Hamdhoon becomes vice-president (naibu zaeemu); Yamin (President’s half brother) says he will contest (the Presidency); reports Maidhu Daily Online. And Haroon Hassan of Miadhu also questions whether it is the “End of Gasim’s Political Career?”. Miadhu also reported in the same issue that the President has called upon political parties to give priority to national interest over their own personal interest. That was on 12 July Saturday.
While all this was being reported, President Gayoom said he believes that with the blessing of Almighty Allah he will continue to serve the people of Maldives as (their) leader. He closed the Second Congress of DRP which also saw the election of his daughter to the post of Vice-Leader of the women’s arm of the Party which rejected a Vice Leader post from amongst four to be designated to a women’s candidate; with much satisfaction and confidence about his future.
The election of Hamdhoon and Dhunya to the leadership of the party also means that DRP will now be in a much better position to garner the support of the conservative and educated middle class as well as young people in Male’ and throughout the atolls. The party leadership also will be strengthened by the presence of Hamdhoon who brings with him a sense of stability and no-nonsense professional allegiance to his uncle. Hamdhoon and his brothers and sisters have generally maintained a close and cordial relationship with the community at large and do not have cause for much grievances from the public at large. Maumoon’s children are also seen as down-to-earth and friendly as ordinary people.
The Second Congress of DRP had come to a close with a renewed sense of confidence to its members. But there are some who are believed to have been disgruntled such as Addu MP and Deputy Minister of Atolls Administration “Mavoataa” Shareef.
It is widely believed that Maidhu Daily Online is owned for Gayoom by people very close to him including Energy Minister Ahmed Abdulla who is also father-in-law to the former Attorney General and president of the country’s leading opposition party Dr. Munavvar.
I guess that is how closely knit it can get anywhere in the world! So uniquely Maldivian!
Smile and Let Smile 
Shihab
July 15, 2008 at 1:10 pm
@anon: I understand your feeligns. But the reality is that it is also true that quite a number of educated young people and youth in general are also disgruntled with the kind of leadership shown by the opposition. Evidence of this is clear from the press conference given by the Tourism Empoyees Association of Maldives.
Anonymous
July 15, 2008 at 12:48 pm
‘The election of Hamdhoon and Dhunya to the leadership of the party also means that DRP will now be in a much better position to garner the support of the conservative and educated middle class as well as young people in Male’ and throughout the atolls.’is this a badly written joke for dhirulhumaky mieeba’