The Maldives ruling party Tuesday night launched its election manifesto, days before voting is due to take place and months after it was promised by President Abdulla Yameen.
Yameen, who is seeking a second term in office, launched the Shared Progress manifesto at a rally in the capital, where  supporters gathered to show the “real size” of the ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM).
The manifesto makes a number of eye-catching projections, including the increase of GDP from MVR70 billion in 2018 to MVR175 billion in 2023 and boosting jobs from 250,000 in 2018 to 663,000 in 2023.
“Tonight we have unveiled a manifesto that will double our income. That means this manifesto will raise our income to USD$20,000 if we currently get USD$10,000,” Yameen told the crowd.
He has shown a shaky grasp of facts and statistics in recent weeks.
The total registered Maldivian population at the end of 2017 was 378,114, official figures say.
It is expected to reach almost one million by 2054, according to UN estimates, with Maldivians comprising 57 percent of that figure.
The manifesto’s job claim would mean that, by 2023, there are more jobs than there are Maldivians.
Yameen said earlier this week that the GDP was USD$4,000 or USD$5,000 when he took office and that the GDP was currently USD$10,000. Neither of these assertions are true.
World Bank data says the Maldives GDP per capita was between USD$4,000 and USD$5,000 in the mid 1990s.
In 2014, the first year of Yameen’s presidency, it was USD$8,124. The GDP per capita for 2017 was recorded at USD$8,980 – short of the USD$10,000 claimed by Yameen.
The election is scheduled for September 23.
Below are the PPM pledges:
Infrastructure and urban development
Tourism
Maritime hub
Financing
ICT
Fisheries
Agriculture
Health
Education
Social protection
Young people