Former Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid has said the current government will not be able to lead the Maldives to a shore of economic independence, arguing that it simply does not know how to do so. Speaking on Raajje TV’s “Fashaairu” programme today, Shahid remarked that nearly three years into its term, the administration is “still driving with an L-board on.”

Reflecting on the country’s diplomatic history, Shahid noted that even long before independence in 1965, the Maldives’ foreign policy had been rooted in building friendly ties with as many nations as possible. He said this tradition of broad-based engagement had served the country well for generations.

Shahid also criticised the government for failing to extend invitations to figures from opposing political ideologies to today’s Independence Day ceremonies. He said the exclusion reflected poorly on the spirit of the occasion and pointed to a wider pattern in the government’s approach to national events and policymaking.