it's members and they would prefer me to join PPM and become its candidate. PPM is divided among two factions and if they cannot solve the problem, Gayoom may decide to be its candidate. President Nasheed my predecessor has a good following of the young urban population. He is the president of the MDP

deeply Islamic nation. Lately, Maldives has also been cozying up to China at the expense of India, their longtime ally and a defender of President Gayoom's dictatorial regime. Chinese tourism is a large share of the Maldivian economy, and the two nations have recently been negotiating about stronger