Muizzu: Target is to build urban centers in every atoll

Developing the atolls is of utmost important to the government, says Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with “Sun”, Muizzu said the government wasn’t just focusing on encouraging migration to Hulhumale’, but that the government was establishing urban centers in the atolls as well.

“Take for example G. Dh. Thinadhoo. Government has now spent more than MVR 1 billion on Thinadhoo. An airport is being built in Kulhudhuffushi despite the existence of an airport in H. Dh. Atoll to develop the island as a strong urban center. Sh. Funadhoo was re-populated, land reclaimed and an airport planned to develop Sh. Funadhoo as an urban center,” said Muizzu.

He said the government continued to spend on additional islands for development as urban centers such as – Lh. Naifaru, Dh. Kudahuvadhoo and B. Eydhafushi.

Muizzu said the government has selected an island from each item for development as an urban center, and wished for people in smaller neighboring islands to migrate to the islands.

“The more the people are grouped to the centers and inhabited islands vacated, the more beneficial it is to the people,” said Muizzu.

He said the country said about 30 islands with less than 500 people and about 80 islands with less than 1,000 people.

"It will be beneficial to the people when the people on these islands are migrated elsewhere. They will get better jobs, afford better education for their children and enjoy an overall better situation if they migrate to larger urban centers than stay in small islands,” said Muizzu.

Dr. Muizzu said the full benefits of migrating to urban centers will be enjoyed when the entire populations of small islands migrate.

He said the government is yet to decide what will be done with the private land left behind by those who migrate.

“We actually want the entire population of the islands to move, rather than just a part. Then only will expenditure on the islands be saved and the true benefits enjoyed by the people. If some migrate and some don’t, it won’t be effective,” said Muizzu.