Mega tourism project: 400 hectares in Fottheyo lagoon

The major tourism project President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih announced on Monday for Vaavu Atoll involves reclaiming 400 hectares from Fottheyo Falhu lagoon, the atoll council said Tuesday.

Addressing the people of V. Keyodhoo island on a campaign trip, President Solih said that although it is a small atoll, major economic activities are planned.

Preliminary agreements for the "biggest tourism project in Maldives" have been signed with a developer, the president said. The project also includes an airport, he added.

Although the government did not disclose the details of the project, Vaavu Atoll Council president Shujau Ali shared details of the project on Twitter.

According to him, as part of the project, 400 hectares of land will be reclaimed from V. Fottheyo Falhu, the biggest lagoon in Maldives, for resort development. 

The council had expressed dissatisfaction with the government's project long ago. They feel that the project threatens to wipe out an important area of natural importance.

Shujau took to Twitter to share a letter he had written to the tourism ministry a month-and-a-half ago regarding the project. The letter was sent on the basis of a directive sent by the ministry to arrange a meeting to clarify the council's view on the government's decision to develop the resort on a cross-subsidy basis.

In a letter addressed to tourism minister Dr Abdulla Mausoom on May 30, Shujau said:

In a series of tweets, Shujau spoke out against the project. According to him, the government's "mega project" is a "criminal project involving the sale" of the eastern part of Vavu atoll.

"It's an illegal deal. The sale of Vavu atoll should be stopped," he said.