VP Faisal: Private sector’s work integral to national development

Vice President Faisal Naseem, on Thursday, remarked that the private sector’s work was integral to national development.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of Velana International Airport’s (VIA) new runway and seaplane terminal on Thursday morning – VP Faisal said that private businesses plays a prominent role in developing a nation. Hence, he stressed that airport operations must be carried out in a manner which is easy for the private sector.

“What we do at an airport is making things easy for private individuals,” he added.

Underscoring that a significant number of private businesses share the tourism and the transportation sector which are the basis of the Maldivian economy – VP Faisal said that the development of the Maldivian tourism industry is an example to the world.

“Our administration’s policy is to empower the private sector,” he had said.

VP Faisal also spoke on the newly inaugurated runway and seaplane terminal at VIA, which was developed in accordance with the master plan of the airport. He stressed that the airport's operations and services ran uninterrupted, despite the tremendous development project.

He also emphasized on the need for human development to be carried out in conjunction with airport development and elaborated on the government's initiatives to upgrade transport networks across the Maldives’ atolls.

The newly developed Code F runway at VIA was also operationalized on Thursday morning with the landing of the inaugural flight. The Emirates’ aircraft had been inbound from Dubai, and upon landing was welcomed by a water salute. Capable of accommodating the biggest aircrafts presently in operation across the globe, the new runway is 3,400 meters in length and 60 meters in width.  

‘Noovilu Seaplane Terminal’ – the largest seaplane terminal in the world – measures 28,000 square meters. Its MRO Facility measures 8,836 square meters and the VVIP section measures 100 square meters.

The terminal has 42 lounges of which all except two have been leased to resorts. MACL’s ‘Vilu’ business lounge had 235 seats, whilst ‘Neeru’ lounge has 315 seats.

Both these projects were carried out during former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom’s administration under an initiative to further develop the airport. The work was carried out by China’s Beijing Urban Construction Group (BUCG).

The airport development project valued at USD 800 million (MVR 12.3 billion) saw the establishment of a new VIP terminal at VIA. A new passenger terminal and a fuel farm are also being developed under the project.