Innvovative Thinker

Just had a “flush” back of a recent survey where I was victimized and traumatized by a cute girl who asked me the questions on “the terminal of Maldives International Airport and its facilities” (If I am right, this is what the survey was about).

Since I am collecting these memories from the last side of ma brain, it is not coming in the package but in a very dull order or is very vague.  But I do remember quite a few of them,

1)      Is the airport security good or bad? Do you think the measures they take are better?

Well what more could I say in this area! It’s all better as in almost all the airport I have been, this is the kind of system they follow and it’s just that we don’t have to walk a long distant as everything is nearby.

But then it leaves me with a concern of what about the domestic airports of Maldives other than GAN? they don’t even have a X-Ray machine, you can actually send guns and drugs or anything through the luggage as all they do is weigh it and put that into the plane. Now north Maldives is an easy access point – what if a terror attack is initiated from there? and arms & ammunition reach the hub from there? What about the security measures there? anyhow that is a long story, I would withdraw from there.

2) What do you think about the internet facility in the airport?

Oh trust me, I was waiting for someone to ask me that – Ridiculous is the word I can use here, it is most absurd Internet facility I have seen in any airport I have been. They say wifi zone and then you have to pay it? HOW? run around and get a package from somewhere? Duh!!  All the airports provide free wifi internet or  atleast provides you Kiosk whereby you can use free internet for a certain time period along with free wifi internet. If you can’t, then they don’t even say that they would provide internet.

This is a very crucial factor because, most of the guest/tourist/delegates would be sending out some latest communications in the terminals and even trying to communicate with the family from here to let them know where they are and they are about to leave and then you are busy running around for internet.

3) What do you think about the bank facility in the airport?

Ah!! they asked me this question on the right time, just when my card was declined by the Japanese restaurant and I didn’t know how to go and look my balance or what happened with my card. I am going with the hope that I can use my card but now my card is declined and there is no ATM inside the departure terminal (now I have to call the customer care). How cool is that and then they ask do you use the bank facility? Normally I see ATM or small bank branches inside the terminal which helps the tourist/guest in the last minute currency conversions etc. But here we have a bank which is located in the arrivals terminal which is actually suppose to be used just as a means for currency conversion. This is something I always raise as a problem as I am most of the time in a hurry and then never can check my balance before I leave.

4) What about the sign boards – does that help?

Oh I never read any of the sign boards here in male’ international airport as I always knew the way but I guess, the sign boards are never friendly ( I am not sure about this), but I dont think there is any leading to the immigration counter from the checking counter.

5) The behavior/attitude of the immigration/checking counter staff?

Oh trust me, they are doing good – all you need to do is change other things and leave the staff as how they are (When I said this, the girl who asked me all this thought, I was working there — Hell NO).

6) Toilets/Announcement system etc

Never used a toilet because I don’t think Male’ International Airport is a transit airport, so I think the facilities are fine keeping in mind the space available or the size of the current terminals. Announcement is also fine as its a small airport and the sound reaches everyone.

7) Are you happy with the restaurants inside the terminal?

Do we have a choice is my question? There are two restaurants and I always prefer the Japanese one not because it is good, but because it is cheap and I also find the DOME staff eating there because that restaurant is freaking expensive the first time I checked out and I think it is like the same. Anyhow I feel that if the MACL want, they can actually break down the Japanese restaurant into sectors and cater different varieties making it more attractive and yes at a more affordable rates. I haven’t found any restaurant in any of the airports which actually twice expensive the rates available in the city hotels of the same country and providing the same kind of service.

Adding to this, I always had a complain with the restaurant which is near the departure gate “Mariyad” if I remember the name is and they just kill you with the price, but I think its time that they lower the rates to a more affordable rates and cut down the price there as it is not realistic. Maybe MACL have put the price as they dont want to cater many guest but trust me still the seats are been used, so if the seats are used, then in business point of view make other things also be used which would just increase your profit margin.

aah this is getting lengthy and yah its like everyone around is doing a survey nowadays…

Trust me when I say that there is extremism to stupidity and ignorance prevailing in our country and yet the commoners are sleeping. Sometimes I wonder does the common man of Maldives really need every 30 years to wake up and open their eyes or do they come out of hibernation after every 30 years?

Anyways that was a general frustration released in a due course. Now from the general context, I will just narrow done myself and come down to just one turning point or fact.

Let me begin this with a simple question, how many media providers are there in Maldives? Ah simple “MediaNet and Bnet” and everyone knows that Bnet is merged down with MediaNet. Whenever a company tries to come up in this area or field, the monopolistic company who have already build the empire takes over the tiny newly build up castle.

Today on haveeru, I read that Maldives Islamic Authority has banned the import of Airtel receivers because of the various complaints they have received. Few days back, I have seen an article in Haveeru saying that “Airtel should be banned because it is showing GOD TV and spreading Christianity”. I don’t know in this era who is going to buy that article and the funny to core is the reasons why Airtel has been banned according to Islamic Majlis is because of this reasons of indecency shown or this broadcasting very particular channel.

But I have one question to this author of the article, why haven’t you written any article regarding the famous Saas Bahu serials which are so widely viewed in each household in any corner of Maldives from the very remotest to the very developed corners in Maldives, from morning till late evening – the women, children and now men are busy watching these serials/soaps/drama.

Why haven’t he mentioned that in all this serials/soaps/drama the main focus is religion and how well they worship the idol? Or how different they worship the idols? Or what and type of worships they do. For e.g. Choti Bahu – The main lead is always worshipping Lord Krishna (Idol) and you would see a different puga (prayer) every other day performed. Damn!!! I don’t know the names but all I know is that which ever serial we take – they are talking about religion (hindu) and this are channels which are been provided by MediaNet and in case Medianet stop telecasting Sony, ZEE and Star plus – Trust me, no one would buy that and then all this channels show it or try to spread religion. They censor some programmes like ramayan or mahabarata etc but the major serials which everyone watch are actually the real spreading of religion as they talk about how to do this and that. (but accepting a religion or adopting a religion is something that belongs to one person and him/herself and how you try, you can’t take that persons ideology of been rational – I am muslim and I will always be one and I will follow the path of Islam even if I see any of this and nobody can change that view of mine )

Thirdly, this is 21st century – each and every household in male’ and most of the islands are connected to the World Wide Web and to get information about a religion or to watch any indecent thing, it is just a click away. You can access this through not only computers but yes you can use your mobile phone in a remote area and visit any of these sites and see – hear what you want. This is technology and we are talking about providing  technology which is already in place. If you don’t know then let me tell you (aimed at a certain group of personals)  that in Airtel there is something called parental control and there you can delete all this unwanted channels or you can even unsubscribe such channels. This is technology and the price they give is the price it should be given and talking about price……

The packages in medianet are simple and it starts with 280 and goes to 500 MRF and if you take the 280 package you basically get all the free to air channels. When you go for the 500 MRF you get some good watchable channels. I was using it for a long time and I used the 400 MRF package as that is the best package (cheap) for the sports and movies.

Then last year December I came across Airtel and I thought, I would give it a try and brought it into Maldives and Voila – I could watch channels (much more with good quality) and more importantly at a much cheaper price.

Imagine this: I bought the Airtel package (the receiver/dish and 6 months package) for just 930 MRF. Where as for the Medianet one, I paid 1500 for the receiver and connection and another 350 as the package rate for one month and my question is the price really SO high? Or just a way to cheat the common man and get the money from the common man by means hook and crook?

For a year in Airtel I had to spend only 1580 MRF, where as for Medianet for an year I have to spend 4800 MRF which is actually 300% more, which means I can use that money to buy another 3 years subscription for my Airtel Package.

You talk about indecency on one hand when it hurts your business or your profit earning ratio, or else who cares. I would say… Ban broadcasting all channels as in sports they wear shorts and it is indecent, in movies they show intimate scenes and that is indecent, in dramas they show different religion – In English they keep saying ‘Oh jesus’ and ban news channel as they keep showing what pope or what hindu or buddist say – lets plug ourselves to one channel called TVM and just watch ‘Kudakudinge TV’ –

I would stop this by saying that “If you want to rectify don’t pluck the top branch, the root is still there and it’s been watered, the branch will grow again – so just cut the damn root and get it cleared out”.

This is link in haveeru – http://www.haveeru.com.mv/?page=details&id=85177