I was delighted when I saw the news about the Auditor General’s report on MTDC. It’s not because I enjoyed the alleged fraud and corruption in the company, but because I saw an important institution carrying out its responsibilities independently and courageously published the report on their website showing transparency in their work. I thought, at last the calls and chaos for change and reform during the last 4 or 5 years are starting to be paid off. We have seen an institution using its newly gained independent powers to fulfill its very purpose.
At the same time, it’s with great regret that I condemn the role of government and some business tycoons in ruining the hope of many ordinary people to share in the benefits and the flow of profits from the tourism business. MTDC was the government’s promise for ordinary Maldivians that we would get a fair chance to pool our small individual funds in a tourism sector investment. In fact the initial share prospectus issued by the company stated this aim very clearly. However the company has ceased to fulfill this very purpose as revealed by the Auditor General’s report.
Independent institutions and commissions created under the constitution have an important responsibility of making government institutions accountable and ensuring that they act in the best interests of the citizens of the country. So it’s happy to see an institution carrying out this task, but still there is a lot to change and we have a lot learn. We are entering a new era where we have powers and rights which most of us never knew about its existence before. It’s up to us, for each individual to understand these rights and use it for good.
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