Newsletter of the International Center for Environment, Development and Operational Research

Research the backbone of science and development

In Maldives, research has fared so far only as a background subject that is used for the purpose of embellishing a report or a making a point in a speech that already had a decision pending. However, in the field of science that has given rise to modern technology and development, research cannot be given a backseat. It is through this inductive process of modern science that new findings are discovered and new inventions conceived and contrived. The logic and methods of science impart a widely acceptable meaning to our inner and outer surroundings. Thus, without science, the social and economic progress of society cannot happen efficiently or effectively. For Maldives the challenge of making research a part of our daily developmental agenda requires a change of mind-set that needs placing this topic high on the political agenda for needed resources and endorsing this as critical to our Maldives national development. While many government ministries seem to have a research unit, there is little output for the public to assimilate. Beyond mere facts and figures we must seek to understand the effectiveness of our national policies and programs ENDEVOR and friends this month begin a new journey venturing to bring to life The Maldives Research Network (MRN) that would attempt to begin such a transformative process. I beseech all the researchers of Maldives to pull together in this endeavour. Abdul Sattar Yoosuf (editor)

Number 5

May, 2013

On 10 May 2013, several friends of ENDEVOR decided to bring to life The Maldives Research Network. This event was the result of an evening spent by Friends of ENDEVOR to discuss the state of research in our country Maldives. The group noted that much of the effort of putting research on high national focus had failed due to the lack of interest of policy makers to make that happen. While not a new topic in Maldives, the conduct of research in the country has always been at low ebb. International

agencies and other local end users have had the benefit of some aggregate measures to be informed about the status of the goings-on in Maldives, there has been little by way of understanding the effectiveness or efficiency of our developmental policies or programs. More practical and operational research would help us learn more on the formative aspects our national effort the group felt. They observed that the future of national research must be carried more forthrightly by the Ministry of Science and Technology, and that without stronger input, science and development towards promoting the enhanced use of technology has no meaning. The group felt that the NGO sector would need to help bolster this flagging sector by providing the zest of a non-governmental movement. The group felt that time was ripe for a national level input by existing Maldivian researchers thus the Maldives Research Network. The present members of the Network are: Jadulla Jameel, Ahmed Mujuthaba, Abdul Sattar Yoosuf, Farooq Hassan, Hussain Hamid, Sath Rasheed, Mohamed Shihab, (Dr) Hussain Shakeel , Simad Saeed, Mizna Mohamed, Mohamed Rasheed Bari, Hassan Shakeel, Mohamed Jaleel, Naseema Mohamed Kaleyfaan, and Ahmed Afaal. The Networks wish is for ENDEVOR to be the coordinating agency for this. Thus, this fits in well with ENDEVORs research function, the basis of which could now be the management of the Networks functioning in a way that promotes all-round operational research that can benefit the governmental, the academic and the everyday intelligence that the public too could do with. Thus, ENDEVOR would like to call upon all those who would like to be engaged in the work of this Network to please send in your requests to yoosufa5@gmail.com.