Contracts signed to build university and hospital in L. Atoll

The Maldivian government, Island Development Company (IDC) and South Central Health Services Corporation (SCHSC) signed today two agreements to start some of the biggest development projects in the history of the country.

The agreements whose durations have been set at 50 years are worth USD200 million and, they were signed in a special meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Under one of the two agreements, IDC has been assigned to build a multi-disciplinary university in L. Gan, one of the largest islands in the Maldives. The university shall have faculties for areas such as medical education, information technology training, tourism sector training and sports. The Ministry of Education was also a party to this agreement. IDC, which has been assigned the contract, is a joint-venture established by India’s Universal Empire Group and Works Corporation, a Maldivian company.

The second agreement was signed by the Ministry of Health, South Central Health Services Corporation (SCHCS) of Maldives and IDC. Under this agreement, the IDC shall develop L. Gan Regional Hospital into a training hospital attached to the planned university as a medicine faculty. Under the same agreement IDC has also been obliged to develop the Hamad ibn Khalifa al-Thani School in Gan as a new international school.

Chairman Abdul Razzaq from Works Corporation today said that in addition to the tasks defined under the contracts, a medical resort would also be developed in L. Atoll. He said that the resort would be especially reserved for those who seek medical care in the atoll. He also said that a new sports stadium would also be built in L. Atoll.

Deputy Minister of Education Ibrahim Rasheed said today that implementation of projects under the contracts would begin in 18 months.