Minister of Tourism Ali Waheed has stated the economy of the country will not be brought to a halt despite the stringent measures taken by the administration against COVID-19.
Speaking at a press conference to brief the media about the measures taken by the government amid the COVID-19 outbreak, Minister Ali Waheed said the country is braced for the full impact of the virus including the inevitable economic impacts. However, he said the government is working to continue economic activities without disruption.
Minister Ali Waheed said President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih does not plan to bring the economy to a halt, although the policy is to cut costs. The minister said the administration does not intend to reduce salaries of the civil servants and other workers, but rather cut costs on other government expenditure such as travel. He said the government has also asked all state offices to avoid unnecessary expenses.
Signaling that the president will address the nation duly, the minister said the administration has been prepared for the situation for over a month and all government offices have been working together to take necessary measures. He further stated the administration has enough staple food available stored at State Trading Organisation (STO) for the locals as well as expatriates and tourists in the country. However, he urged the public not to store food unnecessarily as it will reduce available stock.
Following the outbreak of COVID-19, the administration has been evaluating the impact of the outbreak on the economy and has asked government offices to reduce expenditure.