The Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) has claimed that the public may have been misled over its views on hosting a South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit in Addu Atoll next year by the main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP).
Some Rf231 million is expected to be included in the 2011 state budget to fund next year’s SAARC summit in Addu Atoll, which will try and outline projects and policy areas of collaboration for regional member states.
However, DRP MPs in parliament have argued that it would be wiser to spend the Rf231 million for the development of Addu Atoll and Fuvamulah instead of using it to prepare for the SAARC summit.
DQP Deputy leader and MP Riyaz Rasheed said that he boycotted the parliament committee while researching the budget.
”It was not the intention of the DQP to work against the hosting of the SAARC summit in Addu Atoll, and we will not support such a plan,” said the party in a statement.
The DQP added that it wanted to try spending the SAARC money according to a strategy that will better benefit the people of Addu Atoll and Fuvamulah, “instead of making the money go to the pockets of specific individuals.”
The DQP said the party had requested parliament to provide detailed information on the budget to all MPs in order ”to avoid making it something that solely benefits the relatives and close acquaintances of the ruling [Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)], like the government did last year.”
”This party will always try to avoid corruption in developing Addu Atoll and other atolls,” the DQP stated.
The party said that it did not wish to remove the money allocated in next year’s budget to hold the SAARC summit in the Maldives.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Alliance Party (PA), a group led by Abdulla Yamin, half brother of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and a fellow member of the opposition coalition, has also issued a statement regarding the DRP’s position on Addu Atoll.
The PA claimed that the DRP’s statement read in a way that could be considered to suggest that it was opposed to the development of the SAARC event and Addu Atoll itself.
”We do not oppose holding the SAARC summit in Addu Atoll,” said PA Secretary General Ahmed Shareef. ”We demand to upgrade the regional hospital of Addu and also demand to money to upgrade the Maldives’ College of Higher Education’s (MCHE) campus in Addu Atoll.”
Shareef claimed that the PA has been mainly trying to avoid having development money for the atoll wasted.
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If the summit is not held in Addu, it will be held in Male; the money will have to be spent there too.
I guess, DQP and PA won't say anything about spending Rf 100 million in Male for the summit.
I'm quite certain that PA and DQP DO NOT want to see such a big event take place in Addu, since it will raise the profile of the atoll.
Gayoom and his clan want to keep Addu down, just as he did for last 30 years
Oh come on! Male' isn't Maldives! And Addu is basically one of atolls with the most potential for development. It is bigger, has a high population, has a very good airport, has resorts, is connected by the link road.....basically, it can become everything Male' can't. But nobody seems to notice really. Addu has been ignored since the beginning, and will be ignored if politicians are going to keep up trying to develop one little island which is already overpopulated, with more cars than parking spaces.
What a pity, DQP opposing such an opportunity,
I always asked myself do any of the big shots from Addu n FM (who resides in Male") ever cared about for their native land, guess not,... what do u guys think?
@ Ahmed Bin Addu Bin Suvadheeb @Shaira
The problem here is not because it is to be hosting in Addu, but in an economically stifled country like the Maldives, money and resources are very scarce; and therefore, it needs to spend wisely and carefully to the areas that would bolster the economy of this nation. We have an urgency to create more jobs to our nations youths who are languishing out there and ending in jails, and it would be more better if this money is spent on crucial infrastructure development of Addu or to provide quality education for its youth, who are a large fraction of drug related crimes.
On the other hand, the government should be fair in allocating its money. I just wonder why Addu people think they are way too superior than rest of the Maldivians? What's the right of the people living in North, are they not Maldivian who are equally contributing to the development of this nation?
Holding a summit is Addu or any part of Maldives will have many advantages such as balancing out the development of Maldives. For example:
1. It brings in this case Addu more into focus
2. Adduans will have to cater services to the summit thereby adding on value and improving their services
3. They gain a great asset in the form of buildings which will for sure have many other good purposes later
4. Infrastructure of Addu will be improved thereby gaining another advantage
5. A lot of problems will come to surface which will be addressed
6. A lot of money will be spend in Addu for preparations and during the summit thereby increasing the cash flow around and in Addu.
7. Businesses in Addu for sure will make a good turnover due to this
8. Moving away from Male is in general good giving importance to other parts of Maldives (and not only Male')
There will be many other opportunities that will come out of this.
So, I say to people of Addu, stay open and welcome this event which can be the first of many, but it is really up to you to show it. Let the politicians fight their stupidity out, but if you get the chance do not let it go.
we are not very optimistic about MDP either. So far we have seen unplanned ad-hoc decisions regarding the development of Addu from this government. Transport system is not functioning well, and even though a big company is running it, it is no different from an ordinary boat owners service. The Airport is not up to standard with 4 toilets to cater for International passengers.We don't want down scaled projects like Link Road and Airport and Sea Port which was not executed as planned. We want better strategic planning executed for a 15 - 20year master plan in ADDU. We are totally against sky crappers of convention centers build on areas without any land use planning and unsustainable and costly sewerage systems which are easy to lay down, but with staggering running costs which can overburden public.
People of Addu are mislead to believe this government is doing much for us, but the truth is we are being blindfolded and we get peanuts, proportionally. DQP is right in pointing these out
I read these comments and I wonder where the future lies for Addu..Fishing and tourism is about all you have..Fishing is just about sustainable with care and planning,,tourism will just about price itself out of the market,a few super-rich will not sustain the atoll..The extra flight from Male to Gan,makes the cost too great for most people..International flights,with maybe a government subsidy,will almost certainly help..Private accomodation provided by the islanders could be a possibility,but europeans usually want alcohol during their holiday,a major stumbling block,,would your island council allow bars serving alcohol on Feydhoo/hittadoo ???No,I think when you have that summit on Addu,,someone will have to stand-up,face the members,,tell them-this is what we have on Addu--do we stagnate or will you encourage investment.A total way of life changing investment for the Atoll..Remember when Britain handed Hong Kong back to the Chinese,,Hong Kong was totally different to the rest of China,,but look at the way China has embraced Hong Kong and followed its example..Now Addu has always been (its own man), could Addu not now become the new face of a new Maldives??....