President Solih concludes fruitful seven-day tour of Thaa Atoll

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has concluded a fruitful visit to Thaa atoll.

While the president departed on his seven-island tour of Thaa atoll on Tuesday evening, he first touched down at Thimarafushi island, where he met with the island council, Women's Development Committee (WDC) members of the island, fisher community and business owners. The president met with members of councils and WDC across all of the islands he visited.

Sitting down with the Thimarafushi council and WDC members, the president pledged to double the salaries currently set for WDC members and shared the government’s plans to advance the tourism sector in the atoll, going on to note that the government will be collaborating with relevant ministries to address the concerns and other socio-economic difficulties facing the Island community.

Thimarafushi Council President, Ismail Ibrahim thanked the Solih administration for efforts to progress the island’s development by launching several projects for the benefit of the island community. Some of these projects include the development of 100 housing units, road development projects and the recent establishment of ATM banking service.

Further discussions also revolved around health services, harbor expansion, tourism development, progress of road development projects, solutions for coastal erosion, electricity services, creating more employment opportunities for youth and various other topics related to the socio-economic development of the Island.

President Solih also reaffirmed that the coastal protection project, delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, will kick off before the year’s end, going on to affirm that consultations will proceed on the possibility of including "dewatering" drainage systems and stormwater systems in the road development project underway on the Island. He noted that the administration will try to include the harbor expansion project in the state budget for 2022.

Meeting with the fisher community, the president briefed them on plans to address concerns raised regarding Funaddoo Island of Thaa Atoll. He added that the government will also re-examine the policy decision on weighing fish.

During the trip the president also visited the construction site of the 100 Housing Unit Project in Thimarafushi Island. initiated to address the housing scarcity on the Island, worth MVR 71,510,250. The President also visited the site of the road development project and the health center where he toured the building and held discussions with the employees on pressing concerns.

President Solih’s second trip was to Kinbidhoo Island followed by Omadhoo Island, Veymandoo Island, Vandhoo Island, Kandoodhoo Island and Gaadhiffushi Island respectively.

Further, the president also visited the Thaa Atoll Education Centre, where he held discussions with the schools management on key issues and concerns. As such, the senior staff highlighted that six new classrooms were under development, in a bid to improve the school’s infrastructure. They also briefed the president on the need for more resources and requested budget increments for maintenance work.

He also met with the members of Kinbidhoo Island WDC members and council, where he was thanked for the initiatives to develop the island including freshwater storage, water and sewerage and construction of a local futsal field.

He was also briefed on the urgent needs of the island community such as land reclamation, housing and an urgent solution to coastal erosion, protecting the ‘Veyru’ area as well as increasing economic activities, progressing local tourism and addressing societal concerns from the residents of the island.

President Solih assured that council members that a land reclamation project for the island has been planned and that the government also plans to initiate a housing scheme for the state budget 2022. In addition the president added that the feasibility study for the Kinbidhoo-Veymandoo causeway is underway and that he would raise the issues discussed by the council with the relevant government institutions in order to reach swift solutions.

During his Kinbidhoo tour, the president visited the island’s health center, school and the site where water and sewerage services are being installed.

President Solih also affirmed that the government’s policies will always revolve around the basic necessities of the people, during the inauguration ceremony of the Omadhoo island harbor.

After inaugurating the Omadhoo harbor, Solih revealed that Fenaka Corporation Limited (FENAKA) has relocated the power house, upgraded the electricity network and completed the preparations to provide electricity services to the newly-established residential area of the island and next year, the administration will initiate projects to install water and sewerage systems and build a multi-purpose hall for the island school. The Omadhoo harbor project is worth MVR 32,217,980.66.

Burunee island, where a Futsal Field and Youth Centre has already been established, will see projects to install water and sewerage, construction of six new classrooms tendered and allocated to be initiated before the month ends.

He detailed planned and ongoing, as well as finished projects for many other island in the atoll.

During his trip to Omadhoo, he met with the island’s WDC members and council members as well, where challenges facing the community and other issues were discussed.

Other highlights of his trip include a meeting with Thaa Atoll Council members, where they thanked the president for the close attention to monitor development project nationwide. Veymandoo island was his fourth destination of the trip. He met with the island’s councilors as well, discussing development visions and issues of concern. Further, the president visited the Family and Children’s Service Centre (FCSC) by the Ministry of Family, Gender and Social Services, and Veymandoo School.

In his visit to Vandhoo island, Solih met with council and WDC members alongside the fisher community, the island’s school, historical sites on the island such as s the Vandhoo Ziyaaraiy Mosque, Vandhoo Old Friday Mosque and Vandhoo Loa Ziyaaraiy, an old mausoleum.

Also, during his visit to Kandoodhoo Island, he met with WDC members and council members of the island as well, alongside conducting visits to the island’s school, meeting with the farmer community.

Lastly, visiting Gaadhiffushi Island, the president met with council and WDC members to discuss their concerns and pertinent issues.

The president was accompanied on this trip by cabinet ministers, senior officials from the President’s Office and a delegation of high-level government officials.