Painful reforms

After 30 years of a dictator's political madness, now it is time for the nation to bite the bullet.

President Nasheed has embarked on an ambitious reform programme. Decentralisation of political power centred in the capital of Male' to the provinces has begun. The president wants to trim the bloated civil service from 32,000 to 18,000 and in his words 'all state institutions had to cut costs and "swallow bitter medicine" to survive the economic slump.'

The executive, the legislative and the judiciary are now separate branches of power. Indepenedent institutions such as the Human Rights Commission and the Anti Corruption Commission will help to strengthen the new constitutional democracy.

As we begin a new journey after decades of tyranny, we realise that the process of these changes will be difficult and painful but we are finally on the path of genuine democratic reform, freedom and liberty.

The job of the independent judicial branch is to interpret the law and render judgement after hearing the merits of the arguments brought before the court. There is increasing public frustration that the rule of law is not seen to be upheld in these courts. There are allegations that the judges have not broken the old bond of loyalty to the previous government.

We are hoping that the current government will not go back to the pork barrel politics that was routinely practiced in the past. That means whether it is public projects or privatisation of state enterprises or passing of new laws, the government should undertake them on their own merits and benefit to society without just seeking political party objectives.