Kihaadhoo Waste Center Project Stalled by Skilled Labor Shortage

Minister of Climate Change, Environment and Energy Ali Shareef has stated that the delay in commencing the extension project for the B. Kihaadhoo Waste Management Center—despite being contracted to Fenaka Corporation a year ago—is due to a lack of skilled labor.

Minister Shareef made these remarks in a written response to an inquiry submitted by the Member of Parliament for the Kendhoo constituency, Mauroof Zakir, during Wednesday's parliamentary session. Member Mauroof had requested a clarification on why physical work has yet to commence on the project, noting that nearly a year has passed since the contract was awarded to Fenaka Corporation.

In response, Minister Shareef stated that the waste and resource management center in Kihaadhoo was established in 2008 under the Maldives Environment Management Project, an initiative funded by the World Bank. The Minister further noted that as the local council sought to implement specific modifications to the facility, a contract was awarded to Fenaka Corporation on March 10, 2025, to carry out the necessary upgrades and changes.

The Minister stated that although the project was awarded on that date, Fenaka Corporation has faced numerous challenges in its execution, resulting in the physical work not yet commencing. According to the Minister, the delays are attributed to a lack of necessary equipment and difficulties in securing the skilled labor required to carry out the project.

Furthermore, the Minister stated in the response that the council intends to make changes to the project's design, and that the Ministry has held discussions with the council regarding this matter via telephone. The Minister also noted that once the council submits its proposed amendments, the Ministry will need to proceed with reviewing and re-approving the design.

Minister Shareef noted that these changes could potentially lead to adjustments in the overall project cost. He further emphasized that this is a high-priority initiative for the government. Consequently, the deadline for completing the construction of the waste and resource management center under this project has been set for July 2027.

In response to the question, Minister Shareef noted that the Ministry had previously provided equipment to Kihaadhoo for waste management purposes.

The Minister's response confirms that physical work on the project has yet to commence, despite more than a year having passed since the contract was awarded.