29 April 2012,

Vice President Mohamed Waheed Deen has said development and civilisation should be informed by Islamic values and customs.
In his first address to the nation after assumption of office as Vice President, delivered in a televised press conference at the President’s Office on Sunday, the Vice President said the Maldives progressed as it had only because of Maldivian people’s strong faith in Islamic principles. He added all leaders of the country therefore must strive to preserve the Islamic faith in the people, for “Islam is the most civilized religion”.
In his address, the Vice President highlighted on the social, political and economic situation of the country. He in particular called for deep reflection on the deteriorating social conditions of the Maldives.
In this regard, he said, “the political situation will not improve, unless the socio-economic situation improves”.
Stating that a lot of developmental work still needed to be done, Vice President Deen laid out some proposals to improve the socio-economic conditions. He, in particular, stressed the importance of education for national development, and proposed that provision of long-term education loans were crucial for economic sustainability in the country. Other measures that he proposed included developing social and entertainment avenues and empowering sports associations.
Such measures, the Vice President emphasized, were needed to build future leaders.
After his address, the Vice President took questions from the press.

Source: President’s Office – Press Release Ref. No. 2012-309