The President Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik has said that the government will not force any political influence on the national bank, the Bank of Maldives (BML). Speaking at the function to mark the 30th anniversary of BML, President Waheed said that the bank is facing great losses due to loans taken by a few number of people. He said that thiswas because even though the bank, a place that should be run like a business, has been politically influenced.
“I will say that this has happened because, an institution that should be run like a profession business according to due banking procedures has been influenced politically. With God’s grace the bank is working away from this and we are seeing results. Consequently the bank is seeing better profits. Therefore, I assure you on behalf of the Maldivian Government that it will not influence the governance of this Bank in any way,” the President said. The President aimed these remarks towards the loans taken during the Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom’sadministration amounting to millions of Rufiya which have not been repaid by companies Sultans of the Seas and Funaddoo Tuna Products, two companies in which DRP Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Aliholds interests. It is also perceived that the president aimed his remarks towards the loans taken by the 3A company of which Bilaiydhoo MP Hamza holds shares. The President said that the national bank of every country is a huge asset and that the people save their hard earned money in this bank with high hopes. He also said that the bank has to work towards gaining public confidence and protecting the people’s rights in this regard. “The National Bank is a bank that has to have a lot of people’s confidence. It holds a lot of people’s interests. It holds a lot of people’s money,” said the President. Highlighting the social roles the bank partakes, the President said that the distribution of privileges to the elderly is an important task. He also praised the many new services the Bank has lately introduced and urged young people to seek employment in the bank. The President also announced that the bank will introduce new packages in order to facilitate their services in more islands in the coming year.