President Dr Mohamed Muizzu announced on Friday that the establishment of National Identity Card issuance services in Felidhoo signifies the completion of service rollout across all atolls. He made the remarks while addressing the residents of Felidhoo in Felidhe Atoll, during his tour of inhabited islands in four atolls.
During the gathering, National Identity Card and passport issuance services were officially launched on the island. The President announced that this milestone marked the fulfilment of the Administration’s goal to introduce ID card services across all atolls by the end of the year.
Emphasising the importance of extending essential public services to remote communities through decentralisation, the President stated that the Administration is committed to ending reliance on Malé for accessing key services. He further acknowledged criticism for establishing ATMs on the islands, noting that he is aware of the challenges faced by ordinary citizens due to the lack of basic service coverage caused by centralisation. He added that decentralised service provision would significantly ease these difficulties. He expressed his satisfaction in being able to provide such services.
In his speech, the President emphasised the Administration’s efforts to alleviate the difficulties faced by the public and expressed the Government’s determination to prevent politically motivated actions that hinder the delivery of benefits to ordinary citizens. He also stated that the Administration will not tolerate any increase in the prices of essential commodities driven by political motives.
Highlighting the island’s planned development projects, the President stated that construction of a state-of-the-art 30-bed hospital will commence tomorrow. He added that the proposed Fitness and Recreation Centre will be developed as an indoor sports complex. The President also revealed that construction of a new school building is scheduled to begin this year. In this regard, he announced that a 12-hectare land reclamation project will be carried out on the island next year, alongside plans to expand the sea ambulance fleet and establish additional services in Felidhe Atoll.
