Saudi led mega project still on, insists Maldives pres

Despite allegations that Saudi Arabia had pulled out of a proposed mega project in the Maldives fueled by King Salman AbduAziz Al Saud decision to cancel his scheduled visit to the Maldives over the H1N1 outbreak, the archipelago's president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom Wednesday assured that the discussions related to the project would commence soon.

Speaking at the ceremony held at Dharubaaruge to welcome new members to the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), the president said that the top officials of the government will be visiting Saudi Arabia this year as scheduled.

President said he was scheduled to meet the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques during the Hajj pilgrimage this year.

Further, the president insisted that the opposition’s efforts to hinder the development projects being carried out by the government will be of no avail, and said that the government will move forward with the good work they are currently doing.

The president also revealed that the development projects in Maldives by the Saudi government were initiated during the interim presidency of Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan.

Speaking about leasing islands for resort development, the president insisted that leasing islands for 99 years is nothing new. He said that making new laws to protect the investor rights was absolutely crucial on the part of the government.

“[The government] is not trying to privatise any land. We’re not even trying to give Maldivian land to foreigners to privatise. We’re not trying to do something that is completely unheard of. We’re trying to accommodate the investment opportunities our country has been receiving by making adequate laws in the parliament that will protect everybody’s rights,” the president said.