President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said the development brought to Male' City is not an obstacle to the development of the whole country as an island nation. He made the remarks while speaking to media personnel following the successful completion of the Viyavathi Raajje Conference held in Gan, Laamu Atoll.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih came to power with a promise to maintain and develop the Maldives as an island nation and implement projects that will reduce the impact on the environment. He also stopped the long-standing migration of people to the capital city and expanded basic services on the islands.
When President Solih took office in 2018, 70% of the islands in the country did not have proper water and sewerage services. However, his administration has set a target of installing water and sewerage systems in all islands of the country by the end of 2023. In addition, the government has begun efforts to develop five tertiary hospitals, improved the health system in the atolls, and expanded the education sector.
Furthermore, the government is implementing the Greater Male' Connectivity Project (GMCP) to reduce congestion in the capital city and further expand the economy. However, the opposition accuses the housing projects and bridge projects of the current administration are inaugurated for the sole purpose of bringing more people to Male'.
Responding to the allegations, President Solih said the fact is that many families have been forced to migrate to Male' due to major changes in government policies over the years. The president said there are islands in the south with large economies and there are islands in the region that have access to services except for some that requires travelling to Male'. He said all of that changed due to changes made to government policies.
Noting there may be political motives for these changes, President Solih said some leaders develop the Greater Male' Region to control people. The president said earlier traveling was difficult and monitoring atolls were challenging and that leaders chose to develop a central government system.
Furthermore, President Solih said that adequate housing should be in the city to ensure that people can live a comfortable life. The president also said solutions should be found to the congestion on the roads and he does not see the development projects being brought to the city as an obstacle to the development of the entire country as an island nation. He also stressed the importance of establishing regional centres in different parts of the country.