Translated by website authors. Haveeru, 22 April 1999
Thinadhoo island, in Gaaf Dhaal atoll (southern Huvadhu) is an island with a large population. Increasing numbers of people are writing letters applying for land, but there is no more room for houses; the island is full.
All the swampy land has been reclaimed, and there are very few subdividable house sections left.
However, a large reef around the island provides some hope.
Early this week Haveeru news service reporters, Mohamed Shaheeb and Ahmed Zahir (Hirigaa) visited Thinadhoo and they write:
This is the land of beauty and sweet water
the spirit is there in Thinadhoo
Tranquility engulfs you when the island appears
the spirit is there in Thinadhoo.
When the famous Maldivian singer Mariyam Didi sang in her beautiful voice about her native island it was a very different place.
Then, it was a spacious island with a small number of happy and satisfied people.
But now all that has changed.
A complete lack of land is the major problem faced by the 6,048 people of Thinadhoo.
Most young families are without a house for their new children, and there are more than 500 formal letters applying for land in the island office.
'We are giving this important problem top consideration,' says Thinadhoo island Chief Mohamed Naeem Ahmed.
In 1991, land shortage had led the government to reclaim swampy areas, providing 80 blocks of land at 2,500 square feet for each block, and an area specifically for a large sports stadium.
There were 400 applications for these 80 blocks, and the successful applicants were selected by a lottery system.
However, only one block has been accepted.
This is due to the low level of the reclaimed land which is still regularly flooded after rain.
'When it rains the water is at ankle level,' says the island chief. 'People won't accept land until more sand is put there. The land allocated for the sports stadium remains undeveloped partly for the same reason. More reclaimed land is also needed before the Ministry of Sports begins construction.'
The government is considering spreading more sand on the reclaimed land.
According to the island chief the area needs between eight inches to one foot of sand to reach the same level as the rest of the island. But levelling the land is not a significant solution to the problem of the long queue of people waiting for land.
Reclaiming the shallow lagoon between two sand spits on the west side of the island and straightening the island was one idea they had thought of, says the island chief. It would provide 250 blocks at 2,500 square feet each. But even that is not even a temporary solution to the problem.
Incorporating the uninhabited island of Maafuttaa into Thinadhoo, by reclaiming the one thousand feet of reef between them, would be a permanent solution, says the island chief.
A government plan shows that this would increase Thinadhoo's total land area by approximately 70 percent - enough for 2,000 house blocks.
'We are waiting for the day these islands join,' says a pick-up driver transporting the Haveeru reporters. 'We don't know how long we'll have to wait. But our hopes are with Maafuttaa.'
Since the government's feasibility research, the people and the island office have been waiting for the day the dredging machine arrives, says the island chief.
Regarding health services, not only the people of Thinadhoo, but the whole of Huvadhu atoll, await the completion of the island hospital building now under construction.
'Only when the hospital opens will we have better health care. The problem is that it is taking so long to complete.' This was the general feeling among all the islanders we met.
There is a health centre in Thinadhoo and many people come there every day from nearby islands.
Thinadhoo Regional Hospital now has a roof, and all masonry work is complete. Electric wiring is being installed at the moment.
To improve the sewerage system in Thinadhoo the government has laid sewerage pipes all around the island. There are ten outlet pipes into the sea.
Though this work was finished a year ago, there is nothing flowing through the pipes. No toilet has been joined to the sewerage system.
The island chief says he doesn't know why it is taking so long to finish this work.
The plan was to have each house block's septic tank overflow connected to the pipes, with only water flowing into the sea, says the island chief.
'The island office also receives many letters about this problem, everyone asks when it will be done.'
Abdullah, a young fisherman, says he is delaying the expensive construction of his own septic tank because he may need to rebuild it for the plan.
'On the other hand, there is not enough room to build many septic tanks around a house.'
Some people in the island are willing to build their own septic tanks and join the main sewerage system later if the government permits, but the island office won't allow them to do so.
When the tide is out the area around the outlet pipes is a children's circus.
The child who can balance on it and walk the furtherest becomes a winner. Children climbing on the pipes has left some pieces cracked and broken.
An elderly man says it will not be easy to flush water through since they are very narrow. But the island chief doesn't agree.
'There isn't just one pipe for the whole island, but a system of ten serving five separate areas. That is why I don't think there'll be a problem. We'll see when the water starts flushing through.'
In times of drought the use of unsafe ground water causes problems on the island.
Mariyam Didi, who sang about the peace and beauty of Thinadhoo, says she is not feeling too well. Still quite young despite becoming a grandmother recently, Mariyam Didi displays a charming intelligence undaunted by a lifetime of blindness.
And she has not forgotten about the song. Though today she prefers to sing and listen to new songs.
'I'm on my way to buy the sound track of Kuch Kuch hoathaahey... It's a lovely tape. Costs 50 rufiyaa,' says Mariyam Didi to the reporters on the street.
Translated by website authors, from Miadhu, 3 April 1999
Maldivian Haj pilgrims especially middle-aged women need to improve their behaviour, says Abdul Latheef the manager of the Athamaa Hajj Group.
In an exclusive telephone interview from Mecca with Miadhu last night, Mr Latheef said although there was generally good conduct among Maldivian pilgrims this year, he had noticed inappropriate behaviour among middle-aged women and had advised them appropriately.
'I recollect speaking to middle-aged women last year about their behaviour too,' said Mr Latheef. 'This time, although we noticed improvements in many matters, the only thing which has not improved is this particular aspect of the middle-aged women.'
According to Mr Latheef an example of this inappropriate behaviour occurs when women are shopping and selecting rings and bangles, especially when this involves giving their hand to the shopkeeper.
'Men serve in the shops. You can imagine what can happen when women give their hand to the shopkeeper,' he said. 'I have advised them many times not to do this.'
Mr Latheef also said Maldivians at the Hajj wore their identification badges, and standards of praying, cleanliness, and manners were much improved.
Since medical checkups had been done prior to departure, overall health on the Hajj had been much better. No searches for lost people had been required.
When more effort was put into improving the behaviour of middle-aged women almost everything will be better.
Translated by website authors from Haveeru, 2-3 March 1999.
President Maumoon Gayoom calls on all of us to treat kindly those tourists who visit the Maldives. He was speaking at a meeting with the people of Uligamu, north Thiladhunmathi atoll, yesterday afternoon.
He said since Uligamu is a port for yachts from abroad, we should treat the visitors aboard these yachts in a friendly and considerate manner.
We must make things easy for the tourists, he said, and show them Maldivians are civilised and respectable people.
The president acknowledged the Uligamu people had treated tourists well, but he said some Maldivians had been treating tourists inappropriately.
This was very regretful.
Such acts would effect the Maldivian economy, and are already causing the spread of negative news about Maldives in foreign countries.
If undesirable stories keep on spreading, tourists will lose interest in visiting Maldives.
The whole country is receiving tremendous development from tourism, said the President, and particular attention must be given to facilitating and encouraging this industry with appropriate behaviour.
