President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Sunday said that the National College of Policing and Law Enforcement will play an important role in the development of the Maldives Police Service. He made the remark at the inauguration of the National College of Policing and Law Enforcement in Addu City this morning.
In his remarks at the inauguration ceremony, the President extended gratitude to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the government and the people of the Republic of India for the generous assistance provided to the Maldives throughout the years. President Solih stated that the presence of the Indian External Affairs Minister at the ceremony demonstrated the close bilateral relations between the two nations.
President Solih said that India's assistance to the Maldives had always been directed towards the development of Maldives. The President stated that the close bilateral relations between the two nations were demonstrated through the numerous projects undertaken through grant or loan assistance from India which includes, the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH), Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Studies campus for the Maldives National University (MNU), projects to develop water and sewerage networks for 34 islands, Thilamalé Connectivity Bridge, the redevelopment of Gan International Airport and Hanimaadhoo International Airport, road development and reclamation works in Addu City, and the project to build the Coast Guard Building.
Reiterating how India's precedence in the India-Maldives friendship had been the advancement of the Maldivian people, the President noted how India had continued to offer unwavering assistance regardless of who was in power at the moment. President Solih recalled how discussions for the development of the National College of Policing and Law Enforcement officially commenced in 2009, noting that the project was signed off for development by the next government in 2014. He then stated that construction work began in 2017 once the planning phases were completed. President Solih went on to thank the previous administrations for their role in making the project a reality.
President Solih stated that establishing police presence on all inhabited islands was a key pledge of the administration, emphasising that police should work closely with the community to ensure peace and harmony. He said that the purpose of the police should be to work with and alongside the community to resolve issues. The President said that a community-oriented police service could only be provided by training police officers on these principles, and that it was in the interest of the entire nation to equip the police with adequate resources.
The President had earlier pledged to prioritise professional police trainings and to provide the latest technologies and resources in these trainings. In this regard, the National College of Policing and Law Enforcement is a facility fully equipped with the latest technology and resources. The training programmes conducted at the facility would adhere to democratic norms and international best practices.
