:: Dhivehi Observer :: Peoples Press ::

Gayyoo-nomics: A Recipe for Disaster

By Mohamed Ashfag - 8^th August 2004

Twenty days has passed since the eventful first sitting of People’s Special Majlis (PSM) and public are, yet to know the much-awaited date of reconvening the PSM. Not only it is the public at large who are at the dark but also the elected MP's who represent the people are just as clueless. After the initial statement issued by President Gayyoom on 19^th July with the adjournment of the first meeting of PSM due to the now infamous ‘methodological dispute’, little or no information were provided to the public. This is an inherent quality of the Gayyoom administration.

For instance, the interview Ameen Ammu (Secretary General) of People’s Majlis gave on the 23^rd July, defending the actions of Presiding Authority on 19^th July was all that was said officially on the issue. This is, apart from yet again another reaffirmation from President Gayyoom on Independence Day speech mentioning his desire to facilitate the wishes of his people, as soon as possible. What is surprising is that why it was only the interview of Ameen Ammu repeatedly broadcasted while the other side of the issue is totally sidelined. For people the term ‘dispute’ inevitably suggests that there are conflicting opinions for a given objective or purpose. Therefore, why weren’t the MPs who felt the need to withdraw from the meeting given the same opportunity as the Ameen Ammu? After all, Honorable Ahmed Muizzu: member for Haa Alif and Honorable Dr. Mohamed Munavvar: member for Seenu, (among the MPs who withdrew from the meeting) are renowned lawyers of our nation. And since, the broadcasting media is the only information vehicles that have the highest reach to our scattered-around population, shouldn’t the people have the right to see and hear the opposing view of the dispute? You be the judge.

Despite the absence of any known objective survey carried out by the Government of Maldives (GoM), it is an established fact that the there is a growing gap between the aspirations of the younger generation in Maldives and realistic opportunities for productive employment in their expressed fields of interest. Any person who happens to be near a school at start or finish of a school session can appreciate the magnitude with which this challenge will hit us in the nearby years to come. When we boast about our spectacular economic growth, records suggest that the proportion of our economically active population is less than 50% and is lowest in the SAARC region. Shouldn’t the GoM be obliged to communicate to people on what is planned as a short-term fix to this nationwide challenge, and also the long-term solutions for this issue? Are the people displaying concern on such issues and show their displeasure on the inability or unwillingness of GoM to meaningfully communicate the proposed solution, acting beyond the capacity of a citizen? You be the judge.

There are great many Master Plans for every sector of GoM which purportedly promotes and guide the development of our nation. These master plans supposedly assist the relevant sectors in setting policies and direction. Comprehensive as they are, the main issue with regard to these master plans is the extent of endorsement and adherence to them by GoM. One such plan is the Tourism Master Plan 1996 – 2005, in which it very clearly identifies the growing concern of the concentration of ownership of resorts and the urgent need of spreading the benefits of tourism to all Maldivians disregard of their location. Moreover it also raises the issues of the rapid growth of expatriate labour force and the high economic leakages. True, the resent eleven islands that had come for bidding ensures additional regions will be developed. Nonetheless, the GoM’s preferred types of up-market resort establishments that require unnaturally huge investment, invariably wipe-away any hope of over 90% of the population of ever becoming a resort owner. Further, the points allocated to various aspects of the evaluation criteria for the above mentioned resorts, very clearly communicates which areas the priority of GoM lies. Should jobs like waiters, room-boys and the like be all the benefits the vast majority of people in these regions can expect from this multi-million dollar industry? You be the judge.

In line with GoM’s announcement on 10^th July to increase the pay scale of civil employees, some individual civil servants now claim to know their own increment levels. However, the GoM is yet to publicly announce the increment level(s) (if it is variable) and the factors that were considered in deciding which income cohort qualify to what level of increment. The GoM is surprisingly silent on the level of enhancement people can expect in their standard of living as a direct result of this pay increment. Already some essential items such as onions have seen a boost in prices. Would we end up having to pay twice as much for all goods and services or are we supposed to adopt a ‘just-wait-see’ approach? Are answers for these types of questions just a bit too much to ask from a government? You be the judge.

In every direction you look, you are bombarded with similar typed policies. What we can be rest assured is that these types of policies is a perfect recipe for a total fiasco.