Posts
As a national development strategy, population consolidation is as dead as a dodo. After a quarter-century long attempt to implement the strategy in various forms and names, the time has finally come to put it in its rightful place: the dustbin of history.
The strategy originated in the mid 1980s as the 'Selected Islands Development Project,' though the word 'population consolidation' was not coined till the mid 1990s. The purpose of the project was to counter in-migration towards Male by providing 'pull factors' such as health care, education and housing in selected islands.
The strategy was a washout. When it was launched, Male population was less than a quarter of the national population. Today it is more than a third and increasing. Statistics indicate that the declining trend of island population has crossed the point of no return. Between 2000 and 2006 an estimated 22,452 people migrated from the islands to Male. This rate will accelerate further as services in the islands continue to deteriorate, ironically as a result of declining population, which has entered a vicious cycle.
When island populations decrease below a certain critical level, there would be a mass exodus from the atolls. Past experience shows that the critical level could be about 250 inhabitants, at which point basic services become near impossible even with subsidization. Cases in point are Maavaidhoo and Faridhoo in Haa Dhaalu Atoll and Dhiyadhoo in Gaafu Alifu Atoll. Inhabitants of these islands have been desperately petitioning the government for relocation.
Fehendhoo, South Maalhosmadulu Atoll, is the latest island to join the migration queue. At the time of the latest Census in 2006, Fehendhoo had 114 people living on the island. The number has now declined to 64 in just three years. (This figure must not be confused with the registered population of 206, most of who live in Male). The 43 households in the island have requested for relocation to Gan, Haddhunmathi Atoll. The reasons put forward for relocation are the usual: lack of development opportunities, lack of education. Last year the island school closed because there were no students.
In Census 2000, there were only 17 islands with population below 250. But by 2006 there were 30 such islands, indicating the rapid decline in island population. These 30 will soon be on the queue for relocation. Even large islands are not immune from population decline. In 2000 there were 17 islands with population over 4000. However by 2006 the number of such high-population islands had declined to just 9.
The writing on the wall is clear. There are few islands with any potential to develop. The island population is declining so fast that soon there will be no population to consolidate. And finally there is no money to implement such mega projects. Population consolidation failed in the past; it will fail in the future.
16 comments:
An alternative to population consolidation would be to develop staff quarters for resort staff in nearby islands.
So who will live in the flats that's going to be build in the islands? Ghosts of those who migrated to Male?
why keep these islands? sell them to Jabir, Shyaym and Gasim.
Well its a pathetic excuse for a country.
I just cant understand why we cannot manage a population aprox. of 300 thousand people. Just pathetic. We have always been ruined by the people who we chose to lead us. I guess its a matter of another Tsunami, and we wouldn have to worry about any of it.
I am glad we didnt had a population in 6 Digit Figures, otherwise our politicians would go mental trying to manage the people.
Population consolidation can have many models.. and the alternative is to continue living in 200 or so islands where economies of scale are so limited that no effective economic opportunities can succeed easily.. If you look at President Nasheed's recent statements on developing a 10,000 population on B. Thuladhoo and developing 700 housing units on Addu etc.. wonder what this would be called if not population consolidation..
Maybe theorizing on economic planning and models should be left to professionals in those fields.
If good services are available in the islands who will come to male and live in over crowded room? decentralization will work.
we must not waste precious resorces to make flats that nobody will use. first there must be a plan which will work.
decentralization did not work before becasue it was politicised. it was mainly to win elections. so only promises were made. but no action taken.
We know there is no money to make flats or any other castles in the air. So why don't we just give goathi in the atoll capital and let the people put up house whatever they can.
Did you try making a bird cage and keep it open for birds to come and ocupy? Birds will not come if you don't give food. if you put food birds will come even without a cage.
When atoll ministry was dismantled to the regions, no staff working there was willing to go to the island. Why? Did anyone study this?
Is there a plan to develop the atolls other than selling islands and reefs? What benefit will people get from the people who buy these islands? What happned to Herathere? government has to give 55 million dollars to Jabir. if this money was given to Hulhudhoo people at least they can build houses.
In future islands could be developed as 'ranches' or 'farm houses' for the rich. Poor people cannot afford to stay in islands in the future. because they can't afford to put up electricity, water supply etc. government also can't do that for islands with 50 people. so let the rich who can afford that live in the islands in royal style.
Population consolidation is truly alive. Anni may not call it that. Transport network is also pop consolidation. Building several hundred flats in Thinadhoo and Kulhudufushi and Kuda Huvadhu etc is also population consolidation. Many , many examples like this in today's Government policies. So, there.
Where is Anni transport system? Last time I visited Thinadhoo i did not see any flat. Hasn't anni promised flats in 47 islands so far?
The question i think we should ask is should it be let to fail...i mean we all know the main problem , from the budget problems, inflation to the social issue such as gang violence stems from the consolidation of the entire maldivian population into male'...so please tell another solution then
Post a Comment