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Since the introduction of democracy in the Maldives, the government has been facing a continuous barrage of petitions with demands varying from building harbors to removing strict bosses and investigating alleged corruption. But are petitions part of democracy?
In its long and perhaps extravagant list of fundamental rights, the Constitution of Maldives does not include petitioning. So, it’s not a right. However, Article 19 allows people the freedom to do anything that is not banned by a specific law. So, petitions are lawful.
Is there a role for petitions in the democratic setup? The Constitution gives sweeping powers to the executive to take decisions. It also gives the executive the power to hold referendums to get public opinion on important national matters. In other matters gathering public opinion is left to the discretion of the executive, presumably through the interactions of ministers with the public and through routine bureaucratic reporting systems.
Do petitions reflect public opinion accurately? This is doubtful because petitions are usually organized by a small but vocal minority. The others simply sign the petition to oblige the organizers.
In advanced democracies, political parties do not organize petitions. However lobbyists and NGOs do so to garner support for their causes. Thus petitions sponsored by political parties are perhaps unique to the Maldives. Perhaps this is because some of the local political parties are little more than NGOs, with little if any political base. Why the state must spend millions on ‘political parties’ which do not even contest a single Majlis seat is a different story altogether.
The question is, do petitions advance the course of democracy? Or, do they hinder true democracy by advancing narrow interests?
14 comments:
petitions are very undemocratic. they are organized by very few people. it is not majority voice. they hold employers to ransom
govt must listen to all petitions. they are elected by the people so they must listen to people.
This type of unrest will lead to inefficeny in government. it will also harm economy. but goverment must also find and solve problems of citizens
When resorts were exploiting employees nobody talked about it. But when owners have to give a little bit to the staff everybody is talking about it. How can nation develop when people get so small salary?
Get more bangaalhees . that will solve the whole problem
I don't think Maldivians are stupid enough to sign just any petition that is offered to them without reading it first. Though it's organised by a vocal few minority, if in the end the petition has a large signature crowd, it means it is a move supported by the majority and so the government must support. In other countries, it doesn't even have to be a majority that has to be signed. If it's signed by a few prominent people, that's enough for the government to take it seriously.
current gov should take the full responsibility for what ever ppl do now.coz they taught us and our children what democracy is
It is not only in the Maldives that petitions are used to remove people from office. In 2003 it was a petition that started the process of recalling California Governor Gray Davis and the election of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Petitions also play a major role in various humanitarian causes. For example in the release of Nelson Mandela. Amnesty International uses petitions often.
just because a majority signed a petition it does not mean it's correct. 1000 fools don't add up to 1 genius. they will remain 1000 fools.
yes, the current government should get the credit for introducing democracy. Now that we have it we can say too much democracy is not good. But nobody wants to go back to dictatroship
Let us learn something from other democracies. Company bosses employ spies among the workers to detect potential troublemakers. They are fired before any mischief is done. Do you thnk business with millions of dolllars investment will allow some stupid wannabe hero to spoil thier beautiul life? hehe.
Companies need to treat their staff more professionaly and with empathy. As long as this is not so, there will be petitions.
to 12:39, only certain people respond to empathy. Others will take empathy as a sign of weakness.
petitions will be less if managments are in regular touch with emloyees to redress thier greivances. but this will not stop them totally. there will be unreasonable people. they must be fired.
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