With the pledge of introducing school buses, MDP releases its Male’ manifesto

The main ruling party, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has released its manifesto for Male’ City in the upcoming Local Council Elections, which includes the pledge of introducing school buses.

The manifesto, published on the MDP website, highlights five main pledges.

PUBLIC BUS TRANSPORT

The manifesto includes proposed strategies to ease traffic congestion in the overpopulated Maldivian capital, including introducing school buses and an inner-city bus service.

MDP vows to introduce designated locations and times for taxis to stop and for vehicles to load and unload cargo.

The party also pledges to encourage and facilitate the use of environment friendly battery electric vehicles, and declare and implement a vehicle carrying capacity.

The inclusion of bus transport on the manifesto comes after the first MDP administration introduced, but later halted bus service in Male’ City.

HOUSING

The biggest pledge on the manifesto is the promise of providing housing. MDP pledges to introduce council housing – which will allow the lowest income group to purchase flats by making monthly payments over a long period of time. MDP promises the monthly rent will be no higher than MVR 6,400.

MDP pledges to build 10,000 housing units in the greater Male’ region, which, in addition to council housing, will include housing units for 4,000 families with a monthly income of MVR 17,000-32,000, and 5,600 families with a monthly income of MVR 32,000-64,000.

MDP promises they will establish fair policies and criteria for awarding social housing, and will establish a portal for submission of applications to increase convenience, and eliminate the need to wait in long queues.

ESTABLISHING JOB CENTERS

MDP’s manifesto says that job centers will be established in each constituency to assist the youth seeking employment. The job centers will be responsible for collecting and managing information on employment opportunities, those who are employed and those seeking employment, and link the unemployed with available employment opportunities.

MDP says that those seeking employment though job centers will be provided an allowance.

SOCIAL LIFE

MDP’s manifesto says they will make plans to build a society which will facilitate greater bonds of family and friendship.  MDP says they will make public areas which will allow everyone to exercise and socialize, and also establish resources needed for young men and women who wish to pursue music and performance art.

SOCIAL SERVICE AND SENTENCE REDUCTION

MDP proposes introducing a new opportunity for convicts to reduce their sentence through a social service which will be introduced under the management of the city council. MDP says the system will expedite the parole process and strengthen probation.