PO counters Amr, insists flour mill will be built in Kulhudhuffushi

The President’s Office has responded to the claim by State Trading Organization (STO)’s former managing director Hussain Amr Mohamed Rashad that the planned flour and rice mill project in Kulhudhuffushi City is stalled at the behest of the office.

STO previously stated that construction of the flour mill would begin in 2022.

Amr tweeted Tuesday that he had talked about strengthening food security in Maldives long before he took over management of STO, and that construction of a flour mill had been one of his plans.

ފުޑް ސެކިއުރިޓީ ޔަގީންކުރުމާމެދު އަޅުގަޑު ވާނީ އެސްޓީއޯ އާ ހަވާލުވުމުގެ ކުރިންވެސް ވާހަކަ ދައްކާފަ. ރާއްޖޭގަ ފުށް ފެކްޓްރީއެއް އެޅުމަކީ މިކަން ކުރުމަށް އަޅުގަޑުގެ އެއް ޕްލޭން. އެކަން ނުވެ އޮތީ ރައީސް އޮފީހުން ކުޅުދުއްފުށީގަ އަޅަން ބޭނުން ނުވެގެން. އިތުރު ތަނެއްވެސް ނުދެއްކިގެން. https://t.co/9mEWbD5FD1

— Amr ???? (@HusenAmr) April 11, 2023

“This hasn’t happened because the President’s Office doesn’t want to build it in Kulhudhuffushi. Because they are unable to show anywhere else too,” he said.

Countering Amr’s remarks, President’s Office spokesperson Miuvaan Mohamed said the government had planned to build the flour mill in Kulhudhuffushi from the very beginning, and that it hasn’t changed.

He said the project will go ahead as planned.

Was pleased visit Kulhudhuffushi City today to finalise location of the @stoplc flour mill which is aimed towards food security, lowering costs & generating job opportunities in the region.
Thank Mayor @ArthifKFCity and @kfcitycouncil for warm hospitality & support pic.twitter.com/gAEJezKKrS

— Amr ???? (@HusenAmr) April 12, 2022

Amr, along with other top STO officials at the time, had visited Kulhudhuffushi to finalize the location for the mill in April 2022. They also announced plans to operationalize the mill by mid-2023.

Amr was dismissed from STO’s board on March 26, for involvement in political talks held by MDP’s leader Mohamed Nasheed against President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih – who is MDP’s presidential candidate.