Modern marine research center and marine museum to be established

The Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources has announced that the existing Marine Research Centre at H. Whitewaves is being demolished to make way for a state-of-the-art facility. This government-led initiative will feature modern research infrastructure along with dedicated parking services.

Amid growing public concern over the demolition of the current Marine Research Centre, rumors have intensified suggesting the property has been handed over to a private party. When questioned by RaajjeMV regarding these reports, Minister of Fisheries Ahmed Shiyam clarified that the H. Whitewaves land has not been leased to any private entity and maintained that there have been no changes to the ownership of the site.

The Minister stated that the government has initiated a project to develop a state-of-the-art marine research center at the site. The project involves the construction of a 14-story building, which will feature parking facilities, a modern marine research center, and various other amenities. Furthermore, the building is set to house a marine museum, which will be developed with financial assistance from the World Bank.

The Minister stated that the development of this building was awarded under the unsolicited proposal framework established by financial regulations. Minister Shiyam clarified that although the project was awarded following an evaluation of two competing proposals, the agreement does not involve transferring land ownership or leasing the property to the contractor.

Upon completion of the project, the government intends to settle the outstanding payments using the rental income generated by the building. The Minister stated that since the existing structure is aging and requires significant annual expenditure for maintenance and upkeep, it is essential to construct a modern, multi-purpose office building that is sustainable in the long term.