President pledges to construct city hotel in Maalhos

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has pledged to construct a modern city hotel for tourists in B. Maalhos if he is elected for a second term.

Speaking at B. Maalhos, which is the first island that he visited for his campaign today, President Solih said that since the Hanifaru Bay Biosphere is near Maalhos, it’s important that the tourists that visit the biosphere have the means to be able to stay at Maalhos.

He said that he will construct a modern city hotel on the island.

The President’s Pledges for Maalhos:

• Developing the health centre
• Constructing new modern classrooms with a multi-purpose hall
• Constructing a bigger mosque
• Constructing a futsal field
• Developing bigger roads and modernising them
• Designating a picnic island

He further said that the decision to keep Hanifaru Bay Biosphere as a protected site for another 10 years.

Highlighting that the income generated from there is important for the islands in the atoll, he said that the income generated by areas in the jurisdiction of the island council will be handed over to that council.

He further said that they have decided to cede the responsibility of looking after areas in an island council’s jurisdiction to that council as well.

He said that this government has declared 33 areas as protected sites. He elaborated that this is so that the natural beauty of Maldives doesn't get lost amidst modernisation and development.

In addition, he highlighted that one of the complaints that he received from the people of Maalhos is that they want the port of the island to be made bigger, President Solih said that the issue will be discussed and once the work begins they can identify the changes that need to be brought.

“Some changes are seen because we have definitely done something in the past 5 years,” he said.

He said that there is no talk of injustice today nor about the increase in prices of services such as the Internet.