Ibrahim Nasir
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Ibrahim Nasir Rannabandeyri Kilegefan, NGIV (born 1926) is a Maldivian statesman who served as his country's Prime Minister under Sultan Muhammad Farid Didi (from 1957 to 1968 ) and succeeded him to become the first President of the Second Republic from 1968 to 1978. He is currently living in Singapore and hold it's citizenship
Political Career
President Nasir is widely credited with modernizing the long-isolated and nearly unknown Maldives and opening them up to the rest of the world. His foremost work include that of bringing Maldives to the U N even with the opposition of some nations that felt awkward at including a nation of such a small size. He laid the foundations of the nation by modernizing the fisheries industry with mechanized vessels and starting the tourism industry. Even today the nation is dependent on these two industries as a primary source of income for the nation.
He is credited with many other improvements some of which include :
- Introducing an english based modern curriculum to government run schools
- Bringing Television and Radio to the country with formation of Television Maldives and Radio Maldives for broadcasting radio signals nation wide
- He abolished Vaaru, a tax on the people living on islands outside Malé
- He abolished many other taxes on various imports to the country, some of which have been since re-instated
- He brought about the independence of Maldives from being a protectorate of the British Empire
Criticism
President Nasir was criticized for his authoritarian methods and repression of political activity during his career. Most notably he have been criticized for his iron fisted methods in handling an insurrection by the people of Addu and Huvadu Atolls, whom wanted to form a new government, with closer ties to the British.
Succession
President Ibrahim Nasir was succeeded by President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom who was then Minister of Transport and former permanant representative of the Maldives to the U N.ja:イブラヒム・ナシル