Fayyaz criticises halal tourism model for Addu Hankede
Fayyaz, who served as Economic Minister under the MDP government, claimed the former administration had secured USD 400 million.
Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail has criticised the government’s decision to designate Hankede in Addu City for halal tourism development, stating that the move will obstruct economic development in the region.
In a post on X Sunday evening, Fayyaz said the current administration’s plan to include Hankede among six islands allocated for halal tourism is preventing the people of Addu from achieving economic self-reliance. He argued that Hankede cannot be operated under the halal tourism model and should not be reserved for that purpose.
Fayyaz, who served as Economic Minister under the previous MDP government, claimed the former administration had secured USD 400 million in investment commitments for projects in Addu.
“The Hankede project was fully planned and funded. It was a major initiative to develop tourism and improve the overall economy of Addu. However, the current government has delayed implementation while discussing refinancing. That process has also not moved forward,” he said.
Fayyaz added that the delays were preventing local economic growth and stated that he had been involved in efforts to develop Hankede with various governments since 2005, without meaningful progress to date.
On 15 April 2024, the current administration held an official ceremony to relaunch the Hankede Integrated Tourism Project. However, Fayyaz noted that more than a year has passed since the event and only minimal work, such as tree clearing, has been carried out at the site.
Under the previous government, a USD 142 million (MVR 2.2 billion) loan was secured from a Chinese bank to fund the project. The contract for development was awarded to China National Electrical Engineering Company (CNEEC), with a two-year deadline for completion.
Fayyaz also criticised the current administration for granting Hankede to UAE-based Time Hotels to operate the resort before development began, without publicly disclosing the terms of the agreement.
