President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has stated that the government has ig economic visions for Bodu Thiladhunmathi.
Speaking at a virtual meeting held with main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s candidates for HDh. atoll in the upcoming local council election, President Solih said the government has great economic visions for Bodu Thiladhunmathi. Elaborating further, President Solih said the government hopes to upgrade Hanimaadhoo Airport as a true international airport. He pledged to carry out efforts to support airport development, and said that the work will begin around July 2021. He further added that in order to make the airport feasible, more businesses need to be introduced, most importantly in the tourism sector.
The president acknowledged that there is a lot of demand for local tourism in HDh. atoll, and said that the government would issue loans to open guesthouses in the atoll. Islands from the atoll will also be allocated for resort development, said President Solih.
“To my knowledge, it is not easy to allocate islands for resort development. It seems it is better to develop guest houses rather than resorts. However, we will try to allocate islands for resort development,” said the president.
The president further noted that the government's high-speed ferry network project will be first implemented in Thiladhunmathi, and the benefits of the project will become evident soon.
The president spoke on some of the government’s accomplishments with regard to HDh. atoll over the past two years. President Solih said the government spent MVR 367 million on PSIP projects focused on the atoll, and noted that 624 students are attaining their degrees on government sponsorship. Over MVR 11 million have been issued to those in HDh. atoll as income support, and MVR 25 million was issued to small and medium businesses under the SME loan scheme. MVR 106 million was also issued to the atoll as quarantine subsidies, said the president.
