News Desk
KUDAHUVADHOO, Maldives — President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu announced last night that discounts on electricity and water bills will continue this Ramadan, framing them as a seasonal gift to the people, just as they were last year. Speaking to a crowd on the main island of Dh. Atoll, he emphasized the government’s commitment to easing financial burdens during the holy month.
“We will give discounts on water and electricity bills this Ramadan as we did last Ramadan,” Muizzu said, his voice carrying over the gathering in Kudahuvadhoo. He also revealed that the government has already begun distributing cases of canned fish to households across the islands, a gesture he described as another Ramadan bonus.
The president took aim at the opposition, accusing them of spreading rumors that the government plans to hike utility bills to offset the cost of the fish cans. “Lies are being told to create unrest among the people,” he said, pointing to recent public complaints about uneven increases in electricity and water charges. “I assure you, we’re giving discounts, not raising bills.”
Muizzu doubled down on his pledge, recalling a promise he made on Dec. 8 last year in Mathiveri. “I said I’d give discounts on electricity and water bills this Ramadan, and I’ll continue to do so,” he told the crowd. Last year, the government provided a hefty 142 million Maldivian rufiyaa discount on utilities and distributed 1.6 million kilograms of rations to 82,000 households during Ramadan, he noted.
In a bid to counter misinformation, the president urged citizens to question what they hear. “When a lie is told, it’s the responsibility of the listener to recognize it as a lie,” he said, adding that blindly accepting rumors isn’t religiously permissible. Well, there you have it—a Ramadan sermon on discernment delivered just before the season kicks off, courtesy of the president himself!
Beyond the Ramadan relief, Muizzu teased more good news on the horizon. He promised that before the holy month begins, the government will release the list of recipients for 4,000 flats under construction in Hulhumale’ Phase 2. “I assure you tonight that the list of beneficiaries will be announced within this week,” he said, though some in Kudahuvadhoo might wonder what flats in Male’ mean for their island community.
The announcements come amid growing scrutiny of utility costs and government spending, but Muizzu’s message was clear: relief is coming, and the opposition’s claims are noise to be ignored.
