Clustered into 26 atolls, three hundred and fifty thousand people live on the small scattered islands in the Indian Ocean known as the Maldives, spread over an archipelago stretching nine hundred kilometers from North to South. The Maldives are viewed as a paradise on earth, but their existence is threatened by rising sea levels and violent storms. They were badly damaged by the Tsunami of 2004, with 83 lives lost and a 50% drop in tourists.
The rebuilding has started but the distances between islands are huge, greatly slowing the efforts of the British Red Cross and other agencies. After one year, some 800 had been repaired, with over 2,000 still needing to be completely rebuilt. In 2006, five new island resorts are due to open and it's predicted that tourism in the Maldives will reach an all time high. Only time will tell what the long-term social and political impact of the Tsunami will be on the Maldives.
The other titles in the series are:
1. Roma Rights - Breaking the cycle of Roma poverty and persecution.
2. School's Out! - Is the private school option better in a Lagos shantytown?
3. Srebrenica - Looking For Justice - Examines the massacre at Srebrenica on its 10th anniversary.
4. Killing Poverty - Has the corruption in Kenya lessened under its new president?
5. The Great Health Service Swindle - Reversing the brain drain in doctors and nurses from developing countries.
6. The Donor Circus - Zambia tries to change the conditions for international aid.
7. For Richer, For Poorer - In Brazil the gulf between the rich and the poor is one of the biggest in the world.
8. Kill Or Cure? - India's $4.5 billion dollar pharmaceutical industry that serves the world's poor is at a crossroads.
9. The Silent Crisis - The Central African Republic struggles to avoid economic and social chaos.
10. Cash Flow Fever - One in ten people on the planet either send or receive money from abroad.
11. Back In Business? - After 11 years of civil war, can Sierra Leone expect tourism to improve the economy?.
12. Kosovo - A House Still Divided? - Resentment and property ownership issues remain as the UN Housing Property Directorate Mission ends.
Grade Level: 7-12, College, Adult
US Release Date: 2006
Copyright Date: 2005
DVD ISBN: 1-59458-601-2
VHS ISBN: 1-59458-600-4
Reviews
"The visual impact of the gripping documentaries in the Life 5 series make them extremely powerful teaching tools for university, and indeed, other classrooms. In succinct episodes they raise and contextualise some of the most critical issues in the world today. These episodes are produced in an extremely objective manner and allow an audience easily to come to grips with an array of complex problems. They ought to be an indispensable part of the teaching curriculum." Dr. Jeremy Sarkin, Visiting Professor of International Human Rights, Tufts University
"[Trouble in Paradise] highlights the need for greater communication and the importance of keeping people informed of what is being done. It also highlights psychological issues faced by the people and the resulting effect on communities...This film can be recommended for junior high through adult audiences. It is very well done with very clear narrative and breathtaking views of the beautiful country of Maldives." Geetha Yapa, University of California -Riverside, Educational Media Reviews Online
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