Schrödinger’s Austerity Measures in the Maldives

Schrödinger’s cat is a paradoxical thought experiment, devised by Austrian Nobel Prize winning theoretical physicist Erwin Schrödinger in 1935, concerning quantum superposition. In the thought experiment, a hypothetical cat may be both alive and dead, simultaneously, while it remain unobserved in a closed box, as a result of its fate being linked to a random subatomic event that may or may not occur. It was devised to illustrate what Schrödinger saw as the problem of the Copenhagen Interpretation of quantum mechanics.

Since then, many academics, and commentators have referred to Schrödinger’s cat when describing inexplicable instances believed to be paradoxical in nature.

The issue of whether the state of Maldives is actually taking austerity measures to recover from financial woes seem to be in a special class of ambiguity and uncertainty that perhaps make it worthy of the famed cat of Erwin Schrödinger.

Various state dignitaries including the Finance Minister, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, and several sitting MP’s have at separate functions admitted that we have major fiscal woes and reform is urgent, necessary and will be initiated at the right moment. Minister’s at the President’s office, speaking at party functions have openly called on the public to be ready to face difficult times. Others have promised that austerity measures will be designed to be as less painful as possible.

There are commitments to IMF with explicit dates. Vows to reduce state expenses, including from SOEs, some of which are now even announced to be merged for cost saving. Aasandha; – the national health insurance program is being trimmed to achieve cost savings and greater efficiency. A host of cost saving measures that will warm the heart of any fiscal disciplinarian.

However, at the same time, there’s evidence of more political posts being created and while there are, what seems to be clear instructions from the head of the Treasury; the esteemed Finance Minister, to government offices and to SOEs to eliminate all but vital expenditure, the same entities seem to be living in a parallel universe, with several considerable unwarranted expenses and ostentatious functions.

With no specifics and no official declaration of an austerity program; in fact, the powers to be are said to be highly allergic to the use of the very word ‘austerity’. The public is rightfully confused as to whether they are experiencing a glitch in the matrix. An ambiguous construct which at times, and only briefly, seem to unravel at the seams.

Thus, the headline.