Category Archives: Nation Building

Thursday evening I stole away some time from an unusually back to back schedule to appear as a guest on Musthafa Hussain’s show “Alhugandu Dhekeygothugai…” (I think ) on TV Maldives. I was a guest at the show with Mota Hassan Manik, who has retired after 65 years of service to the government which he began way back in the Security Force (Sifain). The show is scheduled to air on TVM this Saturday after the English News at nine o’clock.

I am not quite sure whether I was able to clearly express my thoughts on the subject during the program. I have a problem with being understood when I talk. My mother tells me often that I need to learn to speak clearly. Anyway, I would definitely look forward to feedback and comments to my thoughts.

We were also shown clips of points of view expressed by the public on the same subject. What I observed in what people had to say was, whether development is a role of the people or the government. A wholesome ownership and responsibility has now become an issue for the general public, it seems from the clips.

The point of opinion, I tried to express in my own way is to focus on the fact that we have new challenges to be addressed in the current times. We had previously had the wholehearted participation of people in developmental activities. But there are challenges to that practise today. What I believe is that the process of people participation in development need to be institutionalized in a manner that is appropriate to the challenges faced by the people today.

In the last two decades we have focused so much on investment in the material resources that we perceived to contribute to development, namely the fisheries and tourism related resources. In the process we failed to take note of the most miraculous resource available to man for development – the human mind. I believe the challenge for us is to create and develop the minds of our young people.

It is our attitude of mind (as pointed out by Alfred Tack) that will determine the altitude of our life.

The country is ticking like a time-bomb ready to explode. There is complete anarchy everywhere. There is a complete cessation of ordinary life and law and order. The Maldives is celebrating the unpcrecedented success of its footballers, who have proven themselves to be national heroes.

A woman talking to a national radio chat show said that she is so happy that the opening goal of the championship which saw the country victorious against mighty India was scored by Shifan who hails from Haa Alif Atoll – the land that produced the nations saviour from the Portuguese rule.

Anchors on national radio and tv highlighted the need for calm and respect by the celebrating crowds when they passed mosques and hospitals. The event to receive the footballers which started around four thirty in the afternoon lasted till after eight thirty in the evening. The usually ultra-religous people continued to celebrate and play music through the Maghrib and Isha prayers in defiance of tradition.

As one person put it, there are quarters within the society who are shocked, awed and saddened by the new found unity that the national footballers have brought to this nation divided by religous and political ideologies that were tearing apart the social fabric that held us together. It is indeed true that people have decided to put aside their differences for the nation. It is a beautiful sight; one that will be fondly remembered for a long time.

Despite the mixed sentiments, there is no doubt that Maldivians have never been happier as a people and as a nation. It is a time to celebrate like never. Perhaps, codes of conduct and respect for others and maintaining order through better organization would follow, the next time. It is a nation in joyful shock and awe indeed.

This football team has given the young people of the nation, something worth looking up to. A reason for believing in a future.