I had a look at last evening's Haveeru. It's been a while since I held a paper in my hand as opposed to reading it on the internet.Most of the main articles were about the constitutional reform or the escalating violence on the streets of Male'. Unlike in times goneby, there was no photo of the President on the front page or about him sending a message to another head of state. Times are indeed changing. But is it for the better?
On the surface it appears so. There was a heart-warming article about three Maldivian students who was among the top 10 in the world for the O'Level Cambridge Examinations. In an interview two of them, Ihma and Zeyna, talked about their studies and their hopes and aspirations for the future; their ambitions to follow their own choices, accountancy and architecture respectively. These young people deserve a bright future.
A few pages later, Haveeru Classified - several blocks of tiny advertisements from rooms to rent to advertising accommodation available for students. I presume they are for students from outer islands studying in Male'. One advert reads simply - Room for rent. Rf 6000/=. A few pages later announcements by various government departments seeking employees. A couple of them drew my attention. Ministry of Youth and Sports seeking an assistant Foreman - Salary Rf 2985/=. Male' Municipality seeking a Senior Administrative Officer, salary Rf 3990/= and qualifications - a first degree. I wondered how many graduates applied for the post? Or how the Assistant Foreman at the Municipality would be able to pay his rent of Rf 6000/= if he was from an island and had to rent a room. Besides, he would still have to eat and pay his utility bills and spend on other day-to-day expenses. What if he fell ill? Would he be able to seek medical help from a doctor listed on the Doctors' Duty Roster that was available on page 9? Or would the advert on page 1o on 'Visit China for 5 days for US $ 777' remain just an advert in a newspaper for him? More adverts on later pages looking for employees from cashiers to security guards.
Then something else caught my eye. An advert by a company which provides foreign workers to local employers. "Want to fill up your vacancies fast with efficient employees?" it read. "Workers from Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand..the list goes on. Aha! If you cannot find local staff on the 3000 odd rufiyaa salary then it maybe easy to get a foreigner. No wonder the place is crawling with them. We Maldivians are short-changed for those willing to work on a lower salary. Now not only the Foreman would have to find ways to pay his bills, he also has to compete with others willing to work on lower wage.
Another page, another story. A women's NGO had petitioned President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom for the second time to find a solution to the on-going drug problem in the Maldives. This is the second time that they are petitioning him calling on the government to take action against this growing menace. Concerned mothers, wives, sisters, daughters. Who else could they turn to if not the highest authority in the country. But would their plea fall on deaf ears once more? Would there be a third, fourth, fifth petition?
All of it paints a depressing picture. Would Ihma and Zeyna be able to achieve their ambitions in a university somewhere and return to a Maldives where a degree holder earns less than half what he/she would be charged for monthly room rent and would they too in the end become victims of this drug problem in their despair? Or would they return to a Maldives where people are paid according to what this nation earns as a whole, where Maldivian people are valued as human beings, and where something would be done about the drugs problem that would seek a long-term solution to the issue?
We can dream. We can hope. We have to. We must.
5 comments:
A lot has changed over the last 4 years because of the democracy movement. Dictator's never give power up and media is power. Haveeru and others have had to adjust themselves because readers have become more aware of their rights and there are several means of media now. Well written blog! Only thing is, I would prefer if you don't address this bastard as President Gayoom... he is Dictator Gayoom!
Haveeru is the evilest government paper of this country. They have been betraying us and are one of the pillars of this torturous regime. It is funded by the regime by the people's money. We would like to see a day that there is no Haveeru to manipulate us in this country.
Against Haveeru
Dhaajiyath Jaleel
Fantastic article! Makes total sense of where this country is heading to. I being studying in a foreign country for now four years and about to end my first degree. But all the cost and everything to get a salary of about just 3000!!! this is ridiculous! Still me and a lot lime me who are studying on loan schemes got to pay a part of our salaries back to our sponsors. For me i got to repay 50%. I have no idea how on earth would i survive with that kind of salary.
And another story. Inflation and rising prices is a global issue. But that does not give Golhaboa the right to invest all his energy, thinking, and the nation's resources just to save his filthy dictatorship. You and me deserve better! This country has the potential to do so. Honestly I don't feel me and my relatives, my friends, and others deserve to live like this. And each time i think about it, makes me piss off!
Obliviously this is an uninformed article by a writer with no realistic knowledge of the nation’s economy and business environment. The hard truth is that majority of the Maldivian working class don’t want work hard enough or they simply lack the drive to perform and be productive – this is the case at least in the private sector which is more than willing to match the pay with the performance unlike in the government jobs. Due to the enormous rising costs of doing business every day, and the private sector also having to be profitable, obviously needs to find able employees to survive in the competitive market. It is also the freedom if these private companies to choose the most cost effective solutions. On the other hand the government does not need to operate from profit point of view and has other obligations when it comes to jobs and the community. Unfortunately our working class today is not the most competitive in the market, and as long as it stays that way foreigners will fill the local jobs, and this is true in many other economies including that of Dubai. So what do we need to do correct this? To be realist this cannot be solved in the short-term and probably the problem will deteriorate even further. The real problem lies with the mindset of our young people – they simply don’t want work hard enough to succeed – and it’s a hard reality many of us do not want believe. I do not think situation would improve until everyone stops blaming others for their own our failures. We may even need a decade to really address this issue.
why do we blame the goverment in evry single act we do.. did the goverment force our kids on to drugs nd made them kill each other in midevil fashion which we are seeing today on the streets evryday.. yes they do hav a hand in all of these things..howevr it is also our fault that things hav changed somuch..nd i belive if we do not accept this responsiblity nd continue to blame the goverment blindly we shall never escape frm this hell hole we hav sunk into ..our ancestostor the prophet nd countless others lived in times much mo evil..n d rulers who were far worse than the presnt maumoon..they did prevail nd if we also hav faith we shall prevail too.
all in all a well written article...hope that u wpuld go on with this unbiased aproach.. for the betteremnt of our country.. may god bless us.. nd guide us towards the rightous path
Post a Comment