Thinadhoo designated as a city

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has designated the island of GDh. Thinadhoo as a city.

Thinadhoo was given the status of a city on Wednesday, under the powers vested in the president through the Decentralization Act.

Speaking at a campaign rally in Thinadhoo, President Solih congratulated the people of the island.

“Tonight, my spirit is with Thinadhoo. Thinadhoo is the fifth city in Maldives. Congratulations Thinadhoo City,” he said.

President Solih said Thinadhoo’s local council requested for the island to be designated as a city in January 2022.

The request was forwarded to the Local Government Authority (LGA), which vetted the request, and forwarded it to the President’s Office.

President Solih said he signed the decree to designate Thinadhoo as a city on Wednesday.

With the decree, Thinadhoo has become the fifth city in the Maldives, after Male’, Addu, Fuvahmulah, and Kulhudhuffushi.

President Solih said that he has a vision for Thinadhoo and the larger Huvadhoo Atoll.

He said that the region is home to a number of fast-developing industries.

“Fish, produce and other products from these islands, especially Thinadhoo, was exported directly to Colombo and Gall,” he said.

He said that Thinadhoo grew deserted due to the various challenges during President Ibrahim Nasir’s administrations, after the 1950s.

“I must say, the administration treated the people like no administration should. This is something we must apologize for, even today. I apologize, as the head of government,” he said.

President Solih said that Thinadhoo faces transformative changes.

“I want to affect a great industrial change here. This is why we are developing a commercial port here,” he said.

President Solih said the port will be operational within a year.

He said that once the port opens, branches of institutions such as Post and Customs can open there, creating hundreds of jobs.