Laamu Gan MP Mohamed Wisam has condemned the decision to scrap a cancer hospital planned in his constituency by the previous government in order to relocate the project to Malé.
In a statement condemning the move, Wisam said the decision was a sign of the government's neglect of development in the atolls.
"Changing this project for which everything has been finalized to Malé reveals that this government does not prioritize the development of the atolls and islands," Wisam said.
The decision to relocate to Malé was made after preparations for building the cancer hospital in Gan were completed, he said.
"Following that completion, representatives from India's Tata Memorial Center visited the Gan Hospital, made a feasibility report and DPR report to see if there was an obstacle to establishing the hospital in Gan, and India's Foreign Ministry approved it," Wisam said.
The current government said the decision to relocate the project was made because of having to build a cancer hospital in a region where tertiary treatment services were unavailable. But Wisam denied the claim and noted the awarding of a project to build a 130-bed tertiary hospital in Gan to the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) by the previous government on July 16, 2023.
"Changing the cancer hospital after building a tertiary hospital in Gan was contracted but saying the service was unavailable shows that the government's claims do not add up. As a result, there is also the fear that the tertiary hospital awarded to be built in Gan could be changed to another island," Wisam said.
Wisam also condemned the government for making the decision without consulting the Laamu atoll council and the Gan island council, calling it clear proof of the government's unwillingness to seek public opinion.
The relocation of the cancer hospital to Malé was also part of the government's efforts to revive the culture of centralizing all powers in the capital, Wisam said, calling on the government to reverse the decision.
