Raa Atoll, Maldives – Planning Minister of Maldives, Mohamed Aslam refrained from responding to the Government’s sudden plan to construct an expensive airport in Raa Atoll by reclaiming the lagoon of R. Alifushi.
The Planning Ministry contracted the project to MTCC for MVR 451 million to be completed in 750 days.
Although R. Ifuru already has an airport, residents in Raa Atoll has expressed several concerns noting that the airport is too far from the majority of the islands in the atoll. Hence, building an airport in Raa Atoll was made an electoral pledge of the incumbent government.
On Government’s sudden plan to construct an expensive airport in R. Alifushi, Opposition MP for Maduvvari Constituency Adam Shareef questioned Minister Aslam that would it not be a “prank” on the islanders to suddenly commence something that was not included in the state budget for Alifushi.
MP Shareef also asked Minister Aslam for a justification on the major disagreements between the people of Raa Atoll over the construction of an airport in Alifushi.
Minister Aslam refrained from answering the questions of MP Shareef and stated that he would not respond to the questions stating that today’s session questions were focused on water and sewerage systems.
