Taking Theemuge as Court

Housing the Supreme Court is perhaps the best idea so far proposed to make use of Theemuge, the former Presidential Palace. It would not only give an appropriate status to the building but also help to preserve the building in pristine condition.

Theemuge is important to Maldivians not because it was occupied by Maumoon Abdul Gayoom but because it was built with millions of dollars of public money and is part of our national wealth. Preserving the building in good condition is important not because it has sentimental value for the former first family but because its interior is made of expensive and delicate material, which would be damaged if unlimited access is given to all parts of the building.

Unlike the other ideas put forward for Theemuge such as operating offices, using it as Supreme Court would cause minimum damage to the building because the apex court would not be as crowded as a run-of-the-mill government office. So, let's hope this is the final idea for Theemuge for now.

Theemuge Audit Report

The latest in the 'time bomb' series of Auditor General's reports, this one on Presidential Palace Theemuge, confirms what we have known all along. Despite celebrating the diamond jubilee of constitutional rule in the Maldives, the concept of state property remains the same as it was during the era of absolute monarchy.

From time immemorial right up to this day, Maldivians believe that state property belongs to the ruler. Up to the dawn of 20th Century it was the King; afterwards it was the Prime Minister and finally now it's the President. The conviction runs so deep that despite the current Constitution requiring that presidential entitlements must be limited by law, such a law remains yet to be passed eight months into the Constitution.

Against this background, each year during the past 30 years, Presidential Palace budgets have been passed by the Majlis, each one larger than its predecessor. No member of the Majlis had ever dared to question the size of the budget or how it was spent. No wonder then that the Auditor General found what he found in Theemuge expenditure, some of the highlights of which are:

• $ 17 million spent on construction of Theemuge;
  
• Over 300 staff employed;
  
• Rf 45 million spent on staff out of a total budget of 187 million;
  
• 55 cars at the service of the Presidential Palace;
  
• 11 plots of land dedicated for Theemuge in various parts of Male;
  
• 4 houses in 4 regional airports for the President's personal use;
  
• Presidential suites in Colombo and London High Commissions.
  

Auditor General has recommended that former President Gayoom be asked to repay what he spent on his extended family from Theemuge budget. This is likely to take us back in time to the first half of 20th Century, when Abdul Majeed Rannabandeyri Kilegefaanu (former Prime Minister and Bodu Bandeyri) faced a similar predicament. He was supposed to have replied, "You know how these things are. We don't keep accounts here, so it's difficult to determine what's mine and what's the government's. Let's do one thing. I have three houses, Maabageechaage, Maafannuge and Athiree Maafannuge. I'll keep two; the government can have one, Athiree Maafannuge."

By a strange coincidence, the house that Kilegefaanu gave that day was today's Theemuge.

Theemuge as City Hall?

Ever since President Nasheed announced he will not occupy Presidential Palace Theemuge, people are wondering what to do with the house. This question is pertinent because Theemuge is arguably the finest building in Male. It was constructed at phenomenal cost to the exchequer (estimates vary from $ 30 million to $ 60 million) and has immense historical value. Considering all this, it could serve very well as Male's City Hall

A city hall or town hall is the chief administrative building of a city or town's administration and usually houses the city or town council, its associated departments and their employees. It is also usually the base of the city, town, borough, or county mayor.

Under the new Constitution, Maldives will have a system of local government by mid 2009. Under the system Male is likely to have an elected Municipal Council headed by a Mayor. Such a prestigious body will need a correspondingly prestigious address.

If one looks around the world, city halls serve as symbols of local government, and usually have distinctive architecture. They also frequently occupy historically significant buildings. This description fits Theemuge very well.

Theemuge started its life as 'Athiree Maafannuge' in the 2^nd quarter of the 20^th Century. It was built by Abdul Majeed Rannabandeyri Kilegefaanu as a home for his second son Hassan Fareed. After Fareed's death during World War II, Abdul Majeed donated the house to the Government. During the regimes of Nasir and Maumoon, the house served at different times as presidential residence as well as prime ministerial residence. It also housed ATA (the fore-runner of STO). Finally, in the early 1990s, it was rebuilt and renamed as Theemuge.

In addition to housing the municipal offices, Theemuge could also host a cultural center that showcases Male as the historic capital of the Maldives.

[Note: This article simply expresses the author's personal opinion as a citizen of Male.]

Rags to riches and finally Theemuge?

"Those who say I have a selfish motive to become president are right: I want the job to solve the difficulties people face today." –Gasim Ibrahim

In many a fairytale, the hero starts in humble beginnings and ends in riches… and of course a palace. But even the legendary narrator Hans Anderson will find it difficult to match the real life story of Gasim Ibrahim. The meteoric rise of the Maamigili boy from the job of a farm-help in an uninhabited island to the dizzy heights of his current position as the chairman of Villa Group will be a story that will continue to inspire generations of island boys.

If fortune changes men, then Gasim remains an illustrious exception to this rule. Despite his legendary wealth Gasim leads a fairly simple life and is arguably the most approachable tycoon in the Maldives. His humble days appear to be etched indelibly into his psyche.

"Those who say I have a selfish motive to become president are right: I want to deliver the things that people demand. I want the job to solve the difficulties people face today," Gasim told supporters during the official launching of his election campaign. Such a statement would normally be discarded as political hyperbole. But coming from Gasim Ibrahim, one must give it at least the benefit of doubt. After all, it has always been Gasim's lifelong mission to help people. Who has not heard of Villa scholarships and Villa welfare?

Gasim says his early days of suffering in Male implanted in him a strong desire to help people and improve their conditions. Here again one must give the benefit of doubt to Gasim that he may be telling the truth, because after all, the man has actually spent millions to help improve people's lives.

Some of Gasim's election promises appear to be extensions of the philanthropic work that he has been personally pursuing: the university and the hospitals. Along with this he also promised another welfare scheme –building 1000 flats a year in Hulhumale. This of course is a logistically impossible target, and it will be interesting to watch how Gasim deals with this promise if he gets elected.

Gasim's economic policies include a Mrf 1.5 billion fund to provide low interest loans, introduction of new taxes, establishing four economic zones, and oil exploration. While enhanced taxation will be crucial to implement Gasim's social programs, his ability to raise the level of taxation will remain questionable, given the composition of his core team, which includes some businessmen with doubtful reputations.

Only time will tell whether Gasim achieves his motive. With the election barely a month away, he is racing against time to establish sufficient party presence in the islands to put up a credible campaign. One thing is certain though. Anyone who knows Gasim will testify that the last thing on Gasim's mind is to occupy Theemuge and live like an Arab Sheikh.