The government has begun the process of taking over the historic Usge’kolhu in Sultan Park from the Male’ City Council.
Usge’kolhu is currently managed by the city council. The site has been damaged, with unknown individuals vandalising the walls of the only remaining section of the former royal palace. Police are investigating the matter.
Speaking on the sixth edition of the Presser with the Spox series, Chief Government Spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef said the site is an important part of the Maldives’ history. He said such sites are popular tourist attraction with the potential to generate income.
In this regard, the government intends to develop an interactive museum at the site showcasing the Maldives’ history. The spokesperson said the government has repeatedly asked the city council to hand over the site to the relevant ministry to implement the project, but the council has not done so despite meetings, written requests and agreements.
The spokesperson described the vandalism as deeply regrettable and said the government is treating the matter seriously. He said there were signs that drugs had been used inside the site.
Usge’kolhu is the only surviving structure of the old royal palace, built during the reign of Sultan Haji Imaduddin VI over a century ago. It also housed the Maldives’ first National Museum, which opened there 74 years ago.