State of the Nation

Honourable Speaker, Honourable Members of the Majlis. It is my pleasure and privilege to address you today to outline in broad terms the state of our nation as I see it, and some important steps that I believe should be taken to steer our nation towards achieving greater prosperity, happiness and greater equality among our people.

This nation of ours has been raped and pillaged since time immemorial by opportunists and those who have betrayed the trust placed in them by the people. A carefully planned strategy of reinforcing feudal structures and controlling the small populations on each island has left our people disempowered. On the back of this structure have ridden the immoral opportunists to gain riches unimaginable, while the subjugation of our people by the authorities guaranteed a “harmonious” environment for the propagation of ever growing inequities and atrocities among and against the people.

The revising of the Constitution has given hope to our people. They have acted in showing an unprecedented disdain towards a 30 year old regime and asserting their right to change their government. In doing so, the people have given a huge mandate for public office holders to turn around the nation a 180 degrees, and to start working towards righting a million wrongs, and more importantly devising state machinery and a legal framework which will never allow a few to dominate the many in this country ever again.

Honourable Speaker, Honourable Members. I believe it is our duty to strive to attempt to realize the aspirations of the people. To design for them state machinery through a sound legislative framework and policy initiatives, which will enable them to live their lives in peace and prosperity.

Honourable Speaker. Even as I stand here, a number of Maldivian youth are injecting heroin into their bodies. Others are partaking of brown sugar, crystal meth and the like. Some perverted individuals are literally raping and molesting our children. Child pornography and child prostitution is running rampant in our nation.

Justice is being denied to our citizens either through the delaying of delivery of justice or through the incompetence of the courts or through that detestable vice, corruption. The lack of proper laws are denying our citizens the opportunity to advance their aspirations and to engage in productive public life.

The living conditions in Male’, and increasingly in other islands are seriously hampering the development and maintenance of community ties and family lives. Children are suffering as a result of this. A nation of only 300,000 is well on its way to live like rats do. Deep rooted human instincts of survival are eroding values, ethics, morals and the semblance of civilization. Survival of the fittest, in any which way it could, is quickly becoming the order of the day.

The downturn in the world economy is starting to affect us, and projections tell us that the latter part of this year or early next year is when we may be hit the hardest. We must act quickly to ready ourselves for the coming onslaught and devise strategies to weather ourselves out of this difficult period. Preserving whatever wealth and assets we have, and engaging in nationwide austerity is, I believe imperative.

The jockeying for power has opened doors in our society for various extremist elements to take root: religious, opportunistic, political and the like. Maldivians have always been moderate people, ill-disposed towards extremist positions in anything. It might serve us well to cultivate that trait in our society to keep the nation on an even keel.

Honourable Speaker, Honourable Members. In order to address the multitude of issues facing our nation, it is imperative that the economy is made more vibrant. The time for national sacrifice is here, and we have to lead the people in leaving aside personal aspirations and working towards the common good. Work harder, save and economize. This needs to be the order of the day. A restructuring of the economy is called for, and certain distribution of wealth and distribution of the means of production is essential. A carefully controlled, yet deliberate transfer of services from the public to the private sector is necessary, with the proper safety nets and consumer protection measure put in place.

To address the various social ills that run rampant in our society, rule of law has to be strengthened, and the commitment to enforce laws without fear or favour is essential.

These, Honourable Speaker, are what are required from all public office holders. The recent upheaval in the political sphere of this country has left many deep and lasting wounds in our society. We all need to let go of personal idiosyncrasies, animosities, jealousies and hurts. We all need to unite to make the changes we have brought to last. Let us all work towards setting up an equitable framework for all before we engage in bi-partisan politics. That the public united behind the Alliance, and alliance which was as diverse as could be imagined, is proof enough that the public wants us to unite and work towards those goals that they hold so dear. It is imperative, for the future of our nation, that we forget, even if we do not forgive, the past and start a healing process which will allow us to build the nation.

Honourable Speaker, Honourable Members. When the public voted for a change of government last year, they finally and unequivocally endorsed the reforms that we had been proposing. We now need to act without dragging our feet. I hope that the Honourable Members of the Majlis will give serious consideration to these issues when they are setting the legislative agenda of the Majlis for this year.

In conclusion, Honourable Speaker, I would like to declare that the nation has to come first, and that I affirm my non-partisanship in this endeavour. Thank You.

As I sat in the Majlis on the second of March, I was looking forward to hear something along the vein of the above. But this isn’t the first, nor will it be the last time I was or will be disappointed.