containing baby mattresses, essential baby items and a handbook on breastfeeding and health – to all newborn babies

Make it easier for families to take children under state care into foster care

Start work on providing Aasandha health insurance for Maldivians living in India, Sri Lanka and Malaysia

Assess the situation of Viyavathi, Kudakudhinge Hiyaa and Aman Hiyaa [children’s homes] and solve problems

Assess the situation of Guraidhoo Center and solve the problems

Found a home for abandoned elderly people in Guraidhoo center

Conduct a civil society fair to exhibit the work of NGOs, recruit members, and present companies with proposals to fund projects

Regularly review and change regulations that negatively affect businesses

Submit Consumer Protection Act to parliament

Submit Anti-Trust Act to Maldives

Make fishing boat bank accounts and make the banking system accessible to fisherman. Bank loans and credit schemes will be accessible to fisherman

Soft loans to install fish freezing systems for fishing boats

Make the constructed ice plants operational and provide ice to fisherman

Triple the budget for tourism promotion.

Formulate a legal framework to lease farming land and lease land for animal farming

Host International Donors Conference

Create an app to show the transport network to travel from one island to another

Expand the ring road around Malé

Analyse the traffic flow of Malé streets and open up roads that need to be re-opened

Use Malé- Hulhumalé ferry terminal for Hulhulé-Malé ferry

Introduce mini-bus service in Malé

Draft and submit a bill to strengthen the Maldives Qualification Authority and improve higher education

Conduct a symposium to revise the school curriculum

Publicise how green tax is taken and how green tax revenue is being used

Start a national campaign to reduce plastic bags and plastic bottles

Shoreline protection for Fuvahmulah

Resume advocacy in COP24 and grab the world’s attention

Make island councils responsible for managing local tourism, managing the island’s official website and marketing the island

Carry out an audit of jails

Carry out an audit of government offices, state companies to fix loopholes for corruption and make these offices efficent

Create a national think tank to improve productivity by studying medicine, social issues, economy, environment and technology

Create an independent youth council to advise and monitor youth policies and initiatives

Join all health facilities within a single network

Make arrangements for exercising in public spaces

Create a national mental health institute and ensure Aasandha insurance coverage for mental illnesses

Strengthen the policies of Food and Drug Authority and monitor pharmaceuticals imported to Maldives

Enforce mental health national policy and strategic plan

Make changes to the system to ease the service queue in IGMH

Make a treatment system for diabetic patients living in atolls

Install Gene Xpert Machines in two regions of Maldives to treat and eradicate Tuberculosis

Introduce HPV vaccines for girls aged 9-13

Ensure that the tap water supplied by the water company is safe for drinking

Reduce the cost of electricity