Global increases of food prices are worrying politicians all across the world. Here are some comments from the World Bank.
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Click here to read about BBC's are you worried about rising food prices?
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
Rehashing failed policies
The Maldivian government launched its ever first drug control masterplan on Thursday, aiming to tackle all dimensions of the narcotics problem, in coordination with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The situation of drug addiction and lack of adequate treatment for addicts is what it is in Maldives because the Maldivian Government has failed to take appropriate action to deal with these issues. The UNODC cannot be ignorant of this problem and its root causes if they wish to help Maldives. Every one in Maldives knows what the problems are and so we don't need four years for another window dressing by the UNODC and the Maldivian Government.
All the facets of this problem begin with the influx of these drugs into Maldives and the greed of those who sell drugs to our youth. . The UNODC should demand the Maldivian Government to stop this influx by vigorous checking at all entry points and enforce the death penalty on traffickers who bring in and sell drugs that kill our youth.
Medical treatment should be provided to members of our community who need help to get over the drug addiction without stigmatizing them.
The situation of drug addiction and lack of adequate treatment for addicts is what it is in Maldives because the Maldivian Government has failed to take appropriate action to deal with these issues. The UNODC cannot be ignorant of this problem and its root causes if they wish to help Maldives. Every one in Maldives knows what the problems are and so we don't need four years for another window dressing by the UNODC and the Maldivian Government.
All the facets of this problem begin with the influx of these drugs into Maldives and the greed of those who sell drugs to our youth. . The UNODC should demand the Maldivian Government to stop this influx by vigorous checking at all entry points and enforce the death penalty on traffickers who bring in and sell drugs that kill our youth.
Medical treatment should be provided to members of our community who need help to get over the drug addiction without stigmatizing them.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Roman Abramovich spends £17million on a big fat naked lady
He is better known for investing in footballers than paintings, but Roman Abramovich is believed to have become a new art collector.
Multi-billionaire Abramovich is believed to be the mystery collector who bought two paintings last week for figures which smashed previous world records, and set him back £61.4million during 48 hours
Link: thisisland.co.uk
Monday, May 12, 2008
Lifestyle changes need to start at the top
Mr. Ahmed Abdullah, Environment Minister who is a former health minister has said there is growing concern about the high cost of unhealthy behaviors and lifestyles incurred on the health of Maldivian people.
He referred to irregular and late meals irregular sleep and lack of exercises as prime factors for the worsening health of people and rapid increase of lifestyle diseases or non communicable diseases.
In Maldives, many government offices including the President's Office work into late night and this attitude is followed by the private sector. Public sector and private sector bosses will have to set the standards to allow staff and workers to have more family time and cultivate the type of positive habits that the minister alluded to. Unfortunately in Maldives, the negative traits in society are moving much faster than the positive traits. If we are to believe the Gender Ministry, the age old profession- prostitution is thriving well in our 100 per cent Muslim Maldives. This is in addition to rampant child abuse, gang violence in Male' and the relentless drug addiction in Maldives.
The minister and the government need to do more than just give lip service to turn this situation around.
He referred to irregular and late meals irregular sleep and lack of exercises as prime factors for the worsening health of people and rapid increase of lifestyle diseases or non communicable diseases.
In Maldives, many government offices including the President's Office work into late night and this attitude is followed by the private sector. Public sector and private sector bosses will have to set the standards to allow staff and workers to have more family time and cultivate the type of positive habits that the minister alluded to. Unfortunately in Maldives, the negative traits in society are moving much faster than the positive traits. If we are to believe the Gender Ministry, the age old profession- prostitution is thriving well in our 100 per cent Muslim Maldives. This is in addition to rampant child abuse, gang violence in Male' and the relentless drug addiction in Maldives.
The minister and the government need to do more than just give lip service to turn this situation around.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
World bank's singing praise is misleading
According to World bank's country assistance strategy for 2008 for Maldives, "Overshadowing the strong economic performance is the substantial weakening of fiscal policy over the past three years, which is the main policy lever for affecting outcomes in the Maldives. This is the key source of risk facing the Maldives in the short-term.
According to an IMF report, IMF notes the fiscal expenditures in Maldives have increased sharply in the years following the 2004 tsunami, and, correspondingly, the fiscal deficit has deteriorated from 1.9 percent of GDP in 2004 to 11 and 7 percent of GDP in 2005 and 2006, respectively.
In December 2007 Finance Minister Gasim Ibrahim proposed a $940 million budget, equal to eighty percent of the Maldives’ expected GDP [Gross Domestic Product or total income] for 2007.
For the first time domestic expenditure is expected to account for over half of the country’s income.Thus, the 2007 budget carries risks of a significant deficit as the large spending program is based on optimistic revenue assumptions
IMF has warned that the budget, “is mostly unrelated to post-tsunami rehabilitation.”
The IMF annual report also warns of “a large fiscal deficit” and “rising external debt.” And the IMF has urged the government to bring expenditure “in line with available resources.”
The Maldive government has done nothing to strengthen the fiscal policy and reverse the fiscal deficit. But a group of World Bank directors who recently visited Maldives are reported to be praising Maldives for its rapid development.
Since the World Bank is an institution that supports poverty reduction and improving economic and social development, these directors should point out the alarming growth of social problems in Maldives. Maldives has rampant child abuse, appalling drug addiction among the youth, and unrelenting gang violence and killing on the streets of Male. It is true that in per capita terms, Maldives is the wealthiest country in southern Asia, but its income distribution is also among the most inequitable in the region. That explains the reason why the poor continue to suffer without proper healthcare and equal opportunities while the foreign tourists and the rich elites enjoy in these paradise islands. The directors of the world bank are not mouth pieces of the Maldive government and if they wish to help the poor and improve social conditions they must pressure the government to do so even while they enjoy the five-star luxury available only to foreign tourists and the rich elites in Maldives.
The Maldivian government needs funding from World Bank and other lending institutions to pursue their grandiose projects and for that reason they will have to listen to these institutions. The directors of the World Bank need to step up to the play and do what is right in order to carry out their stated objectives of helping to reduce poverty and improve not only economic development but also social development which is alarming in Maldives.
According to an IMF report, IMF notes the fiscal expenditures in Maldives have increased sharply in the years following the 2004 tsunami, and, correspondingly, the fiscal deficit has deteriorated from 1.9 percent of GDP in 2004 to 11 and 7 percent of GDP in 2005 and 2006, respectively.
In December 2007 Finance Minister Gasim Ibrahim proposed a $940 million budget, equal to eighty percent of the Maldives’ expected GDP [Gross Domestic Product or total income] for 2007.
For the first time domestic expenditure is expected to account for over half of the country’s income.Thus, the 2007 budget carries risks of a significant deficit as the large spending program is based on optimistic revenue assumptions
IMF has warned that the budget, “is mostly unrelated to post-tsunami rehabilitation.”
The IMF annual report also warns of “a large fiscal deficit” and “rising external debt.” And the IMF has urged the government to bring expenditure “in line with available resources.”
The Maldive government has done nothing to strengthen the fiscal policy and reverse the fiscal deficit. But a group of World Bank directors who recently visited Maldives are reported to be praising Maldives for its rapid development.
Since the World Bank is an institution that supports poverty reduction and improving economic and social development, these directors should point out the alarming growth of social problems in Maldives. Maldives has rampant child abuse, appalling drug addiction among the youth, and unrelenting gang violence and killing on the streets of Male. It is true that in per capita terms, Maldives is the wealthiest country in southern Asia, but its income distribution is also among the most inequitable in the region. That explains the reason why the poor continue to suffer without proper healthcare and equal opportunities while the foreign tourists and the rich elites enjoy in these paradise islands. The directors of the world bank are not mouth pieces of the Maldive government and if they wish to help the poor and improve social conditions they must pressure the government to do so even while they enjoy the five-star luxury available only to foreign tourists and the rich elites in Maldives.
The Maldivian government needs funding from World Bank and other lending institutions to pursue their grandiose projects and for that reason they will have to listen to these institutions. The directors of the World Bank need to step up to the play and do what is right in order to carry out their stated objectives of helping to reduce poverty and improve not only economic development but also social development which is alarming in Maldives.
Monday, May 05, 2008
Does anyone really have the best interest of public in mind?
Commenting on the dismissal of 28 DRP parliamentarians from the civil service as per the civil service act, Aneesa Ahmed, head of the DRP parliamentary group, said the CSC did not have “the best interests of the public in mind” when announcing its intention to enforce the Act, as it had had a six month “leeway to settle the civil service staff.”
Civil Service Commission (CSC) is enforcing the act of parliament passed in 2007. DRP and the MDP, the opposition party in the parliament knew what the act was and so is it right to blame the CSC for not keeping the best interest of the public in mind? Maldives is a country where no politician keeps the public interest in mind. They only know how to look after their own interest.
Civil Service Commission (CSC) is enforcing the act of parliament passed in 2007. DRP and the MDP, the opposition party in the parliament knew what the act was and so is it right to blame the CSC for not keeping the best interest of the public in mind? Maldives is a country where no politician keeps the public interest in mind. They only know how to look after their own interest.
Friday, May 02, 2008
Compulsory retirement shows conflicting values
The Civil Service Act came into effect on May 1, with 27,089 civil servants transferred from the President's Office to the new, independent Civil Service Commission (CSC).
While much of the world celebrated the May Day or the International Workers Day, the Maldives with a 100 percent Muslim population compelled 1,714 civil servants aged 65 and above to take mandatory retirement. Maldives does not have a labour movement nor labour unions to protect workers rights and so the compensation for the retirees was determined by the Civil Service Commission with no representation by the affected people.
According to the CSC calculations, the 1,714 retirees will be awarded a lump sum and a monthly allowance, based on their salary and length of service.
262 of the retirees will receive Rf 500 (US $39) monthly, 169 retirees will be paid their full salary for 40 or more years of service, and 1,282 retirees will be receive a sum between Rf 500 and their full salary till death.
The sun has now set for the public servants aged 65 and above, many of whom had believed that they had a lifelong job in serving the Maldivian government who preached the virtues of an Islamic society. Now the Maldivian government has deftly manipulated the public trust and kicked out the pillars of the public service without giving them any opportunity or training for alternative employment.
While much of the world celebrated the May Day or the International Workers Day, the Maldives with a 100 percent Muslim population compelled 1,714 civil servants aged 65 and above to take mandatory retirement. Maldives does not have a labour movement nor labour unions to protect workers rights and so the compensation for the retirees was determined by the Civil Service Commission with no representation by the affected people.
According to the CSC calculations, the 1,714 retirees will be awarded a lump sum and a monthly allowance, based on their salary and length of service.
262 of the retirees will receive Rf 500 (US $39) monthly, 169 retirees will be paid their full salary for 40 or more years of service, and 1,282 retirees will be receive a sum between Rf 500 and their full salary till death.
The sun has now set for the public servants aged 65 and above, many of whom had believed that they had a lifelong job in serving the Maldivian government who preached the virtues of an Islamic society. Now the Maldivian government has deftly manipulated the public trust and kicked out the pillars of the public service without giving them any opportunity or training for alternative employment.
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