President Gayoom confident of ‘a comprehensive victory’ in Presidential Elections
| DATE: 2008-08-05 | PRINT | Share
When asked how confident he was about representing the Maldives at the 2009 SAARC Summit in Male’, President Gayoom said that his track record of delivering on his promises of progress and prosperity for the people would enable him to achieve a seventh and final term in office.
“The people know me well,” he said. “They know what to expect during my leadership. They know that I have delivered. They have experienced the transformation of the country from abject poverty to the highest levels of prosperity in the South Asian region.”
He also said that when he assumed the position of the President office in 1978, the Maldives had only 13 days of food supplies for the people, but that today, with the Grace of the Almighty Allah, no child in the Maldives had to go to bed on an empty stomach. He said that the GDP per capita in 1978 was only US$ 300, and that the same statistic today is close to US$ 3,000. Looking at the health sector, he emphasized that the infant mortality rate had declined sharply in the same period from 120 deaths per 1000 live births to only 14. He added that the development of the education sector was equally remarkable as, in 1978, there were only 4 Government schools, but that there are now over 300 schools across the country.
President Gayoom also highlighted the reasons behind his decision to seek presidential office for a further term. He said that one more five-year term would allow him to complete his promise of democratic reforms to the people. “That will be my legacy to my people”, he added.
The President also granted an exclusive interview to Sri Lanka’s state broadcaster Rupavahini. In the interview, he focused on the growth of SAARC, and the highlights of the 15th SAARC Summit in Colombo.
| DATE: 2008-08-05 | PRINT | Share
President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has said that he was confident of a comprehensive victory in the upcoming presidential election in the Maldives. President Gayoom made the statement during an exclusive interview with the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation.
When asked how confident he was about representing the Maldives at the 2009 SAARC Summit in Male’, President Gayoom said that his track record of delivering on his promises of progress and prosperity for the people would enable him to achieve a seventh and final term in office.
“The people know me well,” he said. “They know what to expect during my leadership. They know that I have delivered. They have experienced the transformation of the country from abject poverty to the highest levels of prosperity in the South Asian region.”
He also said that when he assumed the position of the President office in 1978, the Maldives had only 13 days of food supplies for the people, but that today, with the Grace of the Almighty Allah, no child in the Maldives had to go to bed on an empty stomach. He said that the GDP per capita in 1978 was only US$ 300, and that the same statistic today is close to US$ 3,000. Looking at the health sector, he emphasized that the infant mortality rate had declined sharply in the same period from 120 deaths per 1000 live births to only 14. He added that the development of the education sector was equally remarkable as, in 1978, there were only 4 Government schools, but that there are now over 300 schools across the country.
President Gayoom also highlighted the reasons behind his decision to seek presidential office for a further term. He said that one more five-year term would allow him to complete his promise of democratic reforms to the people. “That will be my legacy to my people”, he added.
The President also granted an exclusive interview to Sri Lanka’s state broadcaster Rupavahini. In the interview, he focused on the growth of SAARC, and the highlights of the 15th SAARC Summit in Colombo.
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