Voice of Maldives Islands

ISSUE Both Majilses are busy proposing independant commissions that they think will benefit democracy and protecting rights of the people. There is one area they have ignored or have forgotten; Safeguarding the assets of the people owned by state enterprises Protecting state enterprises from bad management and politics. CORE PROBLEM State owned companies are often used as a political tool to reward people who show certain affiliations or punish people who refuse to show loyalty towards the establishment. Hence top management team and the Board are often cluttered with people who would not know how to read a financial statement even if it hit them on the head. When it comes to appointment of people to the top jobs in these companies, competencies required to take state enterprises, to a competitive level locally and internationally, often takes a back seat. The consequence is- At one time or another most of state enterprises have gone bankrupt or have faced serious financ

THE SITUATION "Emerging trend shows that the Northern atolls are becoming poorer compared to the southern atolls." 7th National Development Plan. A survey on Vulnerability and poverty was conducted in 1998 and 2004. According to 2004 survey report, 'Households living in the South had the best chance of escaping poverty and the lowest probability of falling back. Households in the North region faced the highest probability of remaining in, or falling into, poverty'. For Development purposes the country is divided into five regions; North, North Central, Central, South Central and South. Thus developmental projects are aimed at covering major regions rather than a single atoll. The above report also states that“Income poverty is evidently greatest in the North (Ha, Hdh. Sh) and Central North, and apart from Male’, it is lowest in South and Central South” WHY There is no single reason for poverty. However one very important rea