Ibrahim Shareef Mohamed, CEO and Managing Director of Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), stated that the new international terminal at Velana International Airport (VIA), scheduled for inauguration this Saturday evening, was 30 percent complete upon the current government's assumption of power. He added that the present administration has overseen the completion of the remaining 70 percent within a period of one and a half years.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the new VIA terminal, Shareef said that by 2023 the terminal project had come to a standstill ‘empty in every sense’ and that he had doubted whether the terminal would be operable despite the completion of the physical structure.
"There was no power supply, no electricity supply, no drainage system and no running water. The 12 MW power system required for the place was born out of the agile hands that created this airport," he said.
Shareef said the main road had not been built when he took over the site and it was difficult to raise funds to complete the project.
Shareef commended President Dr Mohamed Muizzu for finishing the construction of the new terminal under his current administration.
"This is the commendation of effective leaders such as President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, who directed us on our path and accomplished 30 percent of the task in merely 1.5 years, ultimately arriving at the juncture of success," Shareef remarked.
He described the terminal as the pride of the people and entreated to preserve it for future generations.