Govt Decision to Return Dhapparu to Filladhoo Still Not Published in Govt Gazette

Although President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had decided to return Dhapparu to Filladhoo's (Haa Alifu Atoll) jurisdiction, the decision has still not been published in the Government's Gazette.

Dhapparu, an uninhabited island, is connected by a thin strip of land to Filladhoo.

Dhapparu had previously been designated for use by an Indian company as a site for the construction of Second Homes. Attempts had been made by the Nasheed administration of 2008-2012 to carry the project out.

A presidential circular was published on August 29 had removed Dhapparu from the Filladhoo Council's jurisdiction. The Filladhoo Council expressed their concern following the release of the circular, and the island's youth had protested and submitted petitions to the President's Office. The government had neither informed nor discussed the decision to remove Dhapparu from Filladhoo's jurisdiction with the Filladhoo Council.

Once the government came under heavy criticism following, presidential spokesman Mabrook Azeez tweeted on October 4 that it had been decided to return Dhapparu back to Filladhoo's jurisdiction.

Although the law mandates that such decisions be published in the Government's Gazette, no such publication on the new decision has been made to date. According to sources, the government has not discussed the matter with the Filladhoo Council following Mabrook Azeez's tweet.