Ali tells Region One protesters: 'Come inside respectfully, your voice matters’

President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Wednesday extended an invitation to protesters demonstrating outside a government outreach in Santa Rosa, telling them they were welcome to join the meeting and raise their concerns respectfully. Addressing residents gathered at the Santa Rosa Secondary School, the President acknowledged the presence of a small group protesting outside but stressed that his government would never deny citizens the opportunity to be heard. “Every citizen has a right to be heard by this government in a respectful manner,” Ali declared. “So when we have five persons outside… I invite them to join this meeting in a respectful manner, and they will have every opportunity to raise their concerns.” The President said the Cabinet outreach, which saw ministers and technical officials spread across Region One throughout the day, was designed primarily to listen to residents and shape government policies around their priorities. “We are outlining government programmes, but more importantly, we are listening to you—listening to your ideas, your priorities and your challenges so that our programmes can continuously be responsive to your needs,” he said. Ali said the administration’s focus remains on improving people’s lives through investments in healthcare, education, infrastructure and social programmes rather than engaging in political confrontation. “We don’t care about the glamour. We care about people,” he told the gathering. He pointed to billions of dollars invested in Region One over recent years, alongside increases in old-age pensions, public assistance, disability support and grants for Indigenous villages. The President encouraged residents to use the outreach to raise concerns directly with ministers, saying public engagement remains one of the government’s most important tools for delivering services and responding to community needs.