Number of inhabited islands needs to be reduced by half: Muizzu

Minister of Housing an Infrastructure Dr Mohamed Muizzu has said that the number of inhabited islands needs to be reduced by half under the national resettlement policy.

Muizzu made this statement while speaking at a ceremony held at Customs Building to hand over land plots of 49 islands to relevant Island Councils.

Muizzu said that it could take about ten years, or more, to achieve this.

He said that the policy includes two implementation methods on how people can be transferred from small to big islands.

One method is to provide housing and finance for families to relocate to bigger islands, while the other is to facilitate resettlement for people who are willing to relocate.

He informed that teams of Housing Ministry are planned to travel to islands which will be affected by the policy, details of which will be shared with the Councils shortly.

Muizzu said that reclamation work is being planned for about ten islands, in which infrastructure will also be developed, followed by sustainable implementation of the resettlement policy.

He stressed the importance of the Councils’ cooperation in the government’s efforts.

Muizzu said that successful implementation of this policy will facilitate provision of basic rights stipulated in the Constitution, such as the people’s right to medical care, education, housing and travelling.

The government has announced that it will not force people to move; rather, relocation will be implemented only if the majority of an island’s people consent to being transferred.