President's promising response to Addu people's grievances

"So we're going to do it. It will be handed over to [Foreign] minister [Abdulla Shahid]. It will be done," President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said on Saturday after hearing the grievances filed by a section of the public in Addu Hithadhoo South constituency. 

When the President conducted a door-to-door campaign in the island, he gave very positive answers to the peoples’ complaints, as per what the press was informed.

President Solih, who is on a two-day visit to Addu to campaign for MDP’s presidential primaries, arrived in Hithadhoo on Saturday and met with the people of different constituencies. He went door-to-door and went to the party's campaign offices. He listened to people's grievances and discussed ways to address them.

Different kinds of complaints were issued forth from different people. However, as far as travel arrangements were made, journalists were not allowed to enter all places and details of all complaints could not be obtained.

During the President's visit to 'Usganda Beach' in Hithadhoo South constituency Saturday, the complaints of the people of the area were filed in public. An elderly man from the area pointed out a number of issues with the president. What's been done now and the ease that came from it. The unfinished things and the difficulties that come with it.

He appreciated the way clean drinking water and sanitation are now. He shared the ease with which the existing sewerage system has been rebuilt.

"We are now installing sewage tanks inside our homes and in buildings. Now we are free from that [from the constraints of the past]," he said.

Although Addu is the country's most populous city after Male, people have always complained about the quality of health care available in the atoll.

"We have resources, we don't have doctors. For example, it's been three years without a cardiologist. Around 60 years of age, every person in his 50s is a heart patient," said the person who spoke earlier.

"If you see a physician, they will tell you to see a cardiologist. [We have to go] and spend MVR 7,000 or MVR 8,000 in Male. This isn't what we want."

Talking about the port, he said it was "exposed to Iruvai". He expressed concern that due to the presence of wind and humidity, it was difficult for the vessels to enter and exit the port.

"We've got to design the sea floor. It will be much easier if that can happen," he said.

Grievances can only be addressed, he pointed out, by giving Solih an additional term in power as has been requested by the president.

"What's still ahead, what's pending, is many. It's not going to be done, as you said, in four, three or five years," he said.

"Addu Atoll is a large atoll in the country. Hithadhoo alone is five, six islands. I'm so glad to see that there's work going on. The point is that speed should still be raised."

During the president's time with his supporters in the heart of Usganda Beach, Hithadhoo Council member Hussain Zareer shared some of the demands of the people.

Zareer said, "In this sector, there is a lot of diabetic people, senior citizens and people who need to exercise, and women in particular, want an outdoor gym to be set up here.”

The President assured the people that he would fulfil the peoples’ aspiration.

"So we're going to do it. Will hand it over to Minister Shahid. It will be done," he said, referring to Shahid, who was sitting nearby.

Minister Shahid was also present at the spot at the time and when he pointed out to Shahid to say something about it, the minister gave his assurance.

"As directed by the president, there will be an outdoor gym here," minister Shahid said.

Further concerns raised by the public include: