Pres pledges airport, major housing project in Thinadhoo

MDP presidential candidate, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Wednesday promised to dredge land enough to build an international airport in GDh. Thinadhoo and implement a major housing project in the Maldives' newest city. 

The president made the promise while meeting with his supporters in Thinadhoo, campaigning for the second round of the presidential election to be held on Saturday.

The [resident said that if he gets a second term, he will implement a more “complete and larger” housing project in the island in addition to the 500 housing units he promised in the first round of the election.

“... We will not build 500 housing units in this island, but a large housing project to solve the housing problem of the people of this island,” he said.

"And as we have promised, land will be dredged near Thinadhoo to build an international airport."

During the first round of the elections campaign the president gave the status of a city to Thinadhoo. He also promised to dredge the land for commercial and industrial development in the island besides the housing project.

In the first round of the presidential election held on September 9, the president received 890 votes or 35.33% of the total vote from the island. The rival PPM-PNC presidential candidate, Dr Mohamed Muizz got 1,229 votes or 48.94% of the vote from the island.

President Solih believes that the polls from Thinadhoo in the second round will be a big difference compared to the first round. That is probably why the rival candidate Muizz visited the island twice, he said.

"The previous time [Muizz] came and there was talk among the people about him not making them any promises, so he came with a list this time and and left having read that," he said.

"Everything he said is all that is in our manifesto already and that we’ve told the people when we came to this island. Whether it's about housing or the airport, it is things that we have already planned."