How do you decide who to vote for? the low-down on the Presidential Candidates

"I don't know who to vote for" My friend Hassan said gloomily the other day.

So I have decided to make the choice a little easier for him by giving my take on the candidates.

Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (DRP)


Positives:-
This was a hard one and the only things I could come up was
- he has 30 years of executive experience
- Educated (albeit Arabic medium)

Negatives:-
- 30 years of dictatorial rule (several dead in custody, torture in jail, corruption, nepotism, you name it!)
- 30 years of family dominance. Now that Yameen has joined up, there is no reason to believe that it would not be another 5 more years of Kaaminee Clan rule
- nearly 15 years of state-sponsored drug lords given free reign in the country
- Encouraged Arabisation of the Maldives (he began the Arabic medium schools which has now lead to the country being run over by Haabees.
- too many negatives to list on one page

MOHAMED NASHEED (ANNI) MDP


Positives

- Educated
- Number one advocate of Democracy in the Maldives both in theory and practice;
- Belongs to the only party that has even a semblance of internal democracy (was elected by a majority of party members)
- A brave and bold soul who is not scared in face of adversity and has stood up to his principles and beliefs against all odds

Negatives
- severe lack of experience at top executive level;
- Still seen by many as too much of an activist
- too many family members involved in MDP makes people worry about Kaminee Clan being replaced by Keneree Clan
- many claim that he is too dictatorial


DR.HASSAN SAEED (NO PARTY)


Positives
- highly educated
- Experienced in top executive level (was AG in Golhaabo's government)
- Has got the resilient and 'unbreakable' Doc Shaheed as his Running Mate.


Negatives
- Very Low on democratic credentials (was instrumental in prosecuting several MDP activists)
- Lack of a political party means that he appears not to believe in multi-party democracy
- Questions about how he will function if elected, given that he does not belong to a party. How will he push his policies through the parliament? Is he waiting to get elected and then form a party in which case, the whole multi-party liberal democracy scenario flies out of the window for another 5 years.



QASIM IBRAHIM (REPUBLICAN)


Positives:
- Experienced in running his Villa Empire so the top job at executive level should not be too difficult for him
- Philanthropist and a generous person to poor people
- Was one of the founding members of MDP and instrumental in getting the constitution revised so democratic credentials somewhat established


Negatives:
- Severe lack of education
- Too closely associated with the Endheri Clan. Many see him as their stooge
- Was a democracy advocate but turned Golhaabo loyalist when it suited him; therefore makes it difficult to believe in what he says. Not very trustworthy.



IBRAHIM ISMAIL (SLP)


Positives
- Educated
- Outspoken critic of Gayyoom and was first President of MDP
- very liberal in his views (first to choose a female running mate)


Negatives
- seen to be dictatorial in his approach while President of MDP
- Party still needs to establish their democratic credentials (Ibra was not selected
to be the Party Candidate by a vote of all the members)
- somehow lacking in popular support


UMAR NASEER IDP


Positives:
- not scared to speak his mind


Negatives
- lack of education
- history of a violent past while in the NSS
- totally cuckoo policies relating to drugs and other issues



The above is just a brief take on all the candidates. Ultimately I believe it comes down to a choice of two candidates:- ANNIi and Dr.Hassan. The problem with Dr. Hassan for me is that he does not belong to a political party. I cannot foresee myself voting for someone who does not believe in party politics in our first multiparty elections. That for me is a big No-No. Together with his actions while AG, his democratic credentials are severely lacking. Perhaps if he can prove it in the next 5 years then he maybe a worthy future candidate.

The rest of the candidates have done nothing or could do nothing to negate their weaknesses apart from Qasim Ibrahim who has choosen an educated person as his Running Mate. However, his other negatives (too closely connected to Endheri Clan) makes him unelectable for me.

That leaves me with no choice but to vote for Anni by default - for the simple reason that he has managed to negate his biggest weakness in lack of experience in the top level by electing the highly experienced Dr.Waheed as his Running Mate. Although Dr. Waheed has had a tendency to run away in the past if unsuccessful (and there is no reason to believe he wont dump Anni if they do not get elected), he may stay and help run the government as an administrator if they are indeed elected.

Hassan, there is my take on the candidates. You can choose to vote for my choice which is Anni or you can vote for anyone you wish.

THE CHOICE IS YOURS!