I stumbled upon Abdulla Waheed's blog post on 'Raising the resort tenure limit to 50 years'. As I read it, an array of thoughts ran through my mind. I did not want to transpose them into readable texts unnecessarily but I inserted a comment as follows.

Why do you think there is no clear answer to the issue?

Islands are a national asset and they must be kept so well into the future. At given frequencies islands must be returned and retired. The government can then re-lease the islands for good and able entrepreneurs at the time. In 35 years, as it now stands, the owner (leaseholder) would have made a handsome return on his investment and it is reasonable for the government to provide the opportunity to someone new. For changing hands 35 years is thus a very good period / frequency.

Important rules to remember in assigning lease of islands are (a) to preclude those with valid lease agreements with more than 5 years remaining in contract and (b) existing contracts must be stripped off instantly from those who purport new leases through use of alias.

I came across a blog post on ‘Principles of life’ which was an interesting read [Link] and here is the writing:

• Winning isn't everything. But wanting to win is.
• You would achieve more, if you don't mind who gets the credit.
• When everything else is lost, the future stillremains.
• Don't fight too much. Or the enemy would know your art of war.
• The only job you start at the top is when you dig a grave.
• If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for everything.
• If you do little things well, you'll do big ones better.
• Only thing that comes to you without effort is old age.
• You won't get a second chance to make the first impression.
• Only those who do nothing do not make mistakes.
• Never take a problem to your boss unless you have a solution.
• If you are not failing you're not taking enough risks.
• Don't try to get rid of bad temper by losing it.
• If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.
• Those who don't make mistakes usually don't make anything
• There are two kinds of failures. Those who think and never do, and those who do and never think.
• Pick battles big enough to matter, small enough to win.
• All progress has resulted from unpopular decisions.
• Change your thoughts and you change your world.
• Understanding proves intelligence, not the speed of the learning.
• There are two kinds of fools in this world. Those who give advise and those who don't take it.
• The best way to kill an idea is to take it to a meeting.
• Management is doing things right. Leadership is doing the right things.
• Friendship founded on business is always better than business founded on friendship.

Many of the points are, from my perspective, very true and also humorous in a big way. I added a comment to his blog and if I remember correct here is what I wrote:

This is very interesting and also very true. If this is yours, I suggest that you develop on them.

Re: the slogan on your web header, I don't know who's quote it is but I strongly disagree that it is any easier to prevent a disaster or to deal with one afterward. Here is one from me though, in the context of disaster: it is easier not to do anything before and after a disaster.

As early as the 12th Century, the Arab seafarers and other travellers landed in the Maldives for water, dried fish and coconuts and often stayed long enough to enjoy the pleasure of even a temporary wife (Villers, 1957). Having extended 'hospitality for travellers' for hundreds of years, the saying that tourism began in the Maldives in 1972, according to Mausoom (2004) is a painted picture, given that the first island resort opened in that year and that tourists are referred to as 'dhonmeehun'.

Ellis & Amarasinghe (1997) said:

"Although the Maldives began to be known as an idyllic holiday destination at the beginning of the 1970s, it was not until President Gayoom was elected that the significance of the tourism industry to the Maldives was realised" (Ellis & Amarasinghe, 1997, p. 14)

"Maldivians are almost strangers to the feeling of jeolousy, at least as far as their countrymen are concerned; but with a stranger, if a Christian they are not at all so open" (Rosset, 1887, p. 169).

"Generations of 'easy life' have cultured Maldivians in a way that is very different to the life in the 'fast lane' that most of the developed countries are faced with today" (Mausoom, 2004).

For an example, Maldivians are not concerned about the time at all, and it's quite useless for anyone to be in a hurry (Rosset, 1887). Further more,

"...they will not work so long as they possess any stock which they can exchange for rice; as soon as they can get no more food they set to work, catching fish, gathering cowries, or fishing for turtles" (Rosset, 1887, p. 167).

In the past several months I witnessed masses of writings on drugs/substance abuse in the Maldives and I recognise that it is with good cause. What is important though is to note that the term drugs/substances 'abuse' is surfaced in social science literature to contextualise the MISUSE of agreeable and/or permitted USE. If the Maldives, in contrast, hasn’t permitted USE of drugs/substances, there simply couldn’t be an ABUSE of it. The severity/harmfulness, which is what the writers attempt to portray by correlating with the term 'abuse', in the case for Maldives is drugs/substances USAGE and not ABUSE.

Unnecessary import of terminologies and misconceptions are simply impediments.