Anti-Gayyoom candidates are stretched financially, who will help them?

Those candidates with Gayyoom’s blessings, have endless resources beginning with access to state owned media, TV, radio and newspapers, and open coffers of treasury funds. Sadly, it does not stop there. These candidates, including ministers and deputy ministers as well as other officials and close associates of Gayyoom, are getting enormous help from private businesses as well. This will obviously play a role in swinging votes their way in the atolls.

DO has information that anti-Gayyoom candidates are unable to get any funding for their campaigns, and some members can’t pay for travelling costs to visit their constituents, let alone meet the production cost of campaign material. There are many private businesses and wealthy Maldivian who want to help these candidates, but their movements and activities are closely monitored by Gayyoom’s cronies and hence these people are scared to help any anti-Gayyoom candidates.

Many able candidates are being hampered by financial difficulties, while ignorant thieves and corrupt people are visiting each island in chartered speedboats and flights. Being corrupt and rich appears to be the way to secure a majlis seat in the Maldives, regardless of the fact that some of these government candidates can barely read and write in Dhivehi or English. How on earth can we entrust people like them to be the law makers of our country?