The Chinese company that signed an MoU for an agriculture project in Uthuru Thila Falhu will be informed that the agreement will be canceled in a Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) government, the main opposition party's Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail has said.
In response to a question on Adhadhu's Kulhikoh program, Fayyaz said the agreement would be canceled to provide housing from Uthuru Thila Falhu to residents of Male'.
But the Chinese company will be informed of the decision after trying to clarify the details of the agreement, he added.
"In 2028, hopefully, we will come to power and turn it into a place to provide land plots for Male' people. So we will cancel the agreement and we will inform the Chinese company," the former Economic Minister said.
The Maldives Industrial Development Free Zone (MIDF) on Thursday signed an MoU with China's Harbor Engineering Company to carry out a large-scale agriculture project with land reclamation in Uthuru Thila Falhu.
The Maldives Industrial Development Free Zone Plc (MIDF) is a joint venture formed between five state-owned companies, including the State Trading Organization (STO), Housing Development Corporation (HDC), Maldives Ports Limited (MPL), Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) and Maldives Airports Company Ltd (MACL). Shimad Ibrahim is in charge of managing MIDF in his capacity as STO's managing director.
According to STO, MIDF will work with the Chinese company to develop an Agricultural Economic Zone (AEZ) in the Maldives, which would be a special area designated for growing the agriculture sector and increasing agricultural produce with the necessary assistance and infrastructure.
Fayyaz questioned why the government chose Uthuru Thila Falhu for the project. He said Uthuru Thila Falhu was designated for a very important purpose by the MDP government. That is the allocation of land to the natives and long-term residents of Male'.
“I am very surprised that a Chinese company is being given this place when more important work can be carried out there," he said.
There are many other islands in different parts of the country where the project can be carried out conveniently and that is the best decision economically, he added.
"Why not give for agriculture from those places? There is no need for reclamation even. There are huge islands that are vacant," Fayyaz said.
