Skip to main content

Tale of two cities: The difference between rhetoric and commitment




More than a decade ago Government made announcements regarding development of Hulhumale’ and Laamu atoll. At that time Hulhumale is yet to be formed by land reclamation while Laam atoll has more than 600 hectors of readily available land to offer, without spending a single cent. Since the projects are similar in nature, one would expect similar approaches towards its implementation.  However here’s how it went….. 

The announcement of Hulhumale’ project, came with quick action points that made it a success;

  1. Monetary commitment: Committing 30 million dollar or 384 million rufiyaa to land reclamation alone. By 2007 government was getting ready to arrange funding of 700 million dollars (8 billion ruffiya for the 2nd phase of the project!! 
  2. Corporatizing development: Formation of Hulhumale’ Development Corporation
  3.  Availability of basic services as in Male’: transport, piped water, sanitation, electricity, ….
  4. Facilitating commercial use of land to create jobs and a vibrant economy: leasing plots for commercial activities, real estate….
Result: by 2008 government declared that Hulhumale’ is the only island developed to modern standards but there is still more to do…..!!!!

Surprisingly (are we really surprised?) commitment and action to implement Laam atoll project went…urr…like this….

  1. Monetary Commitment to the project- if any; not known from publicly available media sources
  2. Corporatizing development- never happened
  3. Availability of basic services as in Male’- never happened
  4. Facilitating commercial use of land to create jobs and a vibrant economy: is there any?
Result: still waiting to see…

Some other notable mentions include development planning for Haa Alif, Seenu, Gaaf Dhaal and many more atolls…digging all that will make one depressed….so I stop from here.   

Like most countries in the region, Maldives gained independence in the 60s. Ever since then* the people of islands have been begging the government for meaningful development that is on par with other newly independent countries like India, Malaysia….  However little changed except for the capital island…. 

It’s time the rest of islands stop begging central government and get the right to develop their own land based on their dreams and aspirations. 

*..Before that most islands are self sufficient and import, export goods on their own, independently of central government, but pays a tax or vaaaru.
Labels:

Comments

Anonymous said…
The more they have to beg, the mire dependent and disempowered they become. The more deprived they are, the. Ire votes the govt in power gets.
28 March 2014 at 19:08
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

1000 islands, 1000 opportunities

Often we are bombarded with messages stating, we do not have any natural resources and therefore we are poor. Just because we do not have oil does not mean we lack natural resources to move our economy forward. When you think of it, the 1000 more islands are the natural resources we have. We are using less than 150 islands for industrial purposes. The rest is untouched and unused. Tourism has shown that each island can be turned into multi million dollar cash generating investments. However, the problem is policy makers seems unable to think beyond tourism. Policies in assigning islands for industrial purposes need to be reviewed and prevent over concentration on tourism in a single atoll. Within the atolls (including Kaafu and other atolls that has high concentration of tourism), islands can be leased to fisheries, agriculture, education, health, and many more other industries and make them easily accessible for people to go for jobs or to acquire goods and services. Build...
7 comments
Read more

A Nation Sold Out!

We often talk about how corrupt are the politicians and those who are in high offices. I would say all of us are bonded through the chain corruption. First we sell our vote to the highest bidder, digging our own grave. The members than sell his/her vote to the Ultimate Buyer for money, position, power and so on The Ultimate Buyer, instead of meeting our demands, controls the members through the chain of corruption; we become helpless and our hopes for a decent life and a prosperous future gone. We cry, and whine saying how corrupt is the Majlis, the government and each and everyone who are in positions of power. After 21 days* we forget about everything and go about our lives and in between if some need arise, we beg the member or the Ultimate Buyer the member or the Ultimate buyer fulfills the need, on the promise of selling our vote again. It’s a vicious circle My request to Mps - to include vote buying/selling undue inducement as a criminal offence ...
7 comments
Read more

The price of isolation

THE SITUATION "Emerging trend shows that the Northern atolls are becoming poorer compared to the southern atolls." 7th National Development Plan. A survey on Vulnerability and poverty was conducted in 1998 and 2004. According to 2004 survey report, 'Households living in the South had the best chance of escaping poverty and the lowest probability of falling back. Households in the North region faced the highest probability of remaining in, or falling into, poverty'. For Development purposes the country is divided into five regions; North, North Central, Central, South Central and South. Thus developmental projects are aimed at covering major regions rather than a single atoll. The above report also states that“Income poverty is evidently greatest in the North (Ha, Hdh. Sh) and Central North, and apart from Male’, it is lowest in South and Central South” WHY There is no single reason for poverty. However one very important rea...
2 comments
Read more