Economic Minister Saeed Defends Sustainable Township Model Amid No-Confidence Motion

Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed defended the "Sustainable Township" model in the People's Majlis today, stating that tourism is an industry that will fail in its nature if it does not bring about changes, and that countries which do not adapt to the changes coming to the industry in various parts of the world will fail in this regard. Saeed was responding to a motion submitted to the Majlis by 12 members of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), who signed it to express no confidence in him and remove him from office. Speaking in today's session, Saeed said experts state that changes need to be brought to tourism within a period of 5-10 years, and that these are theories that have existed since the early 1970s. "The speed of competitiveness in today's era has gone so fast that thinking people become confused. Look at the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, look at these countries. The rising powers. Their entry and exit into the global hospitality network, the way tourism is changing. Countries whose tourism does not evolve entirely with that trend are failing in the industry," Saeed said. He stated that the country's tourism has developed and that all the most famous brands in tourism and finance worldwide are present in the country, and therefore all governments speak about diversifying the industry without letting the country lose touch with trends. "In that regard, the Sustainable Township is a project that was carried forward by amending the SEZ Act [and] moving forward with it," Saeed said. The minister spoke in response to allegations made in the no-confidence motion, which claimed that significant losses would occur to the country due to the amendments made to the SEZ Act to create the township. He stated that he does not believe that any law contrary to the Constitution would be passed by the People's Majlis, and said he would drop the allegation that the amendment made to the SEZ Act is contrary to the Constitution for the sake of debate in the Majlis.