President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has assured that issues facing the construction industry of the country will be addressed and resolved within his five-year tenure.

Holding discussions on said issues with members from Maldives National Association of Construction Industry (MNACI), the President inquired on the ways in which the government may address the challenges.

Industry stakeholders and senior officials from the association in turn highlighted that the state budget proposed for the upcoming year promises a “positive year” for the construction industry. The budget was proposed to parliament on Monday and forwarded for committee review.

Expressing their satisfaction with the incumbent government’s policies on labor regulations, industry officials highlighted that the government carries out tender process with complete transparency.

Further discussions revolved around challenges facing the industry stakeholders, specifically Small and Medium Enterprises (SME).

Noted issues include difficulties due to foreign contractors’ work contradicting the set rules and regulations, a lack of regulations to govern logistics and transportation services in the industry and financial limitations faced by local companies.

Assuring the industry officials that their concerns will be addressed after discussions with relevant authorities, the president said that their issues will be alleviated with relevant ministries.