Has plutocratic politics given way to party politics?

The conventional wisdom till August this year was if one had enough 500 rufiyaa notes to distribute on Election Day, one was assured of victory. This doctrine however came for a severe hammering almost overnight with the lukewarm response Qasim Ibrahim received for his presidential bid. All of a sudden one started hearing comments such as, 'Qasim is a good businessman and philanthropist, but not the type of person we want as president." Does this herald a paradigm shift from the plutocratic politics of the past decade to party based politics?

According to conventional wisdom, businessmen could dominate politics because Maldivians can be bought for a few rufiyaas. This however may not be the case. The real explanation could be that in the days prior to the formation of political parties, only government officials and businessmen had the resources to conduct campaigns in the atolls. Before 1999, only civil servants with government blessing were allowed to campaign and so they won nearly all Majlis seats. After that, particularly during the last Majlis elections, officially everyone was allowed to campaign, but practically only rich businessmen could make use of the opportunity. That's how we saw the entry of the likes of Jaufar, Waheed, Shaheed Zaki, Thasmeen, Nazim, Hamza, Nashid, Shyam, Jabir and Zahir into the Majlis.

Even during the 2005 election, it could have been the ability to campaign and take the message to the electorate that made all the difference, rather than the actual money that passed hands. Now with the entry of political parties, there is an alternative method of financing election campaigns, other than spending one's personal wealth. Going by the experience of countries like the US, parties appear to be the more sustainable and effective method out of the two. The utter failure of billionaire Ross Perot in election after election is a good case study.

Thus in the future we could perhaps expect a reduction in the number of business tycoons getting elected to the Majlis. This of course is merely a theory and needs verification in light of the results of March 2009 General Election.

[Disclaimer: This article does not purport to prove that businessmen will have no influence on Maldivian politics in the future. After all, political parties are also funded by businessmen. What the article theorizes is a shift in their role from direct financing to party financing. ]

Election fever heating up in Huvarafushi

On approaching Huvarafushi the first thing one notices is the yellow painted walls of MDP office and the golden flag flying above in the island's azure sky. The election fever in Huvarafushi is not surprising. After all, it's the political heart of the north, in the same way Kulhudhuffushi is its commercial heart. Going back in time, the peoples of Huvarafushi and Kulhudhuffushi were the joint organizers of the historic Uthuru Arumaazu.

Going by external appearance –flags, colors, music, meetings –the MDP campaign is the strongest in the island. However, appearances can be deceptive. According to many people there is quite a brisk, albeit hidden, DRP campaign in the island. Jumhooree Party leader Qasim Ibrahim has family connections to the island through his wife, whose relatives are also active in the campaign as indicated by JP flags flying over their houses. Social Liberal Party has a relatively minor presence in the island. Despite their small numbers however, SLP contribution is significant, particularly in acting as a watchdog to prevent Civil Service members from campaigning.

Partly due to the high level of political awareness in Huvarafushi, most of the 2000 voters in the island are members of some party, though it is alleged that many of them 'joined' parties involuntarily when someone filled forms on their behalf, sometimes without their knowledge.

It is difficult to gauge how the people of Huvarafushi will vote on October 8^th. But many people believe the competition for the top spot will be between MDP and DRP. Current indications are that JP will be in a distant third position. This however could change dramatically when Qasim Ibrahim visits the island, most people say. Unlike in most other islands, Hassan Saeed's support in Huvarafushi appears small.

The people of Huvarafushi have a long list of grievances, which they expect the next president will solve for them. Here are a few of them as expressed by the people:

• The health center is ill equipped and ill staffed. People travel to Kulhudhuffhishi or Male for even minor health problems.
  


• The school is staffed with reject teachers from Male. Most of them lack teaching and class-control skills;
  


• The harbor, constructed some years back, has now become small and congested.
  


• Apart from some government jobs, there are no employment opportunities in the island. The only significant economic activity is fisheries, which itself is in decline and has become seasonal. Two Male-based companies operate fish processing facilities in the island.
  


• Unlike most high-population islands, the ground water in Huvarafushi is still relatively clean. However, most islanders believe the time has now come for laying a sewage system.
  


• The STELCO operated powerhouse is one service with which the people are happy.