September focus; Governance and Institutions

Dear reader,

Welcome to edition 18!

In underlining our main focus of 'Governance and Institutions' for the month of September, we believe that progressive states should always work to forge strong and stable institutions that are inclusive, incentivise innovation, and promote prosperity.

Traditionally institutions in the Maldives have been seen as extractive — with a majority remaining so to this day. No conscious, and active, efforts have been made to make them inclusive. This has resulted in wealth being concentrated among a mere handful, justice being seemingly meted out in relation to connections, and politics being seen as transactional while being shaped, and led, by rent-seeking ‘power brokers’.

The country needs more inclusive institutions.

For this to happen political power needs to be more broadly distributed with sufficient constraints on arbitrary use — and not concentrated or consolidated in the Executive, Majlis or the Judiciary.

The country needs urgent reforms.

Key amongst them electoral reforms that seek to reduce the number of high salaried elected officials, enact campaign financing limitations and ensure Majlis cannot obstruct the Administration’s ability to govern.

The Maldives also needs urgent, and tangible, judicial reform to ensure that there is no judicial dictatorship, and that while judges are not above the law that they are also not subservient to Majlis or its members.

Reforms also need to focus on Majlis’ authority, and influence, so as to assure the public that the institution cannot, in a bid for supremacy over other independent institutions of the state, weaken our Constitutional Democracy.

In tandem the country also needs immediate focus on building ever inclusive economic institutions.

Institutions should focus on encouraging an increasing number of people to contribute to the nation’s economy — through encouraging participation and innovation towards the common goals of economic prosperity, diversity and social progress.

Reforms need to ensure that institutions cannot prioritise economic gains at the expense of limiting access to, or squeezing out entirely, citizens in favour of corporations with vested interests and vast influence, whether local or global.

Thus MFR will focus on ‘Governance and Institutions’ through these, and similarly progressive and innovation forward, benchmarks.

I hope you will find our coverage of these issues both thought provoking and stimulating.

Thank you for joining us on our journey and allow us to, belatedly as it may be, welcome you aboard.

Sincerely yours,

The Editor.