Progress can only be achieved by overcoming the fear of losing the nation to foreigners: Nasheed

President Mohamed Nasheed has said that the progress can only be achieved by overcoming the fear of losing the nation to foreigners.

Speaking at the ceremony held to assign documents of land tenure agreement to 20 selected recipients designated for housing provision in Hulhumale’ under the State’s ‘Veshifahi’ programme, the President said foreign investors come to Maldives to invest and do business and so it should be understood that they would take their profits with them.

“We have to make laws to rightly benefit from these investments and businesses,” he said.

President Nasheed also conferred housing grants to 27 selected recipients entitled to housing provision in Male’ and Hulhumale’.

The documents were officially handed over at a land distribution ceremony held at Hiriya School yesterday evening.

In his speech following the delivery of all housing documents, the President said that the Government is endeavoring to offer housing for all 21000 applicants in need of shelter. The President noted that the above was an achievable objective for the nation and that he would accomplish the task with firm conviction as far as circumstances permit. In addition, President Nasheed reconfirmed the Government’s main objective of satisfying the lives of all Maldivian citizens, and augmenting the nation’s economically active population by economically mobilizing nearly 150000 people.

In his speech, the President noted that it is vital that housing is uniformly provided to all citizens of the Maldives if we are to progressively continue the developmental process.

In view of the fact that national development is an asset to be safeguarded by both the Government and the Ruling Party, the President highlighted on the clear link between the ongoing housing programme and the nation’s collective development.

Speaking at the ceremony held this evening, the President also revealed additional details on the Cabinet’s decision finalized today, to build a connecting bridge between the islands of Male’ and Hulhule.