President renews pledge to link Naalaafushi and Muli
The president said that his policy in bringing about development is to provide basic services without discrimination wherever the person lives.
By
Ahmed Naif
Naalaafushi and Meemu Atoll's capital island of Muli will be linked, President Ibrahim Mohammed Solih promised the people on Saturday.
The 384 people living in Naalaafushi are also important to him, President Solih said while addressing them on Saturday as part of his presidential campaign visit to the atoll. The president said that his policy in bringing about development is to provide basic services without discrimination wherever the person lives.
In the presidential election, he got only 38% of the votes from the island, he said, adding that he would not discriminate in bringing about development even if the result came out that way. The president has since promised to link the island with Muli, which is in the same lagoon.
The president also assured that the Muli airport will be completed this year.
"It is our promise to link this island with Muli. It is planned. Then we can go to Muli by road to get services that are not available here," he said.
The president also promised:
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to build a new harbour
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to reclaim land in the island and build flats or raw houses
The president said small settlements like Nalaafushi were not important to previous governments. The reason given by the previous governments was that these islands were not important in major elections such as the presidential election due to their small population.
Governments have always focused on doing things for the most populous islands, he said. However, his vision is not only to win the election but also to make life easier for the people, the president said.
"If it was the policy of the previous government, development projects would come to this island after 15-20 years. We in this coalition believe that basic services should be provided without discrimination," he said.
Noting the delays in the work of the companies that were contracted for the ongoing water and sewerage networking in the islands, the president said that he will resolve the delay in the work and endeavour to commission water and sewerage networks in 141 islands this year.
The president said the government is implementing projects with a long-term view. Highlighting the work of the new power plants, the president said they would not have to be repaired in the next 30-40 years.
