Former President Mohamed Nasheed says it would be more beneficial to Baa Atoll Goidhoo if the government invests in guesthouses on the island instead of dredging and reclaiming the island amid concerns about the project.
On a trip to the island earlier this month, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu announced that a contract has been awarded for the development of a resort in Goidhoo lagoon, with the agreement expected to be signed before the end of the month.
Since then, environmental groups have voiced concerns about the plans, claiming that the project will destroy the Atoll's hundreds of years old corals.
Offering alternative developmental plans, the former President said that it would be more beneficial to the atoll to develop more guesthouses on the islands than to have a resort in its lagoon.
He also said that a resort can be developed in more suitable islands in the Atoll, including Goifulha and Fehendhoo.
