Development projects have not eased financial burden on Addu citizens: Ali Nizar

South Hithadhoo MP Ali Nizar has said that the government’s development projects in Addu City were not completed in a way that eased the financial burden on its residents.

Speaking on RaajjeTV’s Fala Surukhee programme on Monday night, the lawmaker said that President Abdulla Yameen has done ‘nothing special’ regarding Addu City’s development to deserve his vote.

MP Nizar said that placing air conditioners in Addu Hospital and placing Fenaka power generators and upgrading the power grids cannot be considered development.

“Placing generators that profit the company and make their work easier cannot be considered development.”

He said that Addu City Hithadhoo’s coast has deteriorated despite the government boasting that it has been developed. Noting that Hithadhoo is the second most populous island, he said that the government has also ignored the development of Hithadhoo roads.

Nizar said that the water and sewerage systems were 45 percent complete during Maldivian Democratic Party’s government but that it has still not been fully completed while President Abdulla Yameen nears the end of his term.

He also said that Addu Hospital still does not provide adequate services and that it has been three months since it has been unable to provide X-ray scans, adding that the hospital has also been unable to provide blood testing.

Noting that Addu City is prone to road accidents, he said that there are no traffic policing and that people are free to drive in any way they please. While two or three accident victims a month are having to be taken to capital city Male’ to treat serious head injuries, he said that it is prudent to place scanning machines at the Addu City hospital.

Nizar also claimed that the current government is turning the Addu City convention center into a hospital just to destroy the center because it was built by MDP’s government. He added that the hospital will not be opened before the elections in September and that, when it is open, it will not have the adequate services.

He said that what Addu residents want are services in the city so that they will not have to travel to Male’.