Where government does not respect public opinion polls and the opposition will not accept the public referendums result, we are seeking more democracy for whom? Referendums and opinion polls are the fundamental tools at the hands of the citizen to decide and chart the course of a nation. The right to decide by the vote is said to be the basic tenure of a democracy.
At the opinion poll set and taken by HaveeruOnline from 12-19th July regarding the idea of building a 5 star hotel in the green area adjacent to Dhrubaaruge, 86% of the people said the area should either be left at state the place is now or should be developed as a public park. Out of the total 3253 people who participated, a 12% voted in favor of a 5 star hotel. However, Haveeru reported yesterday that the tourism ministry refuted by saying that no one has expressed dissatisfaction or complained about the matter of using the area for a 5 star hotel, directly to the ministry. The project goes for bidding!
I guess, since, nobody put the tourism ministry ablaze the minister does not feel like there is reason enough to consider the ever loud voice against the destruction of the green area.
“The land cost within the vicinity will increase, therefore, it is economically very goodâ€; claims tourism ministry. It is as if landowners charge less, now, for the island-poor who arrive to educate their children in Male’. It appears because the rich has air-conditions at home the common folk’s only shade in Male’ must now be turned into a luxury hotel so that the rich could provide better accommodation for their foreign invitees.
On the 18th August vote, people of the Maldives decided that the presidential system is what they thought will serve best for the nation. Just before the vote Anni claimed that the parliamentary will win with a huge majority. Dr Munawwaru guaranteed that the MDP will accept whatever the people decide. To their dismay it turn out to be very different from their expectation; a landslide victory for presidential system by a 62% to 38%. MDP rejected to accept the result of the referendum saying the voting system and the process was not perfect.
There is general consensus that the 18/08 voting was most fair and best organized ever in the Maldives. Everyone knew the process cannot be perfect all they way long; since we are not particularly that good at anything, yet. HaveeruOnline just now broke the news that Human Rights Commission confirms the referendum’s process was satisfactory.
However, MDP and those rich who funded the parliamentary campaign can afford to do a lot more than just saying ‘we do not accept the result’. Since, yesterday, MDP has been calling for a gathering in front of People’s Majlis. Anni had to be removed today while trying to intimidate policing services. There has been fire and destruction caused. This time there surely was fire even on tourism minister’s car.
Government will not respect the public opinion polls’ result and the opposition will not accept the public referendums result. I guess this is what Winston Churchill meant when he said; “Democracy is the worst form of government. Except for all the others that have been tried from time to timeâ€.
What can the people do now?
16 responses so far ↓
Assad // Aug 26, 2007 at 10:42 am
Its like you have put a mountain in front of me. I don’t know either. You tell me, what you think what people can do?
hasson // Aug 26, 2007 at 4:03 pm
There has to be a better way of doing it. How do the good democracies manage this kind of situations?
I think this is a very important point you made. What if the same situation comes all the time?
ra:zuwa: // Aug 26, 2007 at 5:48 pm
Dear Assad, I am not an expert either. Strengthening public complaints handling authority enabling them to conduct opinion polls, creating easy mechanisms for submitting petitions by public will be useful.
Special interest groups, NGOs and think tanks, all these will assist. There are public participatory systems in many countries where by the government approaches to stakeholders of every issue to find out their concerns.
ra:zuwa: // Aug 26, 2007 at 6:07 pm
Dear Hasson, Thank you for the comment.
I think there are two important ways i understand that developed democracies handle this type of situations. One is through respected view points. Certain newspapers, organizations and institutions are so dignified and respected their negative opposition can change views of whole society; therefore politicians have high respect for such views. The second is the extent of care taken for the strategic interest of the nation and the amount of research gone into every decision made. Bear in mind with all those still this type of situation persists even in mature democracies. Thats what i understand from my reading so far.
That is what I meant in my 17th August blog post when I asked the following questions;
1. What system with what mechanisms will safeguard people’s interests against co-operate influence on national policies?
2. What system will most safeguard our national interests against foreign hegemony in the increasingly globalizing world?
3. Parliamentary or Presidential; which one will allow easy access for the ‘citizen with new ideas and new problems’ across and beyond basic structures?
Yasir // Aug 27, 2007 at 12:08 am
Hotels in inhabited island, resorts on uninhabited islands, tourist numbers surpassing nation population numbers, expatriates filling jobs that Maldivians are finding it unattractive, foreign businesses repatriating profits and local businesses seeking overseas investments, hotel/resort operations and ownerships landing in alien hands… the list goes on. These different bits of the puzzle are gathering up toward a dangerous outcome for the country.
The public outcry not to have the proposed hotel in Male’ is honourable and justifiable; it is their land, thus they should be served first before the tourist. Minimum LIVING wages and maximum work hours (to put a cap), organizational flexibility, affordable housing / living in Male’, increased money circulation, high public stake in ownership…control and restriction in sale and ownership transfers, good working conditions the list goes on; why is the Tourism Ministry acting so deaf and ignorant on providables for the indigenous population; opinion polls need to be respected.
The rich have their roots to tourism, now wanting a bigger slice (some say by hook or crook; I think this is an understatement in this case). The way for power for them was the parliamentary system; the door is closed, frustration requires burial until the next time.
ra:zuwa: // Aug 27, 2007 at 5:08 am
Thank you yasir, you have baged all of them right.
The irony of this is; that I find a big part of all these problems at this stage can be solved with very simple effective policy chnages.
I am dismayed to find our 3rd tourism master plan is just a repeat of the past two. It does not recognise new problems of the new time at all.
Hameed // Aug 27, 2007 at 5:43 am
Government will not respect the public opinion polls’ result and the opposition will not accept the public referendums result.
Are they two equal things?
Mohamed Hilmy // Aug 27, 2007 at 7:09 am
Your heading of the post captures our twisted reality in Maldives. It is organised chaos.
The way I see it, our land scare Male’ doesn’t need a 5 star hotel at this point in time. That requirement can be met by the 5 star resort hotels around Male’ as is being done now.
There’s hardly any recreational space for ordinary Maldivians in Male’ except for the kind of rare space where the hotel is to be built.
Probably the elites don’t need to bother for they can travel to resorts and other islands for leisure.
Yasir // Aug 27, 2007 at 8:06 am
Shahuru,
You have hit the key; policy change, policy change, policy change; change policies with proper consciousness. Sadly actions and implementations are a step away from plans; require no rationale, no justification, and no consideration; above all no honest reviewing of the past. Earlier master plans suggested that tourism is run in non-inhabited islands to reduce the negative impacts from tourism to locals and their society; what is happening now contradicts this. If the cost of land in Male’ is increased as a result of the hotel, that is a major negative impact. If the Ministry puts up a hotel in the little space we have in the capital, try to think about the locals prevented from access to proper housing in the land that that is livable.
Yeah you are right; 3rd Master Plan is a mess; I recall what you said, if it’s a living document; it has got a death too. I sincerely hope that the document dies and a new non-living a more inclusive and a more considered plan is brought forward. Hey, remember; we’ve got to review it.
ra:zuwa: // Aug 27, 2007 at 9:06 am
Yes, Yasir. I guess we need a generally agreed upon strategic development plan for the capital Male’. Such a plan should aim to solve present problems - such as lessening public space - and provide a better picture of how we want the Capital tomorrow to look and feel like - how should the economic consideration come play against the livelihood of common.
Is it money for living or life for money?
Before I get drifted too far away, my thought in this blog was; ” How will we make democracy more people cantered instead of money cantered? “
ra:zuwa: // Aug 27, 2007 at 9:19 am
Thank you for the point made, Hameed.
Respecting an opinion poll about a hotel and a referendum on system of governance for the country may be two different things in the context of impact and extent.
However, in the context of democracy we seek which has been our overall recent national goal “respecting the public opinion” on both cases are equally important.
All polls and votes can always be argued. Since one side will lose the other will win. Politician need to be taught and made to respect our opinions.
ra:zuwa: // Aug 27, 2007 at 9:30 am
Your are right, Hilmy and thank you for the comment.
So, what can we the people do? This type of situations will always come our way. I think we aught find a mechanism where people’s opinion will hold over co-operate control.
If we do not come up with a solution early on for this particular weakness of democracy our future might not be any different from our past. I am bothered.
Yasir // Aug 27, 2007 at 9:31 am
My threads are on the results of opinion polls; thus I wasn’t drifting you intentionally.
Shihab // Aug 27, 2007 at 11:03 am
A parliamentary form of government would have listened to the people. And as for what is going on now regarding the referendum I don’t know whether it’s the MDP or individual persons who are making the fuss.
Shihab // Aug 27, 2007 at 11:20 am
Yasir! Count me in on your wish for the death of the 3rd Tourism Master Plan.
ra:zuwa: // Aug 27, 2007 at 5:03 pm
Shihab, yes, I also think on the issue of 5 star hotel parliamentarians can demand explanations from ministers.
But why cannot they ask questions now? Is it not a matter of politicians willing to work in the interest of people anyway? I don’t see how our MPs will be any better in any system unless there is people pressure. What we haven’t come up yet is a method of putting that pressure - about issues that matter to people by the people - within our scenario.
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