The much awaited constitution for the people of Maldives can now be completed and adopted by Parliament and gazetted by the President of Maldives in a matter of weeks if not months. The sad reality however, is that there is no end in sight for the suffering of the masses (though the numbers do not justify the word).

The reform reality is that the politiicians will be compelled to appease the people “who matter”, for their own survival. The salaries and perks of government staff have been revised and improved. Senior members of the civil service have been promoted to positions of good salaries. Ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers will cost over 30 million Rufiyaa just for their salaries, and perhaps a further 30 million Rufiyaa more for their maintenance costs.

The MPs cannot be satisfied with anything less than the cabinet, so they will propose and approve ministerial salaries which means that the incoming parliament will cost over 45 million Rufiyaa just for their salaries, and perhaps the same amount for their maitenance.

In addition the agencies and other related institutions that would be required to serve and support them would probably cost a billion Rufiyaa or more.

The poor people are a marginal minority!