President pledges mega tourism project near Ihavandhoo

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has announced plans to run a large-scale integrated tourism project in Dhigufaru, which neighbors HA. Ihavandhoo.

He announced the plan during a campaign rally in Ihavandhoo on Wednesday, but did not disclose any details.

“We will be running an integrated tourism project in Dhigufaru, which lies near Ihavandhoo,” he announced.

Addressing the rally, the president said the land reclamation in Ihavandhoo will be complete, and development of a harbor and fish purchase center will begin in two weeks.

He also pledged to run a housing project and develop more roads in Ihavandhoo.

The president said his administration had transformative changes planned for the Bodu Thiladhunmathi region – changed that he said would become clear once the projects like the development of the Hanimaadhoo International Airport and the Kulhudhuffushi Commercial Port became complete.

The president said the Ihavandhoo people still had pressing needs, including a strong healthcare system that would eliminate the need for the people to travel elsewhere to access medical care.

He acknowledged the delay in start of the project to build a hospital in Ihavandhoo, but said the fault lay with the contractor, and not his administration.

He said that following talks between the two sides, the contractor had agreed to start construction work in August.

Noting that Ihavandhoo’s dependency on fishing as a source of income, he acknowledged the challenges fishermen continue to face, including difficulties in selling their catch, getting paid, and accessing fuel.

He blamed the previous administration for the challenges.

“It’s the government that must develop the fisheries sector. I don’t believe it the best to leave it solely to the private sector. So, the administration wants to increase investments on MIFCO, establish convenient facilities for sale of fish, establish cold storage facilities, and sell the fish to international markets at good prices,” he said.