Naivaadhoo sinks in neglect while political insiders carve up the spoils
16 އޯގަސްޓު 2026 | އާދީއްތަ 10:44Residents of HDh. Naivaadhoo are expressing significant concerns over the skyrocketing cost of living under the current administration, highlighting the immense difficulties in accessing essential medicines and transportation services. Further, many have noted that ongoing development projects in islands have come to a standstill, and there is a perceived lack of adequate government effort to improve the general welfare of the public
A Naivaadhoo resident expresses concern while speaking to RaajjeTV | raajjemv
Life on the island of HDh. Naivaadhoo has deteriorated into a daily ordeal, leaving locals to question how their basic standard of living could collapse so rapidly.
Airing their frustrations during an appearance on RaajjeTV’s program Haalu Kihineh, islanders laid bare a bleak reality defined by runaway commodity prices, broken transportation networks and a complete freeze on community infrastructure.
Skyrocketing prices and empty shelves
Surviving day to day has turned into an expensive trial as the cost of household essentials climbs unchecked. Residents point out that a standard cylinder of cooking gas, once priced at an affordable MVR 280, has ballooned to a steep MVR 400.
The inflation wave has spared nothing on the island grocery shelves, with everyday staples like rice and hygiene basics such as soap and shampoo skyrocketing far beyond what families can comfortably afford.
Crumbling healthcare pipeline
Securing basic medical treatment has become equally agonizing. Locals who rely on consistent, everyday prescriptions for blood disorders, chronic conditions, and mental health ailments find themselves stranded under the current regime.
While these vital remedies were once supplied reliably and at no cost, they are now virtually non-existent on the island.
Consulting a doctor provides little relief, as island pharmacies routinely run out of inventory, forcing patients to track down essential drugs across open water from neighboring islands.
Stranded by a paralyzed ferry network
Travel woes have deepened the sense of isolation. Under Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s administration, the Raajje Transport Link was rolled out across the Haa Alif and Haa Dhaalu atolls, guaranteeing a dedicated speedboat stationed directly at Naivaadhoo’s harbor for daily, reliable travel.
Now, that lifeline has been stripped away. The dedicated vessel was relocated elsewhere, leaving residents without dependable daily routes and forced to rely on an occasional, unpredictable boat arriving out of Hanimaadhoo.
Broken pledges and spoils for the select few
Locals sarcastically mock the supposed genius of the current regime while contrasting their plight with the past, recalling how Mohamed Nasheed delivered financial backing and healthcare relief and Solih pushed projects forward.
In stark contrast, the present leadership is accused of abandoning the populace to hoard resources, divvying up perks among internal appointees while ordinary citizens get nothing.
Ghost projects and stalled infrastructure
The island's public works landscape has ground to a dead halt.
Not a single new initiative has been launched, while legacy works funded and budgeted by the previous MDP administration, including renovations to the harbor, the local school, and the community football pitch, remain completely abandoned.
High-profile commitments to develop a resort and dredge the lagoon have evaporated, leaving residents to lament that the allocated funds have vanished into thin air, leaving behind a trail of empty campaign pledges every time officials visit.
The steady descent of Naivaadhoo’s living conditions highlights a desperate necessity for the administration to stop neglecting everyday survival and immediately restart essential island development.
