Human Settlement & Maldives

Cowrie shells, mainly sourced from Maldives, used to be the currency in Asia, many African settlements and some other parts of the ancient world. With the remains of these shells in ruined settlements and by other ancient sources we now know that human settlement is evident on Maldivian soil since antiquity. Survival depends on a lot of factors. We are here after those many struggles by our ancestors.
Sea is an important means at all times. The ancient seafaring cultures sailed through and some willingly or by wreck settled here. When they came a people were living here. Many different traders and tribes slowly merged into the community. With the mix of peoples developed a rich and diverse tradition and culture.
The many islands is the best advantage we had for the sustenance of a people over a period of diverse human timeline. If we had one landmass and people migrated by any means, survival of a mix of settlements is very unlikely for over a long period of unknown times.
The spread makes a people unique. Isolation helps us create more and recreate less. Low density makes a community healthy. Small communities adhere to social unity. Many skills are present in small settlements which are passed down to generations.
Those golden times and ways of this country are slowly diminishing. Development which literally means expansion is slowly converging us into an urban center. Decentralizing into a few urban hubs is the main concern of the modern generation. It is not a bad idea, if at the same time thought is given to the fueling source for these centers. The rural communities are the much needed driving force of a properly run urban center. For the past few decades and even at present, development and urban center is on the top priority throughout the country. And hence each and every island, no matter how small, or with no regard to the population, is on the brim of a dream to become an urban epic.
Thus loosing the many skills we inherited through our ancestral sweat. I wonder where our skilled masons are. Where are the skilled carpenters? And the many highly skilled others whose work once flourished this nation. Every one of them had a knife on their waist with no harm to the other or anyone else. But today the new generations having a slightest sharp or even a blunt anything would think of harming the other. Some in between generations neglected to pass on their inheritance truthfully.
Developing a nation's asset will not make a people. People make a nation and it is this nation that we need to sustain. Hence we have to develop the minds of the people and the nation will develop.
I believe that people of this nation must be fully aware at first that with decentralized urban form of governance, there need to grow at least ten times more rural communities all around it. These communities must be self sustainable.
The governments thinking, i believe, are to create a few dense urban centers and make the rest as commercially viable business ventures. I have seen throughout the nation highly skilled locals working as security guards and night shift guards, when asked why their simple answer is to be part of the "urban fabric" and to earn a fixed regular income.
We are not losing, but have lost already, the genes of a sustainable community. The road we came is a one way. Diversions ahead are many. That we choose to move forward is crucial. The only longest way through is if we go together. Looking back we know that we left a lot behind. With a lot less and almost empty handed we begin again.