How genuine can they be towards the citizens

When a leader stands before a crowd, promising change and a better future, what are we really hearing? Is it a genuine commitment to public service, or just another script read to secure votes? In the Maldives, this question echoes through the narrow streets of Malé and across the scattered atolls. We’ve seen governments come and go, each pledging to tackle corruption, reduce the cost of living, and restore faith in our institutions. Yet, the problems only seem to multiply. Why do so many feel that promises are made only to be broken? Look at the pattern: high-profile corruption cases surface, then fade from public memory. The MPRC scandal implicated top officials, but how many ordinary citizens saw real accountability? When relatives are appointed to ambassadorships and ministries, it doesn’t just look like nepotism—it feels like a betrayal. It tells us that loyalty to family or party trumps loyalty to the nation. And what about the economic pain we’re all feeling? Prices for basic goods keep climbing, while our national debt balloons. The government prints money to cover shortfalls, but that only makes the Rufiyaa in our pockets worth less. We rely heavily on imports, yet foreign currency reserves are strained. Tourism brings in dollars, but if resort owners park their profits overseas, how does that help the Maldivian struggling to pay rent? Then there’s the housing crisis. In Malé, space is scarce, and affordable housing is even scarcer. Government flats, meant for those in need, are sometimes subleased by leaseholders living abroad—profiting from a system designed to help the vulnerable. Who benefits from this? Not the young couple hoping to start a family, nor the elderly who’ve lived here all their lives. Our healthcare system is another sore point. People shouldn’t have to fly to India or Sri Lanka for treatment they should receive at home. When Aasandha is abused by providers overcharging for services, it’s not just waste—it’s a failure of trust. Medicine shortages leave patients anxious and families desperate. Unemployment among youth is rising, and with it, drug use and hopelessness. At the same time, expatriate workers fill jobs that could go to locals, and human trafficking remains a dark undercurrent. Are these issues being addressed with urgency, or are they just talking points during election season? The erosion of political rights and freedom of expression makes it harder to ask these questions aloud. When the judiciary is perceived as politicized, and when speaking out carries risks, how can we hold power to account? The ‘India Out’ campaign stirred nationalist feelings, but did it distract from domestic failures? So, we return to the original question: How genuine can they be towards the citizens? If actions speak louder than words, then the evidence is troubling. Empty promises, systemic corruption, and economic hardship suggest that for many in power, the citizen’s welfare is secondary. But it doesn’t have to be this way. The first step toward change is recognizing the gap between rhetoric and reality—and demanding better.