demonboy
Well-Known Member
Our blog, followtheboat, normally documents the positives of liveaboard cruising in whichever country we happen to be in, but sometimes, just sometimes, when we get caught up some bull5h1t ****, we have to shout about it.
The Maldivian political situation is an interesting one, and also quite current what with the elections looming in September. What many people don't realise is that the Maldives was governed by a dictatorship for thirty years until Nasheed became the first democratically elected president in 2008. When we think of the Maldives we think of palm-fringed atolls, exoctic resorts and perfect cruising territory. What we don't consider is that most of the resort islands are privately owned and that the military, the police, businessmen and politicians have a vested interest in ensuring Nasheed doesn't return to power. His progressive, liberal politics would threaten the power they hold in certain sectors of Maldivian life. Fortunately there is a new generation of Maldivians, educated, worldly-wise, armed with smart phones and internet connection, who are keen to drag Maldivian politics into the 21st century and kick out the corruption.
Take our shipping agent, for example. A courteous and hard-working man with integrity he is one of these new generation Maldivians excited by the prospect of a free and democratic market. Unfortunately his main competitor, who also happens to be his ex-employer, is pulling strings in an attempt to put him out of business. His tactics are unethical, to say the least, and he's using his contacts in the port authority to do this.
Why am I writing about this? Because thanks to this git it took us THREE DAYS to check out of the Maldives.
If you're interested in politics as a liveaboard, which judging by a couple of responses to the Turkey thread some of you aren't (!), here's my take on the problems:
http://www.followtheboat.com/2013/05/20/corruption-among-agents-in-the-maldives/
The Maldivian political situation is an interesting one, and also quite current what with the elections looming in September. What many people don't realise is that the Maldives was governed by a dictatorship for thirty years until Nasheed became the first democratically elected president in 2008. When we think of the Maldives we think of palm-fringed atolls, exoctic resorts and perfect cruising territory. What we don't consider is that most of the resort islands are privately owned and that the military, the police, businessmen and politicians have a vested interest in ensuring Nasheed doesn't return to power. His progressive, liberal politics would threaten the power they hold in certain sectors of Maldivian life. Fortunately there is a new generation of Maldivians, educated, worldly-wise, armed with smart phones and internet connection, who are keen to drag Maldivian politics into the 21st century and kick out the corruption.
Take our shipping agent, for example. A courteous and hard-working man with integrity he is one of these new generation Maldivians excited by the prospect of a free and democratic market. Unfortunately his main competitor, who also happens to be his ex-employer, is pulling strings in an attempt to put him out of business. His tactics are unethical, to say the least, and he's using his contacts in the port authority to do this.
Why am I writing about this? Because thanks to this git it took us THREE DAYS to check out of the Maldives.
If you're interested in politics as a liveaboard, which judging by a couple of responses to the Turkey thread some of you aren't (!), here's my take on the problems:
http://www.followtheboat.com/2013/05/20/corruption-among-agents-in-the-maldives/
