Government suffers losses from stalled projects: President

Anti-Corruption Commission's (ACC) interruption of projects causes the government to suffer millions of rufiyaa in losses, President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has said.

Speaking at official inauguration of the land reclamation project in Kaafu Thulusdhoo this morning, President Yameen said the government welcomes probes by the anti-graft commission, but also said the commission must provide deadlines for their investigations.

“Government finds it very difficult when ACC halts different projects. It gets in the way of providing services to the people. ACC’s work is mandated by law. But I would like advice the commission. When multi-million rufiyaa projects are brought to a halt, and if they are denied for long periods of time, [the government] suffers the loss. The ACC has to look at the timeframe for these projects, decide on a way to allow them to continue and conclude their investigations within a specific time,” President Abdulla Yameen said.

Noting that the commission has stopped some major projects multiples times, the President said the commission must find a way to solve the issues by minimizing their investigations.

Despite his criticism of ACC, the President stressed that the government does not condone or encourage corruption.

Answering a popular criticism that the Auditor General’s reports are often politically motivated, President Yameen said the current government has no intention of spying on its political opponents.

“If an Auditor General’s report notes that laws were broken, and if things were done against the people’s consent, the government will investigate and make amends,” President Yameen said.

Speaking of the Thulusdhoo reclamation project, President announced that construction of a breakwater will begin soon after the reclamation is completed. A tender to re-construct the island’s harbour will also open before the end of the year, the President said.

Netherlands based Boskalis International started reclamation of Thulusdhoo island by 33 hectares on Wednesday. The reclamation is to be completed within 21 days.

Thulusdhoo is being expanded under a MVR 570 million project, under which three addition islands; Baa Eydhafushi, Dhaalu Meedhoo, Dhaalu Kudahuvadhoo, will be reclaimed through dredging. On 21 April, Boskalis finished reclamation of 25.9 hectares in Eydhafushi, the first of the four island.