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LOHIFUSHI ONE YEAR ON |
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'Can
the last person off Lohifushi turn out the lights' Well
it was December again and we were speeding across the water on our way to
Lohifushi, we hadn’t been back there since May and we were full of
anticipation as to what had happened to the island over the months since
that date. It was nearly 12 months since the Tsunami and this was to
be our third visit in the same time.
Mike
hadn’t seen it finished, but I had been over in May when it was
completed all but lights, the lights were now installed and we couldn’t
wait until it was evening so we could see them working, and once more sit
watching the fish and sharks swimming around the terrace. There
to greet us as usual were the reception staff,
There
were a few days to go before Christmas eve but the staff were all busy,
putting up lights, Christmas trees and decorations, (the fairy lights were
all new, the old ones having been washed away on Boxing day 2004) all
except the Dolphin lights, these went up again on the jetty, apparently
they had had to do a lot of repair work to them but they were not going to
throw them away. Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the
Dolphin lights. The
day before Christmas eve, they started on the dance floor, every year they
built a dance floor and stage on the beach and this year was no exception,
by the time Christmas eve came the beach looked beautiful, during
Christmas eve day we had the children’s games, and then father Christmas
came in on his little fishing boat, It was gloriously sunny and everyone
was enjoying themselves. As usual in the evening the dinner
was excellent, so much time and energy had been put into it, there was a
beautiful butter sculpture of mermaids, just as you walked into the dining
room, the Christmas tree was sited just behind and from every light and
wall hung decorations, the staff had worked hard and late to get it all
ready.
We
thoroughly enjoyed Christmas Eve, dancing until the early hours of the
morning, laughing and joking with all the staff and guests. It was a
typical Lohifushi celebration. Christmas day came and everyone was a
little worse for wear, so a nice peaceful day was planned. Minds
were also starting to think back to 12 months earlier, there were a lot of
people on Lohifushi who had been away at Christmas 2004, and were affected
by the Tsunami. At
9.20 on Boxing day morning, all the staff and all the guests gathered on
the Sunset beach, we all held hands in a large circle and one minutes
silence was observed. The only noise was that of the sea and the
rustle of tissues as guests and staff alike reached for their tissues to
wipe away the tears. It was a very moving moment. I looked at
the lady stood next to me and saw the tears in her eyes, they mirrored
mine, we were holding hands and at the same moment we both clenched each
others hand, giving us strength and reassurance. Between
Christmas and New Year we enjoyed lazy days, lounging on the beach,
snorkeling in the warm waters around Lohifushi and eating and drinking the
excellent fare that is offered every night.
If
this hadn’t been enough for us, there was a party of party's to come, on
Funfushi, the small island in the
But
all holiday we were living with the news that Lohifushi was going to close
on 1st. May for 6 months, this was for refurbishment, we were happy that
the island was going to get a face lift but we were sad that it had to
close for 6 months, we wondered if it would be open for Christmas, if not
what were we to do, we just could not and still cannot think of spending
Christmas anywhere else other than Lohifushi. Also what was going to
happen to the staff for 6 months? They were not sure themselves and
whilst we were there SP left, he went to another island because he was not
sure how secure his job was on Lohi. It was so sad, SP had been
there the first time we visited Lohifushi; it was like loosing an old
friend. How many more would leave before May, we felt so sad.
So the decision was made to have one last visit before the island closed,
when we got home we booked for 1 week in April. The
rest of January, February and March seemed to drag, I was eager for us to
get to Lohifushi, weather here was not very good and I just need ed to see
everyone and find out how the plans for the refurbishment were going.
So
on April 1st. of we went, the journey now was second nature to us, we knew
exactly where we were going and exactly what to expect when we got there.
On landing in Male we felt like we were home, we came through passport
control and customs and out into the beautiful sunlight, just time for a
quick beer at the cafe and then onto the boat and yet again we were
speeding over the water on our way to Lohifushi. If we knew what
awaited us there I don’t think we would have felt so elated. Shortly
after arriving and saying all our hellos to staff that had now become
friends, we were told that not only was the island closing for six months,
but it
We
tried our hardest to find some information out for the staff, to try and
reassure them and us, but nothing, everyone we talked to came up with a
different story, we felt so useless, these people who had looked after us
so well during each visit, now needed someone to look after them and we
were failing. Everything
aside, we had a fantastic week on Lohifushi, even though they were unsure
about their future, the staff made sure that this visit, which may well be
our last, was the best. We didn’t want it to end, and we found
ourselves wishing we had booked for two weeks, I think if we had known
about the management changes we would have booked for two weeks, but
unfortunately until we arrived on the island, we had been in the dark
about the changes. When
our week was nearly over, and we still hadn’t managed to obtain any
information I promised the lads that when I got home I would carry on
trying to find out exactly what was happening. So
as soon as I arrived home on 10th April, I got out my laptop and e mailed
both the new management and the old management, it is now 20th. April,
needless to say I am still waiting for a response. I think the staff
on Lohi deserve better, they don’t know if they are going to have work
for the six months the island is going to close and they don’t not know
if they are going to have jobs when the island reopens, these people rely
on their wages to send money home for their families, they cannot afford
to be out of work for too long. Members
of staff are now leaving every day, Sp has gone he went to another island
in January, Shafeeg has gone, Ansar has gone, he really did not want to
leave, there were tears in his eyes when he was telling me that he had
been offered another job, but he text me to say that he will go back to
Lohifushi if he can when it reopens, the only problem is no one is telling
anybody what is happening. Go Go has gone, and many others, soon there
wont be anyone left. They
are so short staffed on Lohifushi at present, that shifts are being
doubled, but the island still has 273 guests, and it still has about three
weeks to go before it closes… Talk about slave labour! It
is such a shame that a beautiful place like Lohifushi and all the
wonderful loyal staff that work there; the place where many people have
had the holiday of their dreams and the place where many of us wish to
return to time and time again; can be treated with such disrespect. I
intend to keep at Aitkenspence until I get some answers, if anyone reading
this wishes to e mail Aitkenspence, then please email them the
website is www.Aitkenspence.com
and there is a contact us page on there. Alternatively
please add a comment onto Lohifushi Forum. In
the meantime I will keep you informed.
For accommodation in the Maldives
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As
usual the sky was blue the water was turquoise and the sun was wonderful
on your skin, having left 
they shook our hands and said how happy they were to see us back again
(not as happy as we were to be there) and off we went to the reception
area, where we were met by an iced towel scented with Florida Water, it
was a most welcome offering after spending so long on an aircraft.
Then came the welcome drink, an orange cocktail, also ice cold and also
very welcome. With our forms completed and key in hand we
walked off up the island to our room, this was to be home for the next
three weeks. As we walked to our room, the first thing we noticed
was that the beaches were now all intact, sand had been dredged and placed
on them to cover the tree roots that had been exposed during the
Tsunami, there was still quite a lot of coral but I suppose this would
take time to clear. All the sun loungers had been replaced with new
and lights had been repaired along the sandy pathway. Lohifushi was
back to normal, as beautiful as ever.
was
also having a management change, control of Lohifushi was being leased to
Aitkenspence Group of Sri Lanka. My heart sank, what are they going
to do to Lohi, what is going to happen to the staff, all week we tried to
find out further information, but unfortunately no one seemed to know
exactly what was going to happen. More staff had left, Shafeeg had
left to go to Bandos and one of the chefs from the Sunset bar had also
gone. How long would it be, we thought before Adil, Mahy, Ansar or
Munta left. That would be disastrous, Lohifushi would be nothing
without the staff, it is to see them that we go back time and time again,
and it is the reason the island has so many repeaters.
If
the staff were scattered all around the Maldives on different islands how
would we see them, these people had been born on the same islands down in
Addu atoll, most of them came from Hithadhoo or Hulhudhoo, they had worked
and played together for years, Ansar had started work on Lohifushi at
18years of age, he hadn’t known any other island, and he didn’t want
to know any other island. He was happy where he was but no one was
telling him that he would have a job whilst the island was closed and no
one was telling him that he would have his job once it re opened, so he
was very sad.