Muizzu pledges to change the law, turn Thinadhoo into a city

Opposition PPM-PNC’s presidential candidate, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has promised to make necessary changes to the law, in order to designate the island of GDh. Thinadhoo as a city.

He made the pledge during a campaign rally in Thinadhoo on Sunday night.

Addressing the rally, Muizzu said that the opposition leader, former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom had been the leader to contribute the most towards Thinadhoo’s development.

He said the Yameen administration, of which he served as housing minister, started over MVR 1 billion in development projects in Maldives.

Muizzu said that the Yameen administration had established all infrastructure Thinadhoo needs to be designated as a city.

The law currently stipulates that an island must have a population of at least 10,000 to be designated as a city.

Muizzu disagrees.

“The law says it must be a population of 10,000. I don’t believe that having a population of 10,000 is necessary, if the place has the services, the resources and the infrastructure needed in a city,” he said.

“What’s most important is the availability of services. Progress in the path of development. And the potential and future for further progress.”

Muizzu said that he will make the necessary legal amendments to turn Thinadhoo into a city, if the people put their trust in him, and gives him a chance.

He believes the minimum population requirement for a city should be lowered to 80,000.

“Becoming a city opens more doors. It opens a lot of doors. Hand in hand, we will move forward at full speed to develop this island into a city,” he said.

He also promised to realize the aspirations of the people of Thinadhoo in tourism, fisheries, and other areas.

“I want you to join us in this,” he said.

“I felt this in your warm welcome today. I felt it deeply. A major change is coming.”

Muizzu asked voters in government job not to hesitate to vote to him, promising that people who are dismissed due to their politics will be reinstated once he is in office.

In a visit to Thinadhoo in January, as part of his campaign for the MDP presidential primary, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said he would visit the island soon, to celebrate the island becoming a city. He is scheduled to visit Thinadhoo on Wednesday.