Malé, Maldives – Former Assistant Commissioner of Police Dr. Abdullah Fairoosh said that a consulate is not a trade center.
The tweet from Dr. Fairoosh giving his opinion on the matter comes while India has decided to develop an Indian consulate in Addu City. He said that a consulate is not a trade center and that it is a institution for providing consular services.
He also noted that the purposes of a consulate including improving national development and developing the level of education and social services as well as medical services for the residents.
While Dr. Fairoosh tweeted in favour of developing a consulate in Addu City, MPs of Addu Constituencies have also shown their support for the matter. They stated that the consulate will be important for the development of Addu. Speaker of the Parliament Mohamed Nasheed also said that this consulate will be beneficial for Addu City as well as national development.
However, those who oppose the development of a consulate has started a campaign in the name of “save Addu” opposing the project. The announcement from Indian government has caused commotion on social media regarding the matter.
Although the government of Maldives has yet to approve the establishment of an Indian consulate in Addu City, Mayor of Addu City, Ali Nizar stated that the Addu City Council will provide full support in the matter as it is an important decision made regarding the development of Addu.
However, social media has been filled with criticism towards the decision of building a consulate in Addu City with many people believing that the freedom of Addu City would be lost with the established of an Indian Consulate and that it would not bring any development the pro-government are stating.
The popular mathematian, Professor Mohamed Ugail has also stated that it is unwise to spend government and Addu Council’s time and resources on such an endeavor and that opening a consulate office will not bring economic, urban or social development to Addu City.
If the government accepts the offer to establish an Indian consulate in Addu City, then it will be the first time in Maldives’ history that a diplomatic mission of a foreign country will be opened in an island other than the capital Malé city.
