Govt signs, inaugurates multiple projects in Ihavandhoo

The government of Maldives today commenced multiple projects in Haa Alifu Ihavandhoo today.

One of those projects includes laying the foundation stone to inaugurate a fisheries complex on the island, one of the main fisheries hubs of the country.

The complex project, which would come with its own cold storage facility, was inaugurated by Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam and MIFCO's CEO Dr. Vitaliy Lyubimov as well as Ihavandhoo council's President Ahmed Sobah during President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's visit to the island.

This project is part of the president's pledge to promote fisheries and resolve the islanders' concerns. During his campaign, he promised to build up the island's fisheries sector.

According to plans, the complex will have a 1,000 tonne cold storage, a 50 tonne brine freeze facility, an office building, a power house as well as a vehicle workshop and a godown. An additional 30 metre jetty and a 3.5 metre deep harbour will also be included in the project, the government said.

The government said this project would not only boost the island and region's economy, but would also improve the area's infrastructure.

Homeland Minister Ali Ihusan, during President Muizzu's visit to Ihavandhoo, also inaugurated ID card and passport services in the some 3,000 population island.

During the same ceremony, an agreement was also signed to install a Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB) ATM in the island. This agreement was signed between the island council's president Ahmed Sobah and MIB's Head of Distribution Ibrahim Suhail.

The government also announced plans to expand passport services across the entire country.

While the government intends to expand the passport service nationwide, Home Minister Ali Ihsan had earlier said that setting up a system to ensure security of information and handling of secure documents like ID cards and passports in line with international standards would be the biggest challenge.

He believes that other governments may have not done so due to similar challenges. However, he said that with President Muizzu's foresight to establish a ministry ensuring security and safety, it has now become possible to establish such services.

Alongside the passport and ID card service commencement agreement, the government also signed an MoU to develop a hospital in Ihavandhoo.

Ihavandhoo being the second most populous island in Haa Alifu atoll, this was a presidential pledge of Dr. Muizzu during his campaign.

The agreement was signed between the Health Ministry by Minister Abdulla Nazil and Road Development Corporation (RDC)'s Managing Director Brigadier General Rtd. Ali Zuhair.

"Preparations are underway to start dialysis services at the hospital. Hopefully, dialysis services will start before Ramadan in February," Dr, Muizzu said.

Replacing the island's health centre with a hospital was a pledge of the previous government as well.

Although the hospital's designs were published several times since 2018 and foreign based Duplex Private was even contracted to develop the hospital within 18 months on 17th January 2023, no material work had been carried out on the allocated land space.