Delay in sending individuals to home islands from the capital are not due to lack of resources, but rather because authorities do not want to take any risks amid the pandemic.

Tourism Minister, Ali Waheed, made the statement during an exclusive interview in RaajjeTV’s Covid-19 coverage on Monday night, and stressed that there are measures to be taken when sending an individual from a high-risk area.

While a coronavirus community transmission was detected in the capital in mid-April, Waheed stressed that curbing a spread in the outlying islands is a priority of the government. He added that there are certain measures to be taken, before sending some from a high-risk area to where there is no risk.

Further, the minister said that the number of people registering to leave the capital has been increasing day by day.

Noting that this is normal, Waheed said that this is a right of every citizen and emphasized that the government has a responsibility to ensure this.

While authorities had previously allowed individuals to travel back to islands on the ground that they self-isolate, this was recently amended and now those that want to travel to islands are being moved to a “transit quarantine facility” for a 14-day period before being allowed to do so.