President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih stated on Saturday that his administration is of the people and will continue to promote, uphold, and serve their best interests. He made this statement while speaking at a ceremony on Dhiggaru Island in the Meemu Atoll to mark the completion of the island’s coastal protection project.
Speaking at the ceremony, the President recalled that previous administrations had failed to deliver on their pledges to address the most pressing concerns of the people of Dhiggaru Island. The President stated that the most pertinent needs of the island had been unfulfilled when his administration took office, and noted the support and cooperation towards his developmental agenda of local councils and Members of Parliament.
The coastal protection project on Dhiggaru Island saw the development of 700-meter protective rock-boulder seawalls in the areas affected most by storm surges and coastal erosion. The President said that the administration would study the effectiveness of the defensive structures over the next two-to-three years and make any necessary changes.
The President also spoke about the island’s land reclamation project, initiated by the administration. The project would see the island grow in size to 38 hectares. The administration pledged to reclaim 25 hectares of land; 17 hectares of land reclamation have been completed. The President also urged the council to draw up a land-use plan for the island.
Both projects, worth MVR121.1 million, are carried out by the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company PLC (MTCC). At the ceremony, the island’s community presented the President with a commemorative model of the island.
