MDP condemns ECC conversion to Hospital

MDP condemns the conversion of the Equatorial Convention Center (ECC) to a hospital instead of building the 100-bed hospital in the registered and allocated land in Addu City.

A statement issued by the MDP today said that the party strongly condemns the conversion of the ECC, a pride of Addu City, to a hospital instead of building a 100-bed hospital in Addu City as promised during the Presidential Campaign of President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.

MDP said that millions have been included in the budget every year to build the hospital in Addu City and yet another year closes, none of it has been spent to build the 100-bed hospital.

While a cost to repair the convention center have been included in the budget last year and this year, no amount has been spent on the repairs either according to MDP.

The statement said that the efforts to convert the ECC would be stopped once President Yameen’s Presidency is turned over and MDP would restore the convention center and build a hospital in Addu City as the people of the city wants.

In their statement, MDP noted that even with the road construction and sewage systems are included in the budget, no project has been initiated.

Finance Ministry has opened the bid to make a 100-bed hospital at ECC earlier this month. The Ministry said that the funding for the conversion of the convention center to a hospital has been arranged as well.

The Minister of Finance and Treasury, Ahmed Munawar has previously told Sun Media that USD 20.9 million have been arrange to fund the conversion and building the hospital at ECC. That is MVR 322.3 million.

Minister Munawar said that the funding comes from Saudi Fund for Development and Opec Fund for International Development (OFID).

Responding to a question at a Parliament session last February by the MP for Meedhoo constituency, Rozaina Adam, the Housing Minister, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu said that the government has decided to bring some changes to the ECC and make a 100-bed hospital.

Minister Muizzu said that the President gives priority to using the ECC efficiently.

ECC was built in the presidency of Mohamed Nasheed to hold the SAARC Summit and has been abandoned since.