Democrats: Govt should have been upfront about relocation plans, not promised projects for small islands

Mohamed Waheed (Wadde), a politician from opposition Democrats, said on Tuesday that the incumbent People’s National Congress (PNC) administration should have been upfront about their plans to relocate people from islands with small populations, instead of making electoral pledges to run development projects in small islands.

In a press briefing on Tuesday afternoon, Waheed, a former lawmaker, said that there is no mention of the relocation plan in President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s manifesto.

He said that President Muizzu, during his 2023 campaign tour, travelled to small islands and promised to run various infrastructure projects.

“But we saw him travelling to islands with a population of less than 500 people, islands with some 100 people, promising to run projects and promising that nothing will be stopped. He got elected on promises to build large link roads. If he is going to do this [relocate] now, he should have said so during the election,” said Waheed.

He said that it is not difficult for the government to sway the majority of an island in their favor.

He took the example of HDh. Hirimaradhoo. The people of Hirimaradhoo have asked to migrate to K. Thulusdhoo, which lies near the capital, Male’.

Waheed said that the government has built a harbor and established water and sanitation services in the island.

He alleged that the demand to relocate to another island is guided by “external forces or reasons.”

Waheed said the local populations should have the option of deciding whether they wish to relocate to another island.

He said that decisions driven by lack of any other viable choices do not constitute as decisions made out of free will.

He said that it also goes against the principles of democracy.

Waheed said that such decisions push the Maldives back on the path to autocracy. He said that the government should not be allowed to breach democratic principles.