this news about maldives submerging is really making news in australia.

i heard about this issue in relation to our new president and a land offer from australia, from my colleagues here. he said he heard the news just that morning and was saying that it’s reason enough reconsider coming back here to live once my studies were over.

my reply was an immediate refusal of the news and the first thing that occurred to ask was “how come you hear news about maldives before i do?”

anyway, i really did not think much of that news. thought he must have misheard it and dismissed it at that. that was tuesday. and then the next day, another colleague came over to me and said how sorry she was about the news. about maldives not being there anymore. but that we were really welcome in australia anytime. now a second person and this definitely hit me hard.

so i went sleuthing for the news. i haven’t listened to local (maldivian) news or read any news for a few days because i have been awfully busy with studies these few days. anyway, came across two blog entries on the mvblogs about this issue and both of them were not that informative really. one of those entries had a link to the transcript of the australian radio program that initially started that talk.

and after reading that i again couldn’t help but believe that the news has been blown out of proportion. and today [13 nov], i made it a point to listen to DhiDM morning news at 8:00 and it seems DRP is cautioning the current government to be careful what they say and how they say things that effect the country’s viability and reputation. and i think there’s validity in drp’s concern.

this claim of securing land overseas in the event of the sea level going over our land will surely scare international investors and also will accelerate the brain drain that has been taking place for a few years now.

now let’s take the news in perspective. i don’t know exactly what the current government said about the issue of the sea level rising and its dangers to maldives. what i gathered from that titbit from the transcrip is that zaki said something about him hearing or “seeing” an article which said the australia had said they have scope to receive maldivian as environmental refugees. and the australian news station that picked on zaki’s words, said that maldives with its new government is trying to buy land in australia because they are going under water!!!

this mix up of reporting is …  a mix-up i alright. the australian listener’s “heard” that maldives is looking for land because of rising sea level. for people so far away this really sounds scary!!! but people from maldives is not gonna believe it happening at least for their lives. so most of us aren’t that concerned.

but the bottom line is that investors sure will be concerned.