The people voted in the first multi-party contest and brought an MDP alliance to power. The era of voting for one candidate is over. We now face the challenges of a young democracy.
We need to have an educated citizenry that is aware of its rights and understands the new political process. The rule of law through the independent judiciary has to be the bedrock of our economic development. Our government has to go beyond its dependency on rent-seeking of the tourist resorts. It has to redistribute wealth by allocating financial resources to create diverse economic development in the disadvantaged islands. Political openness and decentralisation which the MDP alliance has embarked on is a step in the right direction. Thus, the present government is moving away from giving favours like granting state loans to special interests who support politicians and keep them in power. The media has to play a vigorous role to educate the citizens who in turn must engage in the political process.
The emergence of independent democratic institutions can help to advance the concept of personal freedom and individual choice.
An ingenious idea has been floated by the vice president Mohamed Waheed hassan Maniku. Global warming and sea level rise could inundate the Maldive Islands in 100 years. As a long term strategy, the VP suggested to create a sovereign wealth fund, modelled on those established in oil-rich Middle Eastern states. Presumably the purpose of the Maldives sovereign wealth fund will be to buy land in another country to house stateless Maldivians. (Source)
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