PNC Highlights Government’s Commitment to Transparency and Accountability

The People’s National Congress (PNC) has commended the government for its proactive efforts to maintain transparency and accountability during its first year in office. In a statement marking the administration’s first anniversary, the PNC emphasized the government’s dedication to upholding press freedom and ensuring public access to information.

The PNC noted that no media outlets had faced crackdowns over the past year, with over 70 press conferences held by government ministries and more than 700 press briefings conducted by government ministers. The statement highlighted that the government had responded to all Right to Information (RTI) requests submitted to the President’s Office within the statutory deadlines, with ministries and state-owned enterprises also adhering to RTI obligations.

Contrasting this with the previous administration, the PNC pointed out that state-owned companies had previously failed to comply with court rulings mandating responses to RTI requests. The current administration, however, has ensured compliance, even disclosing information on the number of political appointees and associated state expenditures in response to RTI submissions.

The PNC also praised a historic move by the government to enhance transparency by publishing cabinet decisions. Since March 2024, all cabinet decisions have been made publicly accessible through a dedicated online platform, a first in the country’s history.

However, the PNC expressed concerns over what it described as misleading statements by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). The PNC criticized the MDP, a state-funded political party, for allegedly spreading misinformation that could mislead the public. The party underscored the importance of constructive opposition and condemned any attempts to erode public trust through the dissemination of inaccurate information.