Unitary or Federal

15 August 2007

Even if it has now been decided that Maldives shall have a unitary government, it is worth to go through the reasons to support this decision amidst confusing propaganda that MDP has been spreading.

For starters, the fact that MDP wants a federal government is as those loyal to the government believe firstly because they want to get rid of the existing system and not taking into consideration the welfare of the people. MDP believes that if they come up with something as radical as a federal system for the Maldives, they could canvass the support of the masses which need yet to be explained what having a federal government means in terms of their livelihood and how it will affect them in their daily life. In a nutshell, all they want is to overthrow the government first. Perhaps, if they ever succeed, (of course, they will have to get a life!) then they will also resort to a unitary system because we do not have the equation that could make a federal system a practicality.

In a country like Maldives with limited natural resources, having a federal government and empowering the atolls will mean that they will have to manage affairs themselves. Where does that leave the atolls with hardly any natural resources? The people who are misleading the public by trying to convince them a unitary government is not suitable for the Maldives fail to explain to the people in these atolls that basically what they wish for them is to go into starvation in the least possible time.

Even UNDP by funding some of the projects implemented in the atoll hopes to ensure self-sufficiency but in the long run their message to everyone is also about “people’s power”. I think it is very important to be realistic here and that is the best way people can have power in the Maldives is by having a unitary government with municipal councils empowered by the central government headed by a leader they appointed by vote.

Report: Velidhoo Community