The MP for Makunudhoo constituency, Mohamed Raaee has proposed to question Home Minister Imran Abdulla regarding the efforts in place for the jail to be built in HDh Neykurendhoo.

The MP intends to question the minister regarding the government's efforts to build the jail in Neykurendhoo since 2019. The details for expenses from state budget for every year is also being sought.

The MP had previously questioned the home minister regarding the progress of the jail’s construction. In the parliamentary sitting held on 24 June 2020, the MP questioned the progress of the proceedings after MVR 17.4 million was accommodated from the budget, and when the construction can actually commence.

In the sitting, the home minister responded that the proceedings regarding the jail was stalled as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. And consequently, the entire project needed to be reviewed once again, according to the minister.

He further commented that the previous plan was to begin construction by July 2020. However, noting the need to review the project again, at the time the minister said that efforts shall be made to begin construction in 2020 after the review within restraints of the budget.

The home minister further stated that the concept to build the jail in a way that rehabilitation for those placed in the correctional center through vocational training can be conducted had been finalized with the aid of the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC). He had also expressed the hope that construction will begin in 2020 within the limitations of the budget.

Moreover, MP Raaee had inquired the home minister about the beginning of the physical work for the first phase of the budgeted Neykurendhoo Jail in the parliament sitting on 22 October 2020.  The minister had again responded that he hoped for construction to somehow begin within the year.

In accordance to the decision by the President’s Office, the work to be done within a schedule in 2020 has begun, commented the minister. He revealed that an EIA and an SIA to be made was announced on March 17. However, before the project was awarded, the proceedings came to a halt after the imposition of another lockdown.

The home ministry four days aoog, opened applications for those interested in preparing a concept for the project. More announcements were made regarding the project but were retracted and nullified for different reasons.

As such, an announcement made 10 days earlier to develop a concept plan for the jail was nullified and a second announcement was made again. In the beginning of August, an additional announcement by the ministry was made to find those who could clear the vertical and lateral roads which need to be marked.