President Mohamed Nasheed has said relocating people from small islands to larger more prosperous islands against their will was not the government’s policy.
Speaking in Noomaraa of North Miladhunmadulu Atoll, one of the islands where some people have been relocated from, the President said the forcing people to migrate to a larger island or neglecting the development of the island in order to encourage people to move was not the government’s policy.
Previous administration favoured a policy of relocating people in small islands with small populations to move to larger and more developed islands. Some people from Noomaraa have been relocated, while some who refused to move remained in the island.
The President said, his administration’s development policy which is based on the Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) election manifesto envisaged an island country, and therefore, did not favour forcing people to move from their islands.
He said the government had a vision for the development of Noomaraa, and as one of the most important facility for the development of the island, the President noted construction of a harbour in the island. The President revealed that harbour construction would begin this year.
After concluding his visit to Noomaraa, the President visited and met the people of Bilehfahi of North Miladhunmadulu Atoll.
Meeting the people of Bilehfahi, the President underscored that the objective of the government’s education policy was to ensure at least 60 percent of the students who sat General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level Examinations passed five subjects.
Reflecting on the results of students who sat the exam from Bilehfahi School last year, the President expressed confidence of improving this year’s results.
He urged the people of the island not to jeopardize children’s education and their future in political competitiveness.
Before departing from Bilehfahi, the President visited Bilehfahi School and discussed the students’ results with the teachers and the school management. He urged them to work to improve students’ results this year.
In his address in both islands, the President highlighted the socio-economic benefits of the government’s development programmes, especially its social protection programme.
