Stuck in the past: Why Maldivian leaders keep repeating mistakes that block development

In his writings on leadership, Sir Alex Ferguson, widely regarded as one of the most successful football managers in history, explains that effective leaders should not be consumed by routine, day-to-day tasks. When players were engaged in running drills, Ferguson did not run alongside them, issuing instructions. Instead, he observed. He analysed patterns. He reflected on the broader picture.

This approach enabled players to learn more effectively, standards to improve consistently, and leaders to intervene with guidance only when it was truly necessary. The lesson from Ferguson’s success at Manchester United is straightforward: genuine leadership is rooted in vision, trust, and direction—not micromanagement, and not fixation on minor details.

This principle applies not only to football teams, but also to nations.

Countries that have been led by individuals who understood this truth have progressed. Those whose leaders allowed minor issues to become major distractions have fallen behind. Singapore stands as the clearest example. It achieved independence around the same time as the Maldives, under far more challenging circumstances.

At independence, Singapore was impoverished and lacked natural resources such as oil or gas. What it possessed, however, was leadership with a long-term vision. Under Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, the country focused from the outset on building strong institutional systems. Educational standards were strengthened. Corruption was addressed decisively. Discipline and meritocracy were prioritised.

With this foundation in place, Singapore moved purposefully to establish itself as a global hub for finance, trade, and logistics. These were not short-term political choices, but long-term national strategies. Today, as Singapore marks 60 years of independence, it ranks among the world’s most developed nations.

The Maldives is also commemorating 60 years of independence. Yet our circumstances reflect a markedly different reality.

Over these six decades, the country has experienced numerous governments. One president governed for nearly half of this period. Political stability existed. Time existed. Opportunities existed. Development did occur. Roads were constructed. Infrastructure expanded. However, what was not achieved was deep, sustainable progress.

It is now 2026. Our population remains under 400,000—smaller than many towns elsewhere. Tourism generates billions of dollars annually. Yet a significant portion of the population still lacks adequate housing, quality education, and dependable healthcare. For proper medical treatment, many citizens continue to have no option but to travel abroad. This is not a matter of fate; it is a failure of leadership.

What we are witnessing today is a repetition of past errors.

Rather than concentrating on structural reforms, leaders are once again preoccupied with minor matters. Time, energy, and public attention are devoted to issues that should never reach the desks of presidents and ministers.

School uniform regulations. Civil service dress codes. These are not illegitimate concerns. The issue, however, is one of priority. Do such matters warrant the attention of the highest levels of government, whose responsibility—funded by taxpayers—is to guide national development? These are administrative issues that should be addressed by relevant departments, not political leaders.

Meanwhile, more than five billion rufiyaa is spent annually on education. Yet outcomes remain unsatisfactory. Employers struggle to find workers with strong ethics, discipline, and problem-solving abilities. Even where examination results appear positive, critical thinking skills remain weak. Education experts have long observed that the system is designed to pass examinations, not to prepare minds for real-world challenges or modern economies.

Education forms the foundation of national development. Yet government after government, minister after minister, has failed to sustain any serious reform effort. Instead, attention frequently shifts to academic calendars and uniforms, while deeper structural problems remain unaddressed.

The civil service reflects a similar pattern.

There are more than 30,000 civil servants in the Maldives—approximately one for every 12 citizens. Around 14 billion rufiyaa is spent each year on salaries and benefits. Yet services remain slow and inefficient. Phone calls go unanswered. Correspondence receives no response. Productivity remains low.

Civil service reform should be a national priority. Establishing systems that deliver efficient, accountable service is essential. Without such reform, billions are wasted annually. However, instead of undertaking serious restructuring, attention continues to drift toward superficial concerns.

Corruption represents another significant obstacle. It exists at dangerously high levels across state institutions. Funds lost through corruption are rarely recovered. Accountability mechanisms remain weak. This alone is sufficient to undermine development. Yet responses to corruption remain hesitant and inconsistent.

The Maldives also faces an urgent need to diversify its economy. Tourism alone cannot sustain the country’s future. New industries, innovation, and productivity must be promoted. Revenue must increase. Yet such discussions are infrequent. Political conflict dominates. While leaders argue, time passes and terms expire.

Hussain Afeef, Regional Director of HR and Training at Mauritian luxury hotel chain, Lux Hotels and a well-known motivational speaker, articulates the problem clearly. Leaders in rapidly developing countries plan with future global changes in mind. In contrast, he observes that in the Maldives, policymaking is overwhelmingly short-term.

“The problem with the Maldives is, there is long-term thinking. Everything is done with a short-term vision. Maybe this is the reason behind the outrageous policies such as changing school schedules and just generally, focusing on issues that do not accord this level of attention,” he said.

He goes onto highlight the lack of strategic capacity in terms of improving the standard of the country within their electoral term as the other adverse characteristics observed from Maldivian leaders.

“When individuals with strategic thinking try to educate those without strategic thinking, they can only grasp to their understanding. Even if highly experienced firms formulate excellent plans, only people who know how to do so will know how to implement them,” he said, pointing to the poor state of state-owned enterprises as a clear example of this.

“For example, look at state-owned enterprises. They have completely lost their purpose. This shows leaders lack capacity. That those in power do not understand how much the world has developed,” he added. 

Citizens want stability. They want incomes and expenses to balance. They want dignity in daily life. But leaders, Afeef argues, are not working seriously toward these outcomes.

If presidents and ministers have time to launch small events, manage minor issues, and chase social media attention, something is wrong. Their responsibility is to think big. To fix systems. To lead.

Yesterday and today, the biggest mistake of Maldivian leadership has been the same: focusing on small matters instead of long-term national development. Often for political gain. Often under slogans of religion or independence.

Real development demands vision, discipline, and courage. That leadership model has been absent before, and it remains absent today.

Ferguson-style leadership is missing. Instead, we are stuck repeating the same mistakes — and paying the price for it.