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Baa Atoll Council against leasing of Maaddoo island

Mariyam Malsa
14 December 2020, MVT 13:34
An aerial picture depicting a well-known array of islands in Baa Atoll. PHOTO:THE BAA ATOLL UNESCO BIOSPHERE RESERVE
Mariyam Malsa
14 December 2020, MVT 13:34

The Baa Atoll Island Council, on Sunday, expressed opposition to the government's decision to lease Maaddoo for agricultural purposes.

Presently the only island in Baa Atoll not being utilised for either residential, industrial, agricultural or tourism-related purposes, Maaddoo is commonly frequented by the atoll's residents for leisure - in addition to having a history of being used by locals for such purposes.

A total of 127 bids were submitted for Maaddoo, a significant portion by prominent businessmen and parliamentarians. However, the proposal guidelines allow only 30 percent, from the 27 hectares of land area available on the island, to be used for cultivation.

Baa Atoll Island Council President Mabrook Naseer stated that although a total of six islands in the atoll were already designated for agricultural use, only one of them was operational, while the remaining were used as 'holiday homes' by wealthy individuals.

As an example, the council president cited Maarikilu island, contracted in 2013 to the Wiz Company Pvt Ltd, in which Former Immigration Controller Ilyas Hussain is a shareholder, for integrated farming.

He revealed that the island of Maarikilu was now primarily used as a holiday spot for the family of former president Mohamed Waheed.

Following the lease of Maaddoo, the council president stated that no islands were available to serve the recreational needs of more than 15,000 Baa Atoll residents, despite wealthy individuals from the capital city of Male' still being able to vacation at islands which citizens are barred from accessing.

Mabrook also expressed concern that the six islands leased out for agricultural purposes created a minimal number of job opportunities, despite some islands being designated over 20 years prior.

The majority of the 82 islands in Baa Atoll are resorts or have been leased for resort development, with six allocated for agriculture.

Requests to the central government

The council president, a representative of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), disclosed that he had previously conveyed concerns regarding the matter to the administration, even before the decision was made to lease Maaddoo for agricultural work.

In this regard, he stated that he sought audience with President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Minister of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture Zaha Waheed and several parliamentarians.

According to Mabrook, during these meetings, he requested for at least three islands to be left for exclusive use by the people of the atoll.

Following the announcement regarding the leasing of Maaddoo, Mabrook stated that he had not received replies to the letters sent to the President's Office and the Agriculture Ministry.

After attempts to communicate through official channels failed, the council president stated that he voiced his opinions via social media.

He asserted that his greatest concern was that the leasing of such islands did not result in gains for the government or the people, while wealthy individuals profited.

Akin to most Maldivians, the people of Baa Atoll, Maldives' busiest area for resorts and guesthouses and home to the country's first-ever UNESCO Biosphere reserve, have for many years contributed in no small amount to the national GDP. It is a well-known fact that the majority of the country's incoming revenue is attributed to collections from across the island nation's tourism industry.

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