Maldives Holds Cabinet Meeting Underwater
Directed by President Mohamed Nasheed, the Maldives government held its first underwater cabinet meeting to attract attention to the dangers of global warming. Dressed in full scuba gear, he conducted the 30-minute meeting 20 feet under the surface north of the coast of the capital city, Male.
The Republic of Maldives, located southwest of Sri Lanka, has become a vital force in the battle to halt rising sea levels. This island country, which is formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls stretching in a north-south direction, lies just over three feet above sea level in the Indian Ocean.
The atolls of Maldives encompass an archipelago spread over roughly 90,000 square kilometers (34,749 square miles). The Maldives is the smallest Asian country in both population and area. Scientists have warned that this beautiful tourist paradise featuring coral reefs and white sand beaches could well be uninhabitable in less than 100 years.
The local fishermen once referred to their home as the “land of emergence and submergence.” The tidal currents regularly shift whole beaches of sand from one side of a cove to another and according to various scientific projections, it is entirely possible that the Maldives may slip below the waters entirely.
The fate of these islands in the coming years could indicate what will happen to coastal regions across the globe.
The man hoping to literally turn the tide is Maldivian President, Mohamed Nasheed, who is championing the cause of climate change. Aminath Shauna, the coordinator of the first cabinet meeting to be held underwater, told the press that the ministers had signed their wetsuits, which would be auctioned on the protectthemaldives.com website to raise money for coral reef protection.
President Nasheed arranged a horseshoe-shaped table on the seabed for the ministers, who communicated using white boards and hand signals. Everyone was well prepared for this unprecedented moment as the ministers had trained over the last few months with the Divers Association of Maldives.
All but three of the fourteen-member cabinet took part in the historical dive; two excused due to limiting medical conditions and the other away in Europe. President Nasheed is determined to save his island country and lives his own life very close to the vest.
“I walk to work every day, rather than take the presidential limousine. It’s better for the environment and I can stop and chat to people on the way,” says Nasheed.
Talking underwater might not be easy, but it makes an immense statement about paying more than lip service when it comes to doing something to save the environment.
Hats (and scuba masks) off to President Nasheed and his daring accomplishment.
What do YOU think about this?
(Link)
By MDeeDubroff on 05-01-2010
