President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has met with the Council Members representing the North Huvadhu Atoll and discussed pressing issues faced by their constituents. The meeting was held at the President’s Office this afternoon.
During the meeting, Councillors discussed issues and obstacles faced by the council in facilitating services to the people of the Atoll. The discussions spanned over multiple spheres and several significant issues and obstacles challenging the development and progress of the Atoll were highlighted.
The Councillors stressed on the importance of a functional ferry service, need for advancement in the health services offered, difficulties faced due to lack of policing in the Atoll and complications in performing their duties due to space constraints at the Council Secretariat.
The Atoll Councillors laid out specific requirements for different islands. In this regard, the Councillors focused on the need for employment opportunities within the tourism sector, the introduction of local island tourism, progress needed within the fisheries sector to ensure the best value for their catch and ways to ensure enhanced monitoring mechanisms to prevent dumping of waste into atoll channels. The Councillors also discussed mega projects such as road development, housing and harbour construction. They further discussed details of the availability and expansion projects and quality of utility services such as water and sanitation services, electricity services and waste management services.
The President took note of their concerns, expressing that he would work with the relevant line ministries to remedy the issues brought up. Further, he expounded on the work underway to decentralize the government and highlighted that under the new decentralized framework, Atoll Councillors would have the resources and discretion to develop their Atolls in line with the needs and priorities of their constituents.
