Building a domestic airport near Kolamaafushi is likely: President

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has stated that alongside the increased connectivity being facilitated for Gaaf Alif Atoll, establishing a domestic airport near Kolamaafushi is a highly likely event.

The president met with the Kolamaafushi Council during his visit to the islands in Gaaf Alif atoll and learnt the difficulties faced by the island's residential community.

The Council shared their concerns with the President regarding the isolated location of Kolamaafushi from the other islands and expressed that rough seas impede transportation as no alleviated method is established nearby the island or within the atoll.

The president assured that he will facilitate a tourism project in the lagoon true to his pledge and realize the hopes for a domestic airport alongside it.

He highlighted that the people of Kolamaafushi will also see a significant evolution with the large tourism project determined to be developed in the area.

He further assured that he will see to the commencement of the integrated tourism project in the Kolamaafushi lagoon as vowed in his pledge, detailing that building a city hotel is included within the project.

“I feel that with the facilitation of this project, air connectivity will also be established in a natural sense. In any case, we have signed the agreement for the developmental project of building the international airport of this area in Vilin’gili today. I would like to state that in my heart, I see the development of a domestic airport alongside this as highly likely,” said the president.

The president had reiterated the assurance that he is a man true to his word.

He had emphasized that all development projects he had promised were independent of the state budget and that the present state of the economy will be expanded once these projects are commenced within an investor-finance policy. He further added that the problems incurred at this time must be resolved in such a manner.

The vows made by the president for Kolamaafushi

- The commencement of a land reclamation project this year

- Renovation of the necessary changes to the port

- Construction of a city hotel

- Streamlining the school

- Refining the services of the health center

- Improving the electricity system

During today’s meeting, the president remarked that with the constitutional system practiced within the country, electing government affiliated MPs into parliamentary seats will allow significant ease in performing these tasks. He remarked that in contrast, the result of electing members opposed to the government has been evident to the people from conduct seen within these past three months.

“If decisions for the upcoming parliamentary elections are made with consideration to personal, familial and political stances, the citizens will suffer losses. The constitutional system is designed in a manner that allows the parliament to pave the way for the government to proceed with its work,” said the president.

President Muizzu subsequently emphasized the importance of conferring the parliamentary power to the government affiliated parties and implored to detach personal and familial views and elect government affiliated candidates.