President Mohamed Nasheed has visited Kurendhoo of Lhaviyani Atoll to attend the 25th anniversary celebrations of Lhaviyani Atoll School in Kurendhoo.
Speaking at the ceremony held at Lhaviyani Atoll School today, President Nasheed reiterated that development and progress should be measured in terms of the development of human resources and not on the basis how many buildings or concrete structures were build on an island.
He said national or island development was the result of the progress and education of the individual, and infrastructure development comes from the development of the individual.
Therefore, he urged the Kurendhoo people, Island Council, school board, teachers and the government to strive to improve the quality of education in Kurendhoo, calling Lhaviyani Atoll School the hub for the island’s development.
In his address today, President Nasheed also highlighted the election and establishment of the Island Council as a beginning of a new chapter of the country’s development.
He said the government pushed for decentralization recognizing the need for people’s participation in the development of their islands to achieve the overall development of the country.
The President said all the assets that should be transferred to Island Councils, which were currently registered as part of the treasury, would be transferred to Island Councils. However, he noted that, this should happen only after all the necessary administrative, legal and technical arrangements had been made and through proper procedures.
During the visit to Lhaviyani Atoll School, the President opened the school’s science laboratory and unveiled the silver jubilee monument of the school.
Before concluding his visit to Kurendhoo, the President also launched the construction of the island’s harbour.
He has returned to Male’ this afternoon, after completing his visit to Kurendhoo.
