President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has met with members of the Mulakatholhu Maduvvari Island Council, this afternoon at the Presidents office, discussing the interests and concerns of the island's residents. Councillors extended their sincere appreciation to President Solih, revealing that no other President had taken the time to meet the council in many years. They stated that this demonstrates President Solih's and the government's dedication to developing all inhabited islands regardless of the population size.
The Member of Parliament for the Dhiggaru Constituency, Ikram Hassan, also joined the meeting.
The members of the island council relayed several concerns from their residents. Councillors specified the lack of a safe and stable island harbour as one of the main concerns, further delineating other development plans for the island. They discussed land reclamation, erosion control, waste management, revisions to the council's jurisdiction and scarcity of human resources at the Council Secretariat among other important issues pertinent to the development of the island.
Speaking at the meeting, President Solih stated that he would raise the concerns shared regarding the changes to the harbour development project with the relevant government authorities. He reiterated that the role of councillors had been greatly expanded with the amendments to the Decentralisation Act, urging them to work towards the development of their island. The President also stated that the government would work in collaboration with the council and residents while developing their island. He asked the councillors to support the government with the developmental plans for Maduvvari island.
