Yameen sworn in as new Maldives President,brother Gayoom in control

According to the final figures released by the Election Commission early on Sunday,Yameen secured 111,203 votes (51.39 per cent),while the MDP got 105,181 votes (48.61 percent).

At the press conference at the PPM campaign headquarters on Saturday night,Gayoom,seated at the centre and clearly calling the shots,was flanked by Yameen and ally Gasim Ibrahim of the Jumhoree Party.

In his inaugural speech,Yameen spoke of promoting nationalism and bolstering the flagging economy. “My priority will be to improve the economy by taking steps to reduce government expenditure.

We will work to make Maldives a peaceful nation which achieves progress,and will work towards an inclusive economy,” he said.

“I shall strive to make Maldives the safest and most developed nation in the region. We will maintain good relations with countries in the region,” he said. Yameen assured that he would appoint capable officials who would be able to achieve the goals set. He said he would focus on the future of Maldivian youth,role of women in society,social security and drug addiction.

“The new government is obviously going to be controlled by Gayoom,as was apparent from the PPM press conference last night. We will engage with the new government just as we had been engaging with the MDP and the PPM prior to the elections. Both Yameen and Nasheed visited India before the polls. There will be no great problem in engaging with Yameen,” said an Indian government official speaking on condition of anonymity.

“It would have been unrealistic to believe that had Nasheed won the elections,he may have reversed the decision of the previous government to scrap the deal signed with GMR for the Male International Airport. Such a move would have been viewed by the Maldivian public as bowing to Indian pressure,and would have turned public opinion against him. The deal was already lost,” he added.

“This is a failure of India’s foreign policy towards Maldives. We were really surprised at the swiftness and ease with which India recognised the new government after the coup against then President Nasheed. That is why we are in this situation today,” said a senior MDP member who did not wish to be named.