Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen;
This is actually as good as it gets, I suppose, during this time of the year. It’s been a pleasant day. We’ve had a 45 minute journey here. I am sorry we are a little bit late.
But I am so pleased to be here today not only because Hilton has yet again come up with a new property, but I am also pleased to see Siyam again at his best. I take my hats off for this young gentleman from this same atoll who has almost sprung from nowhere and is able to come up with all sorts. Thank you very much and congratulations.
He himself expressed his thankfulness to Mr Hussain Afeef and the Crown Group. They were the first to introduce international chains to the Maldives. Since then we have been fortunate enough to have a number of international chains coming to the Maldives and investing here. I am sure their returns on investments from the Maldives would be very handsome. This has been the story for the last 30 years. Tourism has produced so much wealth not only in this country but also for all those who has been able to and who has had the long sight to invest in the Maldives.
We do this now at crossroads. Our country is not only going through landmark constitutional and democratic changes. As humanity goes through a number of challenges that our forefathers never had in the past, our children and their children would be more and more challenged by what nature will throw at us. Yes. Of course, we are talking about climate change. This is a very important subject, especially in an island such as this.
The science I believe is sorted. We are certain that the climate is changing: rains are not coming at the time that it should, the sun is not shining at periods when it should the sea is rough at the wrong time, the fish is not around at the time that it used to be around, seasons are shifting. The climate is changing. And it is certain. There is no two way about it. You cannot be complacent about this reality.
We have to be mindful about this and I believe I have come here today, in fact, also very much to highlight that this is exactly how you run an adaptation programme. We want to see how we may be able to have islands that will be safer after climatic change. We want to see how we may be able to survive, how we may be able to thrive, by harnessing these islands.
Tourism has been a blessing for us simply also because through this trade, entrepreneurs have had to build islands and properties or maintain islands that they are safe for both the tourists and everyone else in the island. They also built these islands not just for today but for the next fifty years. So we find that here is a model that we can emulate, and where the government and the world at large can seek examples from.
We are talking about adaptation programmes -- I believe most of you would have heard that British Prime Minister has supported a hundred billion dollar adaptation programme for the world. Now lets have a look how these islands are adapting itself for the changing environment. We have to be able to take lessons from these islands and from these investments and perhaps hopefully, emulate them to the wider Maldives and to the wider international community, especially low-lying islands.
Our people have been able to survive on these islands for the last two thousand years. It is, therefore, very difficult to see how or even contemplate that we might not be around here after the next fifty years. Most certainly not! We are going to be here. To do that we are looking at what the entrepreneurs are doing.
With me our environment team; Mr Aslam the Minister and his Deputies are here today. We basically wanted to have a look on how you are adapting. How you are maintaining your beaches, how it is not eaten by erosion. We are facing these problems – erosion problems – in almost all the islands of the Maldives. The resorts have been able to adapt rather much better than other inhabited islands have been able to.
To be thankful for this industry, for having come up with a model that we may be able to use examples and lessons from so other inhabited islands can emulate from here.
We all know that this is recession. So does Hilton. That is why they are investing now. That is why we are increasingly seeing further investments in the Maldives during the recession. Recession is actually the best time for entrepreneurship. I am glad that our good entrepreneurs have been able to have the good sight of understanding how to be able to get strength from adversity, get strength from bad news. And in fact that is their business – make bad news into good news – hospitality.
We are very, I would say, happy that Hilton has come up at this moment and decided to further invest in not only here, but also, I understand in another property up in Thiladhunmathi. We will see many international chains coming to the Maldives because this is a lucrative business.
This country can produce so much wealth. We have to be able to come up with with a model where this wealth can be used for the benefit of all Maldivians. We are a centre-right government and we do believe in free enterprise. That is why we always salute entrepreneurship. I am certain that they would continue to grow and that they would be able to also come up with models where entrepreneurship can save the world, where they can be a benefit for challenging that we will be facing and we are facing because of climatic change.
We have the belief that adaptation is not necessarily revetments, concrete and dredging. In our mind, adaptation is very much consolidation and good governance. We believe that the best form of adaptation for climatic change is good governance and therefore, democracy. We have to consolidate democracy so that we will be able to adapt ourselves for a time when nature will throw these challenges at us, so that we will be able to have another set of beliefs, another set of principles. We are not only looking at trying to have a safer island, but we are also looking at trying to have a safer person. To do that we have to be able to govern more compassionately, more fairly and more freely. Good governance is at the heart of our programme or agenda.
I would like to stress here that because of our governance programmes, our new constitution, we have in the recent past seeing some amounts of labour disputes and labour conflicts. I am sure we don’t need to go there. I am sure we will be able to find solutions for whatever differences that we have. I am certain that Hilton with its reservoir of local knowledge and also with a gentleman such as Siyam who is politically so, I would say, savvy, we would be able to come up with models that would assist us in labour differences and labour disputes. The government certainly would assist everyone in coming up with amicable solutions.
Now, politicians like us we tend to go on and on. I did have a few notes here, but we are already running late. And I’m sure most of you are not really thrilled to be listening to be here today. We have a lunch and we would like to have a look at your beautiful investment. So I will not keep you here.
But again just before I conclude, I would like to stress that we can take examples from these resorts – no only the government of Maldives and the people of the Maldives but the international community at large will soon understand that even the delicate Maldives so below the sea-level would be able to face the challenges of climatic change and climatic aberrations. Adaptation programmes will have to emulate what we find here today.
It is also because of this interest that I like coming to these islands. But of course, I can’t have a swim now but that would have been ideal.
I wish everyone success, especially the staff. Now my friend Siyam here has said a few words in Dhivehi. I too would like to do the same to the staff, especially in respect to labour relations.
އަޅުގަނޑު މިވަގުތު އެންމެ ބޭފުޅުންނަށް ދަންނަވާލަން އޮތް ވާހަކައަކީ، އަޅުގަނޑު މިވާހަކަ ދެއްކުމުގެ ކުރީގައި ޝިޔާމް ވަރަށް ސާފުބަހުން މިކަން ހާމަކޮށްދެއްވައިފި. އަޅުގަނޑުމެންނަށް މި ރިޒޯޓްފަހަރު ފުރިހަމައަށް ހިންގައި، އޭގެ ފައިދާ ފުރިހަމަ ގޮތުގައި ނުނެގެނީނަމަ، އަޅުގަނޑުމެންގެ ތަރައްޤީ، އަޅުގަނޑުމެން މި އުންމީދުކުރާ އަނެއް ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ، އަޅުގަނޑުމެންނަކަށެއް ނުލިބޭނެ. އަޅުގަނޑުމެންގެ ދަރިންނާއި އަޅުގަނޑުމެންގެ ދަރިންގެ ދަރިންނަށްޓަކައި މިއަދު އަޅުގަނޑުމެންނަށް ހަމަ މަޖްބޫރު، ވީހާވެސް އޮމާންކަމާ އެކީގައި، މިރިޒޯޓްފަހަރުގެ ހިންގުންތައް، ޚާއްޞަކޮށް މިދުވަސްވަރު ގެންދިއުން.
އަޅުގަނޑު ވަރަށް އިޚްލާޞްތެރިކަމާއި އާދޭހާއެކު ރާއްޖޭގައި ހުރިހާ ރިޒޯޓެއްގައި މަސައްކަތް ކުރައްވާ ބޭފުޅުންގެ ހީވާގި މަސައްކަތްތެރިންގެ ކިބައިން އެދެނީ، މިވަގުތަކީ އިޤްތިޞާދީ ހީނަރުކަމެއް އައިސްފައިވާ ވަގުތެކޭ. މިވަގުތު އަޅުގަނޑުމެން އިހަށް އަޅުގަނޑުމެންގެ އަމިއްލަ ބައެއް ކަންކަން ފަހަށް ޖައްސާލަންޖެހޭ. އަޅުގަނޑު ހަމަ ހިތަށްއަރާ، ބައެއްފަހަރަށް ސަރުކާރު މުވައްޒަފުންގެ ކިބައިންވެސް އެދެން މުސާރައިން ކުޑަތަންކޮޅެއް މިވަގުތު ދޫކޮށްލަދެވިދާނެތޯއޭ؟ ރޯދަމަސް އަންނަނީ އަޅުގަނޑަށްވެސް އިނގޭ. އަޅުގަނޑަށްވެސް ހަމަ އިނގޭ، އަންހެނުންވެސް ބަލިވެއިންނާނެކަމާއި، ގޭ ފުރާޅު ޓިނުޖަހަން ޖެހިފައިހުރި ކަމާއި، އިރުމަތީ ބިތުގައި ސިމެންތިވެސް ޖަހަން ޖެހިފައި ހުރިކަމާ. އަޅުގަނޑަށްވެސް އިނގޭ ހަމަ ޚަރަދު އެބަހުރި ކިތަންމެހާވެސް ޚަރަދު ކުރަން. އަދި ދަތި. އަދި އެހާމެ ދަތި. މި ދަތިން އަޅުގަނޑުމެންނަށް އިރާދަކުރެއްވިއްޔާ އަރައިގަނެވޭނެ. އެ އަރައިގަތުމަށްޓަކައި އަޅުގަނޑު މިފަހަރު ޙަޤީޤަތުގައި މިއެދެނީ، މުސާރައިން ބައެއް ދޫކޮށްލައްވާކަށް ނޫން. އެހެން ނަމަވެސް، ވީހާވެސް ޞުލްޙަވެރިކަމާ އެކީގައި، މެނޭޖްމަންޓާ މައްސަލައެއް ދިމާވިނަމަވެސް، އެ މައްސަލައެއް ވާހަކަ ދައްކަވައިގެން ޙައްލު ކުރައްވައިގެން، މިދުވަސްކޮޅު ކުރިއަށް ގެންދެވުން. އަޅުގަނޑު ޔަޤީންކޮށް އަރުވަން. މީގެ އަހަރެއްފަހުން، މީގެ އަނެއްކޮޅަށް އަޅުގަނޑު މިވާހަކަ ތިޔަބޭފުޅުންނާ އެކީގައި ދައްކާނަން. އަޅުގަނޑު މިވާހަކަ ތިޔަބޭފުޅުންގެ ކިބައިން މިވަގުތު މިކަމަށް މިއެދެނީ، ދުނިޔޭގެ އިޤްތިޞާދީ ޙާލަތު ހުރިގޮތުން. އަޅުގަނޑަށް، އަޅުގަނޑު މިވާހަކަ ޚާއްޞަކޮށް، ނ. އަތޮޅު އަޅުގަނޑުމެންނަށް އަބަދުވެސް އަޣްލަބިއްޔަތެއް ގެނެސްދޭ އަތޮޅެއް. މި ރާއްޖެއަށް ޑިމޮކްރަސީ ތަޢާރުފު ކުރުމުގައި، މިއަތޮޅު ރައްޔިތުންގެ ޙިކްމަތާއި ހިތްވަރާއި ވިސްނުމަކީ، ރާއްޖޭގެ ތާރީޚު ދުވަހަކުވެސް ހަނދާން ނައްތާލާނެ ކަމެއް ނޫން. އެހެންވީމާ، އަޅުގަނޑަށް ޙަޤީޤަތުގައި މިއަތޮޅުގައި ހުރެ މިހާ ސާފުބަހުން މިހާ އުނދަގޫ ކަމަކަށް އެދެންވެސް މިކެރެނީ.
އަޅުގަނޑު އެދެން. މިދުވަސްކޮޅު ތިޔަބޭފުޅުން އަޅުގަނޑުމެން އަބަދުވެސް ބުނަމުން މިއަންނަ ޙިކްމަތްތެރިކަމާއި ވިސްނުންތެރިކަން، ކުރިއަށްވުރެ އަދި މާބޮޑަށް ބޭނުން ކުރައްވާނެ ކަމަށް.
Just before I finish I would like to thank our Tourism Minister, in fact the whole government. We have tried very hard to keep the Maldives so that people all over the world are always aware of what is happening here. We are also pleased that the British Airways has decided to come to the Maldives three times a week, starting from August. I’m sure that this is going to be a benefit for the industry at large. We have also decided that we will be willing to bring changes to regulations on how properties may be leased in terms of head-leasers and
sub-leasers. There is a whole host of things. This government is willing to talk to everyone. This government is willing to concede. It is willing to give up many issues, many things. But it is also not willing to give up its ideals, its principles and its hopes and its dreams. I am sure that there is ‘another Maldives’ for all of us.
Again, thank you very much for inviting us here today. Thank you.
