The government has not provided any information or consulted with the council about an international airport to be developed in Gaaf Dhaal Thinadhoo, the island council has said.
Saud Ali, Thinadhoo council president, told Adhadhu that discussions took place with the previous government about developing an international airport in Thinadhoo after the failure to upgrade the Kaadedhdhoo airport.
But the council was not provided any details about the MoU signed for the airport that was announced last night along with a project to invest in 12 islands.
"The council was not consulted. Every time that the council talked about an international airport, developing the airport in the lagoon was discussed. We will try to get details [about 12 islands to be leased from Huvadhoo atoll for resort development]. It needs to be clear, doesn't it, where those places are," Saud said.
Despite the council being unaware of the islands to be leased for tourism in relation to the airport project, Saud said the islands were not expected to be part of the Huvahdoo atoll council's jurisdiction.
"If the project becomes a reality, there will be great advances in this region's economy. Doors will be opened for expanding integrated tourism and private businesses as well as for individuals to earn an income," he said.
The Thinadhoo council president assured the council's cooperation for the international airport project and expressed hope that it would become a reality.
Infrastructure Dr Abdulla Muththalib signed the MoU for the Thinadhoo international airport project last night. The project was awarded to Thailand's Pan Pacific Company. The company was chosen after it expressed an interest in undertaking the unsolicited project in collaboration with the government.
In addition to developing the airport, the contractor was also interested in investing in 12 resorts, which would be more than 2,400 beds, Minister Muththalib said. The project would be entirely financed by the contractor with no cost borne by the government, he said.
The decision to develop an airport in the lagoon comes despite the government seeking a party to conduct a feasibility study on connecting Thinadhoo via a bridge to the airport on nearby Kaadedhdhoo.
