The People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) Presidential Candidate, Mohamed Irfaan Ali, has been on the ground, listening to concerns from key personnel in the various sectors, and formulating plans to alleviate the hardships they encounter.
Over the last month, Ali interfaced with numerous ‘men and women in uniform’ in an attempt to get an understanding of their bugbears and what is needed to ensure they function in a more conducive environment.
Among some of the burning issues Ali unearthed during his exchanges was political interference and favouritisim in career path and advancement, obsolete equipment, poor working conditions and limited support to their families.
According to Ali, the general consensus among the ‘men and women in uniform’ is that they’re faced with a government that lacks empathy and there is a growing work environment in which political directives are becoming constant.
Among some of the other issues that came to the fore and are of concern to the former Housing Minister is “limited community support, limited attention to welfare issues, poor salary and benefits and limited access to personal upliftment and development.”
Ali added, “Securing our borders, fighting crime, keeping our homes and community safe requires a healthy mix between well-trained and highly motivated manpower backed with the necessary equipment, tools and enabling environment that would foster a higher level of performance leading to better results.”
In a direct attempt to ensure ‘men and women in uniform’ are able to perform at their optimum, Ali highlighted a few areas that his administration will tackle, especially as it relates to the welfare and wellbeing of those servicemen and women and their families.
He said a PPP government is committed to facilitating “affordable housing and support in access to financing, support to families, enhance training and access to skills development and reinstate the annual bonus.”
Ali promised an environment where there is career development and merit-based promotion, free of political inference, favouritism and bias.
Access and support for University education and improved and enhanced condition of work, remuneration and benefits are on the cards should Ali gain the voters’ nod at the next regional and general elections.
A former Tourism Minister under the PPP administration, Ali intends to focus on “enhanced and improved access and support for health care, rebranding and reimaging to enhance trust and foster respect and retooling to meet changing dynamics in support of improved effectiveness and efficiency.”
Over the coming weeks, the Presidential Candidate intends to ramp up his engagements with other sectors with regional and general elections looming.
