Since the democratic reform movement began, the pace of evolving to democracy has been very hasty and one of the key focuses has been the state media, and how it will handle covering the unfolding events.

As the process progressed, the television station that had been politically defunct until then started waking up and began covering the events carefully, not knowing how the government and the opposition would react.

When it came closer to election we realized that major changes have to be brought on, to make way for a fair election.

So the state media Television Maldives (TVM) obtained the assistance of foreign experts to prepare itself for the election. The contracted consultant was Ms.Terry Anzur.

TVM was able to cover the election with minimal dissatisfaction and met the expectations of the audience through the guidance of Ms. Terry and her team. This was achieved by the very-committed management and enthusiastic staff of TVM.

I have no doubt about the capability and the ability of Ms. Terry and her team and I will always praise them for their assistance.

During the time Ms. Terry and her team was actively involved in bringing the necessary changes for the election, a rumor surfaced that Ms. Terry met with a presidential hopeful in Paradise Island resort.

I sensed it was my duty to ask her about the meeting and she brushed it off saying that while she was holidaying, the presidential hopeful approached her and asked for her assistance in bringing some changes to the television station owned by him.

Last week I read a tweet by Ms. Terry, it goes….

“It's all about ethics! Professional journalism is a new concept in Maldives after 30 years of one-party rule. It will take time.”

This tweet compelled me to pour out some of the things which were shared with me by some people after the election of 2008.

The aforementioned meeting of Ms. Terry was initiated by the presidential hopeful and it was on his invitation that she went to Paradise Island resort. The meeting was held in the presence of a then minister and a prominent parliament member.

In the meeting the team actually inquired the objective of Ms. Terry’s contract and requested to favor the presidential hopeful in whatever way possible, which Ms. Terry obliged. The simple agreement must have quite a reason.

Later in 2010 Ms. Terry returned to Maldives, this time to train government officials on facing and briefing the media. By this time the state media had changed completely from the time of the 2008 election. The government had openly refused to establish a public service broadcaster – moreover, it had taken full control of the state media.

I am sure that Ms. Terry must have witnessed the changes that were brought to the news in 2008 and how it has worsened way below when compared with the time Ms. Terry started her consultation with the station.

Yet sadly Ms. Terry did not take notice, show any disappointment or make any statement regarding this.

I believe Ms. Terry in her consultancy years was active in establishing PSB in the eastern European countries, so she must be aware of the importance of such an institute to the democratic process as well to democratic system of a nation.

Since 2008 the new government has done nothing, or very little, to advance the media. It has in addition intimidated, harassed and been accused of damaging media property. These actions are clearly described in the report by the Human Rights Commission of Maldives.

While these facts remain, it is absurd to pinpoint a specific period of our country’s past as responsible for not improving journalism in Maldives. In fact Maldives has not seen a time when it didn’t have a dictatorial leadership, and the last 3 years have been no different.

For these reasons I had to tweet back…

“We need unbiased professionals to teach ethics & professional journalism. Preach what you talk....”