They are probably rather more interested in the dollars that can be extracted from Maldives television than in assuaging the suffering of pampered Brits who can't survive without a dose of Eddie Mair to make the chocolate gelato taste that little bit better.
Once we finish a collection, we put on a new calico and it's like going to the Maldives for a fortnight.
Most presidential: President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives is installing solar panels on his roof.
MALDIVES Trailfinders (0845 050 5871; trailfinders.com) has seven nights' half board in a beautiful and simply furnished garden villa at Vilu Reef Beach & Spa Resort from £1,579 (saving £125).
But places with visa-waiver schemes, like the Maldives, are really thriving: last year the number of Chinese visitors to the islands increased by 45% and reached nearly a third of the 1.1m total.
But since then India has successfully buttered up these island states and reasserted its role in the Maldives.
He quotes reports that say the water round Maldives is the least polluted of any area where coral grows.
It is not much comfort to say wait and see, remembering that scientists are still pretty ignorant of what exactly is happening to the climate.In any event, while waiting and seeing, Maldives is looking at ways to reduce its dependency on tourism.
He flew direct to Vanni, the Tigers' headquarters in the north of the island, from the Maldives, by-passing Sri Lanka's capital Colombo.Mr Balasingham will be discussing with Velupillai Prabhakaran, the Tigers' leader, where best to hold the proposed peace talks.
Someone has calculated that the Great Wall of Male cost $13,000 per linear metre to build.It is interesting to know how Maldives could afford this.
The fiscal deficit stands at 30% of GDP, and foreign reserves have slumped to $116m.The danger facing Mr Nasheed is that the global economic turmoil dents tourism and condemns the Maldives to hard economic times and divisive politics.
