Gov’t launches Bazaar Bandharu Development Programme

President Mohamed Nasheed during his official visit to G.Dh Thinadhoo has launched the “Bazaar Bandharu Development Program”, aimed at developing the harbour front areas of selected islands of Maldives under Public-Private Partnership arrangements.

According to Ministry of Economic Development, the objective of this program is to enable utilization of harbour infrastructure developed in the islands sustainably and to promote development of commercial activities surrounding the harbours in an effort to generate economic activities at island and regional level to provide meaningful employment opportunities, particularly to the youth, at island level, and thereby create means for income generation by promoting SMEs, trade and entrepreneurship at island and atoll level. The program is expected to contribute to further diversification of the economy and improve the resilience of island and atoll economies.  

The Ministry said that the programme recognizes the central role harbours play in the socio-economic well-being of the island population and hence the importance of equipping harbours with adequate infrastructure, services and resources to develop islands as harbour-based commercial hubs that have the potential for reaping benefits from the government’s nation-wide transport network currently being rolled out.

Absence or rather lack of adequate  resources and essential services supporting the harbours are limiting factors currently contributing to the low volume of  trade of  goods and services at a local level, forcing families to relocate or migrate to capital Male’ in search of better employment opportunities. This creates issues of congestion in Male’, the economic capital of Maldives, and widens the existing disparity between Male’ and atolls in terms of employment and income.

Ministry of Economic Development said that the program intends to develop harbours constructed in various parts of the Maldives under the government infrastructure development program at three different levels: - as regional, atoll and island level harbours.

Under the first phase of the program, interested individuals and private sector parties registered in the Maldives are requested to submit proposals for the following 10 islands:   H.Dh Kulhudhufushi;    A.Dh Maamigili;  R. Dhuvaafaru;   G.A Dhandhoo;  M. Mulah;   L. Gan;    G.Dh Thinadhoo;  H.A Hoarafushi;   H.A Ihavandhoo and  D. Kudahuvadhoo.