Abolishing Ward-Offices in Male and other islands!

We need to change small things too in order to create a mindset that would aid unification instead of division. The presence of two or four wards (Avashu) in many islands is also a divisive thing. All wards in all islands (including Male) need to be abolished. We would then have no need for ward offices which is an unnecessary bureaucracy and wasteful expenditure.

Instead of having wards, the people in each island should unite as one people. The unit is not the “ward”, but the “island”. For example, the people of Male should unite as one unit instead of belonging to Henveiru or Maafannu or some other ward.
The divisive Jamiyya’s and organizations setup in some rural islands, under encouragement from Abdullah Hameed’s divisive regime should be slowly dismantled.

Gasim’s silly and immature ultimatum to the government!

Those of us who have been following the reform movement would know that at various stages of this evolving movement, it was Gasim Ibrahim who has continuously acted on selfish ways which weakened the movement. Gasim always pretends to be a reformist but when he had the chance to lead the movement (as the head of the MDP), he chose to join dictator Gayyoom’s ruling DRP.

Gasim joined the MDP-alliance only when he feared that a Gayyoom-win could be devastating for his business and for himself personally. When the MDP-Alliance won the election, Gasim was given (as agreed) the influential position of Home Minister. But just as he messed his appointment as Finance Minister of Gayyoom, Gasim messed his appointment as Home Minister of the new government too.

His record as a Finance Minster was terrible and his record as the Home Minister show his childish and immature side. God help us if this man somehow becomes our President. Now Gasim and his Jumhooree Alliance has given an ultimatum of 48 hours to the new government (of which Gasim is also an alliance member)! Gasim’s Jumhooree Alliance is accusing President Nasheed of not honoring his pre-election promise of giving 30% of all political posts to members of the Jumhooree Alliance. In a tit-for-tat war of words, MDP official (Zaki) has said that Gasim hasn’t honored his promise of sharing 30% of the campaign expenses of the Alliance.

The fact of the matter is that even if President Nasheed hasn’t stuck to the letter of his agreement with the Jumhooree Alliance, Nasheed has given some influential posts to the Jumhooree Alliance. To whine and protest and give childish ultimatums at a time when the country is facing the biggest economic downturn for decades shows that Gasim is like a spoilt kid who is jealous that his friend got a toy that he himself didn’t get.

Even if Gasim and the Jumhooree Alliance have a legitimate case against the new government, this isn’t the right time to give this sort of ultimatum which could be interpreted as a ploy to weaken the new president and create chaos.

Some say that Gasim is now regularly meeting his old friend Ilyas Ibrahim (ex-dictator Gayyoom’s influential brother in law). Does this mean that Gasim and Gayyoom have kissed and made up after their recent political differences? As long as Gasim is with Ilyas and Gayyoom he cannot be taken as being on the side of the ordinary people. How can any decent politician claim to be working for the people if he has links to an ex-regime that sucked our blood for 30 years?

Gasim’s role in the DRP (as Finance Minister) and his role in the new government have shown what an immature politician he is. This also shows his miscalculations and childish whining. Maldivians would be fools to elect this man as even a member of parliament, leave alone as president!

Change the National Anthem and the National Flag!!!

The national anthem of our country fails to inspire the new generation of Maldivian. I feel that even the anthem “Wathan Edhey Gothah” compiled by our first president (Mohamed Amin) is also a better tune and a better anthem than our national anthem. Perhaps this wouldn’t be a very popular idea, but I feel that we need to think and debate whether we could change our national anthem.

Nasheed’s wife Laila Ali’s half-veil and the Vim and vigour in the Muslim democracies

The Indian sub-continent is in ferment, make no mistake. Among the biggest changes has been the peaceful transition of power, from the dictatorship of Abdul Maumoon Gayyoom of the Maldives to Mohammed Nasheed, a former Amnesty International "prisoner of conscience" in the island country last month.

Just a few days after Nasheed concluded his trip to India, on 27th December, thousands of Pakistanis converged on Garhi Khuda Baksh in the Larkana district of Pakistan, mourning the death of Benazir Bhutto. On 28th December, (as Israeli jets pounded the Gaza strip, killing 280 people including hundreds of civilians), results from an unprecedented election in Kashmir showed that all three regions in the state -- Hindu, Muslim and Buddhist -- had voted for change and accountability. On 29th December, as Bangladesh goes to the polls, the army lives up to its promise of ending its two-year-old backing of a caretaker government and paving the return of one of the two matriarchs, Khaleda Zia or Sheikh Hasina.

So when Nasheed came to India last week, on his first visit abroad as president, to reaffirm the Maldives' special relationship with India, he was received at the President's banquet in Rashtrapati Bhawan by a carefully selected audience that included the two major Kashmiri leaders, Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Congress and Farooq Abdullah of the National Conference, K. Rahman Khan, deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha and Sayeeda Hamid of the Planning Commission. Vice-President Hamid Ansari was a given invitee.

Clearly, there had been an attempt to bring before the top leadership of the Islamic Republic of the Maldives, a range of modern and progressive Indian Muslims, successfully participating in the democratic framework.
It was interesting how several of the assembled Indians sought to reintroduce themselves to the Maldives, incredulous that it was such a small country ("with 320,00 people it is the size of a district in India," said several), that the Maldivians had carried out a peaceful election last month, and most interesting of all, that it was an Islamic republic, but with a brand of Islam so different from those practised in India.

One Indian Muslim asked about the piece of chiffon or silk that was clipped to the back of the hair of the assembled Maldivian women, including Laila Ali, the wife of Mohammed Nasheed. It was the half-veil, I explained, part of the formal attire worn by Maldivian women, which includes a tight-fitting gown with a broad collar that reveals rather than covers the open neck. I pointed out that Maldivian women do wear black scarves that cover their heads, but dont really cover their faces in purdah.
So what kind of Muslims are these, asked Farooq Abdullah wonderingly. Ah, he replied, answering his own question, the Maldivians are seafarers, open to outside influences and to the rest of the world. That's why they're so different.

That sentiment, that there are actuallly several Islams, has been reinvigorated over the last few days of the year : Bangladesh, a people's republic with Islam as its state religion, goes to the polls on Monday, the Islamic republic of Pakistan mourns the death of one of its foremost leaders who struggled to push the democratic envelope and Kashmir, predominantly Muslim, elects mainstream parties to govern and deliver the state. In the South Asian melting pot, the many faces of democracy adds vim and vigour to the Islamic faith. (from livemint.com)

Umar Naseer clutching at straws in order to discredit the government

Those who voice their opinion against the new government seem to currently be preoccupied with this Sula Shirza alcohol case!

1. They accuse President Nasheed of drinking some alcoholic drink with an exotic name (Sula Shirza) at a press gathering during his state visit to India. Now, I’m not here to defend Nasheed and say that he will never drink. I don’t know whether he drinks or not; but anyone with a sane mind will know that even if Nasheed were a drinker he would not drink at a press gathering, in front of the foreign press, during a high profile state visit.

2. Now let’s take an example of a committee of ten people having a conversation around a table. Later, one of them goes away and tells somebody that, over a cup of tea, he and the other members of the committee had a discussion. This does not mean that all members of the committee had tea. Some could have had coffee or even coca cola. But the person who conveyed the story could have been having tea. The fact of the matter is that however “foolish” or “incompetent” President Nasheed maybe, he would not drink at a press gathering, in front of the foreign press, during a high profile state visit. It just doesn’t make any sense. This is just some storm in a teacup created by the DRP sympathizers and people such as Umar Naseer who are clutching at straws in order to discredit the government.

Who was it who first gave senior government posts to convicted coup leaders?

IDP leader Umar Naseer and some of his supporters (including DRP activists) took part in a small rally Friday night to protest against the appointment of Shahid (convicted of taking part in the 1988 coup attempt) as the State Minster for Defense. They called for Shahid to be sacked from the post and accused the government of promoting convicted coup leaders for senior government posts. But the question remains, who was it who first gave senior government posts to convicted coup leaders?

Karo Abbas (an ex-army officer) who was convicted of taking part in the coup was pardoned by Gayyoom after serving a long jail term. Abbas was then given a senior post at MIFCO by Gayyoom.

Kerafa Naseem, who was also convicted by the Gayyoom government for taking part in a coup was later pardoned and given the post of Director General of Foreign Investment Bureau by Gayyoom.

So it isn’t Nasheed who started this. Nasheed is probably following in Gayyoom’s footsteps as far as giving posts to coup leaders is concerned. In fact it was Gayyoom who pardoned Shahid. It was Gayyoom who started this work of rehabilitating and giving jobs to the coup leaders. Now that Nasheed is continuing that work, Gayyoom loyalists are making a big deal out of it and making it as an excuse to attack the new government.

In fact this isn’t the first time that a convicted coup leader has been pardoned and given a ministerial post. Years back, former president Ibrahim Nasir’s grand father conducted a coup to oust the monarchy at the time, with help from an Indian group called the Pichoreen. He was later given a state pardon and years later he served as a State Minister for Home Affairs. So I don’t see what the fuss is about with regard to the appointment of Shahid as a Minster. It’s all politics and Gayyoom and Yamin and Gasim are now probably in an axis of politics, to pressurize the new government.

Wearing of veils in girls’ school uniforms and for civil servants to wear the veil during office hours

Former president, Gayyoom had consistently challenged the wearing of the veil. To put the record straight the new government needs to do certain things. First, we need to increase Islamic awareness so that girls’ schools can redesign girls’ school uniforms to include the veil and long pants. We also can introduce a dress code for civil servants so that all ladies who serve in the Maldives civil service can wear the veil during office hours.

Will our first lady and the MDP Chairperson wear the veil?

Some people define Adhaalath Party as a group of radical or fundamentalist politicians or sheiks. But those who know Islam and who know world politics will know that Adhaalath Party’s view of Islam is relatively moderate when compared to the teachings of hard line Islamists such as Sheikh Fareed. It would be shrewd for the new government to make full use of Adhaalath Party to preach moderate Islam and silence hard line or fundamentalist teachings. There are some people within MDP who believe that moderation means embracing all western cultures. If the new government takes this view then the country could be deeply divided and we could be headed for religious unrest.

Redefining “moderate Islam” is one critical area that needs to be addressed urgently. If MDP alienates the moderate Islamists then there is great danger of the party losing their credibility. Moderate Islam does not mean having the freedom to dress whichever way one wants. We all attacked Gayyoom because he does not make his wife Nasreena to wear the veil. I wonder what many Maldivians would say if MDP chairperson Maria starts to wear the veil. Would that inspire Nasheed’s wife to do the same? I wonder what many Maldivians would say if president Mohamed Nasheed’s wife (Laila) continue to shun the issue of wearing the veil.

If we turn our backs on Allah, it is easy for Allah to reverse this victory and bring us down and give the leadership to whoever He wishes. This may not be the most popular idea but I call upon president Nasheed and the Vice-President Dr. Waheed and the MDP Chairperson Maria and Adhaalth party leaders to come to a feasible compromise so that the issue of the veil is addressed properly.

Nasheed, the favourite of Delhi reporters!

Following is an extract from a column written on www.business-standard.com by Aditi Phadnis (pic).

“The new President of Maldives made all the right noises during his recent India visit. Of all South Asian politicians, the favourite of Delhi reporters has to be the youthful new president of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed, who was in Delhi from December 23 to 26 on his first state visit.
As he walked — actually, bounded — into the room where journalists had congregated, it was hellos and high-fives all round. Some were embraced by him, others got pecks on their cheeks. He knew most of them by their first names. It was genuine, deeply-felt warmth that enveloped the gathering, not the practiced PR that politicians and bureaucrats from some of India’s other neighbours are so adept at.”

US$600 Million Secured to Maldives from India!

A total of US$600 million was secured by the government on its recent state visit to India, according to the foreign minister Ahmed Shaheed (pic). He has described the trip as “eminently successful”.
In addition to the original US$100 million pledged by India, Shaheed said he was “almost certain” the government would be given a US$300 million loan from the State Bank of India in the Maldives.
A further loan for traders had been obtained from the Export-Import Bank of India, he said, while government officials had also met with “captains of industry” who were keen to invest in the Maldives.
“So if we look at all this, we are looking at a very practical injection of US$600 million."
Regarding the US$100 million, the foreign minister signed a bilateral agreement for the amount. He added the sum would be “dispensed shortly”.
Shaheed said half of this loan was interest-free while the other half had a “very very low” interest rate of 1.5 per cent.
One of the provisions of the credit was that half of the money should be spent on imports from India. The remainder, said Shaheed, was for the government to spend as it pleased.
According to Shaheed, President Mohamed Nasheed had informed those who had travelled with him to India that the money should be used “to set the bills in order”.
“Plugging the budget deficit is a top priority,” said Shaheed. “And this will ease the dollar shortage.”
The loan comes at a time of great financial difficulty for the Maldives, which currently has a budget deficit of Rf1.4 billion.
Fazeel Najeeb, governor of the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) recently confirmed the bank had loaned the government Rf203 million to offset the huge deficit which they had inherited from the previous administration.
The money, said Shaheed, would go towards this three-month loan.
Following the trip, the foreign minister was very optimistic about the future economy of the country. “In 18 months, we should be looking at a very rosy picture,” he said.
President Nasheed made the administration’s first state visit to India this month.
During his three-day trip, he met a host of dignitaries including the Indian President Shrimathi Pratibham Devesingh Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Shrimathi Sonia Gandhi, president of the Indian National Congress.
Besides securing much-needed funds, the Maldives foreign minister said the visit to India by the Maldives president was made to “celebrate our democratic credentials”.

Indian investors can strike gold in Maldives

"Today we are having a different kind of democracy in Maldives - a democracy, in which politics has taken a back-seat and commerce has taken a lead. Investors will have a very smooth sailing here," said Mr Maizan Omar Manik, President, Maldives National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Mncci); reported the Indian media.
"Now it is time for Indian investors to strike gold in Maldives in real sense. Maldives is looking for cooperation in many different areas of commerce and economy, including power, housing and hotel & tourism industry," he added.
He was speaking at the Meeting with Maldives Business Delegation, organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Speaking on tourism industry in Maldives, Mr Maizan said, "As such India, compared to Maldives, is far ahead in the hotel industry. However, Maldives has certainly developed expertise in island tourism."
In his welcome address, Mr V K Mathur, Chairman & Managing Director, Inapex Limited, said, "Maldives offers big opportunities for Indian entrepreneurs and investors. Presently the trade between India and Maldives stands at 19.3 million dollars and there is scope to multiply it many times."

"India and Maldives have a long history of good relation and close friendship. In the new world order, when there is a tectonic shift in the centre of economic activities of the world from Europe and the US to Asian countries, we look forward to building a more vibrant business relation with Maldives," he said.
Speaking about the tourism industry in Maldives, Mr Mathur said, "Maldives is doing a better job than India in tourism sector and has initiated many innovative schemes to attract tourist from all around the world."

Mr Ahmed Siyam Mohamed, President, Sun Travel's and Tours Pvt Ltd, said, "There is now a big opportunity for Indian investors in hotel, travel and tourism industry in the Maldives."
"It should also be noted that no investor has ever lost money in Maldives. It is one of the safest places in the world for investment," he emphasized.

Mr Ahmed Shahid, First Secretary (Economic and Commercial), High Commission of Maldives in India, said, "Housing is now one of the priority sectors in Maldives. The government is trying to decentralize the housing sector. In this changed scenario, we are looking towards India for partnership in this areas, especially in mid-to-high and affordable housings."

Maldives businessmen keen to invest in Indian hotel industry

Apprehensions of slowdown in the hotel industry notwithstanding, Maldives businessmen are keen to invest in this sector in India, reports The Hindhu newspaper.

"Maldives investors are very keen to invest in India, particularly in the Indian hotel sector, though no agreement has been signed so far," First Secretary (Economic and Commercial) High Commission of Maldives in India Ahmed Shahid said. After the recent terror attacks at the Taj Hotel and Oberoi in Mumbai, there are fears that the hotel industry might see a slowdown. Shahid, however, did not mention these incidents at the meeting with a Maldives business delegation, organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

He invited Indian businessmen to invest across sectors as the island nation has "turned more open to FDI and private capital".
"We expect a significant increase in investment by Indian companies, particularly in infrastructure, transport, electricity, healthcare, IT and education," he added. The delegation came to India, along with newly-elected Maldives President Mohammad Nasheed, on a three-day visit.