Abdulla Matheen Mohamed, Managing Director of MWSC, said tonight that there is no terminal built by opponents at Velana International Airport (VIA) and that they cannot claim ownership. Speaking at a PNC gathering, Matheen said that the opposition began building the new terminal on the eastern side. However, when this government came to power, they developed the terminal on the western side. Therefore, he said there is no room for them to claim ownership today.
“The foundations of the terminal that the opposition started to build were removed and discarded because this government does not want to build the country’s economy on a crooked foundation,” Matheen said. He stated that the opposition tried to keep the old runway in place and have foreigners operate the airport for many years. Matheen said that the old runway could accommodate 8 flights, but now it can handle 21 flights. He said that expanding tourism and the economy is PNC’s vision, while the opposition has a narrow vision.
“In their view, Maldivians are not capable; they can’t even run an airport, so foreigners need to be brought in to operate the airport. That’s how narrow-minded they were about Maldivians, and that’s the difference between them and us,” Matheen said. He stated that their current calculations don’t add up, and the opposition has no room to talk about expanding the economy. Final preparations are underway for the opening of the new terminal at Velana Airport on the 26th of this month, which marks 60 years of Maldivian independence. President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, after winning the September 2023 presidential election, made his first visit as President-elect to inspect the work on the new terminal at Velana Airport in November of that year.
Referring to the project contractor, President Dr. Muizzu said at the time that 54% of the new terminal was completed. However, after about a year and a half of work, the project is now close to 100% completion. This terminal will be one of the most beautiful terminals ever built in the Maldives. The terminal is set to open with everyone together. As the work on the new terminal at Velana International Airport is completed and airport services are further expanded, this marks a significant advancement for Maldivian tourism and the economy. People are now beginning to anticipate the day when this project will be completed and its benefits will be realized by the public.
