President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on Sunday defended the government’s policy to build more airports to alleviate the burden and difficulty faced by the public with transport due to the geographic isolation of Maldivian islands.
Speaking in Dhidhdhoo, capital of Haa Alif atoll and one of the islands on which the President pledged to build a new airport, he said it was necessary to build more airports despite heavy criticism of the policy.
“Because of the country’s geographic distribution…the public now doesn’t necessarily want the country to be the way it was in the past. Building airports is absolutely necessary. Domestic airports in some places and international airports in other places have to be built. I make pledges believing that it needs to be done,” he said.
President Muizzu gave assurances that work on building an airport in Haa Alif Dhidhdhoo as well would go ahead on land to be reclaimed from the island’s lagoon. Developing an airport in Dhidhdhoo was a campaign pledge.
The President’s defense of the airport policy came after previously unannounced airport projects that were revealed during the President’s recent visit to Huvadhoo atoll drew criticism from urban planning and financial experts.
A project to develop an airport after reclaiming the lagoon of Gaaf Dhaal Thinadhoo was awarded despite the presence of the nearby airport of Kaadedhdhoo south of the island. Thinadhoo is five minutes away from Kaadedhdhoo by speed launch.
Amid questions raised over the capability of the chosen investor for the Thinadhoo airport, the development of an airport in the Villingili lagoon was also contracted. The island of Kooddoo south of Villingili also has an airport. The trip between the islands is also five minutes by speed launch.
Moreover, President Muizzu also pledged to develop an airport in Gaaf Alif Kolamaafushi. The combined number of airports pledged by the President, planned or under development, and currently in operation in the Maldives is nearly 40.
In Dhidhdhoo as well, the President urged the public to vote for a pro-government majority in the upcoming parliamentary elections. Explaining the reason for the appeal, the President accused the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) of allocating insufficient funds and not providing space in the budget for some projects that the government planned to carry out.
