However, the exodus of around 240 Rinbudhoo residents to Thulusdhoo island in Kaafu atoll -- in the wake of the tsunami that washed away thousands of lives across South Asia in 2004 -- seemed to have heralded the end of Rinbudhoo at the time. The oldest of the three mosques in the island, which history proves is over 250 years old, features a cemetery overgrown with untended weeds. The lack of a single standing tombstone, overgrown by creepers and weeds, in the cemetery indicates that not one person has been buried in this island in long years bygone. The more than 250 year old mosque in Rinbudhoo. HAVEERU PHOTO: IBRAHIM NOOR However, the opening of aaaVeee Nature’s Paradise resort in Dhaalu atoll this Tuesday has raised hopes that life may be rekindled in Rinbudhoo once more. According to Water Solutions , a local flagship in the field of environmental management and surveys in major development projects as well as the manager of Dhaalu atoll Dhoores resort’s dive school, the population of Rinbudhoo in 2014 amounted to 552. To date, there has been only seven additions to that number. Years have passed without Rinbudhoo seeing the birth of a single child. “Since resorts such as Dhoores and Vommuli are being developed in this atoll, there are some people [that emigrated] who want to return. But since they had to give up their lands here, in order to receive land in islands like Thulusdhoo, those residents cannot come back now,” a Rinbudhoo youth explained to Haveeru. Foliage growing at abandoned houses in Rinbudhoo. HAVEERU PHOTO: IBRAHIM NOOR Yet, the migration of a number of Rinbudhoo’s goldsmith families to the region of the central capital Malé had also proven advantageous. It had opened the doors of entry into the capital market. “On the other hand, the introduction of tourism to this atoll has expanded the jewellery market to foreign tourists as well. So, we’re in an unconventional situation right now,” Hathim “ Haathie ” Ibrahim, the young mayor of Rinbudhoo Council, told Haveeru. A beach hangout for sunset seekers directly to Ribundhoo. HAVEERU PHOTO: IBRAHIM NOOR The atoll’s Vommuli resort, which will be managed by famous American five-star chain St Regis – Starwood Hotels & Resorts, is being developed by real estate veteran and second richest billionaire tycoon of India’s Tamil Nadu state, Ravi Appaswamy . The Vommuli development project was awarded to Appaswamy’s The Residency Group, with 100 percent local company Vermillion Maldives as a shareholding partner. However, Dhoores retreat had been developed wholly by Vermillion without any foreign finance, making it a true source of Maldivian pride. A fifteen minute flight away from Kuda Huvadhoo island being developed as a domestic airport, the project to develop Kandinma commenced early this year. The final resort will feature 11 types of villas and 10 food and beverage outlets, according to Kandinma Holdings. The tourism ministry had issued its official authorisation of Dhoores resort last week Thursday. Haveeru understands that Minister Moosa Zameer and senior ministry officials held a special ceremony early this Tuesday to make the announcement. Following its authorisation, the first group of tourists to Vermillion’s aaaVeee Nature’s Paradise in Dhoores is expected to arrive December 27. The majority of the group consists of foreign tour operators and travel agents to promote the resort on the global market. Dhoores operated 'Seldam Ribundhoo' guesthouse. HAVEERU PHOTO: IBRAHIM NOOR While the government had awarded the resort development of Dhoores and Vommuli to Vermillion in a move to cover the project investments of transportation in Dhaalu, Meemu and Faafu atolls, the company had also established a guesthouse by the name of “Sevidlam” (“Maldives” spelt backwards) in Rinbudhoo. The guesthouse Stella in Rinbudhoo owned by a resident. HAVEERU PHOTO: IBRAHIM NOOR Prior to Vermillion’s investment, two residents of Rinbudhoo had also developed a couple of guesthouses to boost guesthouse tourism in the island following the 2004 tsunami tragedy. One is named “Stellar” and the other “Villa Delphina”, named after the Italian word for “dolphin”. Both guesthouses receive visitors directly from European countries. The guesthouse Villa Delphina operated by a resident in Rinbudhoo. HAVEERU PHOTO: IBRAHIM NOOR In addition to Rinbudhoo, Vermillion has offered employment in Dhoores and Vommuli to residents of the island Hulhudheli in the same atoll. “The meaning of the term ‘centralisation’ has changed from the era of [former] President Maumoon by the time it came to [current] President Yameen’s reign, due to major changes in the Maldives’ whole economic system in recent years. Earlier, Maldivians worried about how the development of ‘200 islands as 200 countries’ could be done. However, due to local and guesthouse tourism, more people now understand that there is a future for Rinbudhoo should Kudahuvadhoo island be developed as this atoll’s [economic] centre,” a youth of Rinbudhoo told Haveeru. Kudahuvadhoo Council had confided in Haveeru earlier this week of the government’s ongoing discussions to relocate a number of families from Rinbudhoo to Kuda Huvadhoo. However, certain families prefer to go down the same path as the islands Eydhafushi and Thulhaadhoo in Baa atoll: Thulhaadhoo was developed as a lacquer work hub instead of relocating all its residents to Baa atoll’s economic hub of Eydhafushi. Similarly, Rinbudhoo’s residents favour the option of developing Kuda Huvadhoo as Dhaalu atoll’s economic hub and Rinbudhoo as a goldsmith center. Accordingly, Rinbudhoo Council and Maldives Polytechnic had jointly launched a course for goldsmith training nationwide last month. Certificates of participation are to be awarded soon to those who successfully completed the course. “The island council has drawn up a proposal to shift the landfill to the other side of the island to minimise inconvenience to tourists and recycle the waste, when GEF ( Global Environment Facility ) opportunities become available next year,” said Mayor Haathie. Rinbudhoo's waste disposal site is to be shifted to another area of the island for tourists' convenience, and also as a part of 'recycling'.. HAVEERU PHOTO: IBRAHIM NOOR GEF was the project launched by the first world summit on environment held in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro in 1992 to collect funds for environmental protection projects. The facility, which has 183 member countries, has so far raised USD 14 billion (MVR 223 billion) as free aid for over 4,000 projects, and USD 75 billion (MVR 1.162 trillion) in other ways. Jungle area reserved by Rinbudhoo Council for a 50-room mini-resort as soon as the government approves such a national scheme. HAVEERU PHOTO: IBRAHIM NOOR “We’ve also finished a proposal to develop a 50-room mini-resort on the wooded side of the island, facing Dhoores, and fenced and blocked from view of the island’s inhabited area. We shall submit it immediately as soon as the government opens the opportunity,” a council member told Haveeru. Government aligned Jumhoory Party member Ali Hussain had recently clarified the changes brought to the concept of centralisation (population consolidation or "effas kurun") to some members of ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM). The Baa atoll Kendhoo parliamentarian had then assured that the government will not mandate residents of small population islands to relocate to the capital’s reclaimed suburb Hulhumalé. He had illuminated his point explaining that should Baa atoll’s Eydhafushi be developed as an economic hub, then residents of Kuda Rikilu island in the same atoll need not relocate to Hulhumalé and “remain unemployed”. He had suggested opening opportunities for local and guesthouse tourism to small population islands who opt not to relocate to the “Greater Malé” region. “Residents of small islands need to find sources of income through natural resources. This is an easy feat. All that’s required are a land, a lagoon, a reef,” he had declared. “It’s not only a few families in Rinbudhoo who desire to continue living in their own island. Especially the youth,” said Mayor Haathie with regards to the island which boasts of six square hectares of land, large woods and several dive sites already popular among tourists. Major of Rinbudhoo feeds a friendly stork as Nasheed Hussain, another youth, waits on the beach to be transferred for a job interview at Dhoores resort last Saturday. HAVEERU PHOTO: IBRAHIM NOOR An official of Dhoores Retreat told Haveeru that, even solely from the perspective of tourism, the enduring livelihoods of islands such as Rinbudhoo, Hulhudheli and Bandidhoo is imperative to maintain the tourism of Dhoores and Vommuli. “For example, we cannot establish futsal courts in Dhoores and Vommuli due to the sizes of the islands and the peace desired by tourists. Hence, we arranged for young local employees of the two resorts to go every evening to Rinbudhoo to play football. Moreover, the football field in Rinbudhoo is not in good condition at the moment, and so we’ve received several requests from Dhaalu atoll youth to develop it,” said the official. Hulhudheli and Rinbudhoo youths working at Dhoores and Vommuli travel daily to Rinbudhoo to play football at the island's worn stadium. HAVEERU PHOTO: IBRAHIM NOOR Deprivation of regular football, which is almost a part of Maldivian blood as much as it is an exercise, would certainly have negative repercussions on the youth of Dhaalu atoll who work in Dhoores and Vommuli – for the masterminds behind these resorts, which were brought into existence “with Maldivian finance according to ideals of Maldivian tourism”, were former national football stars whose names shine brilliantly in the history of Maldives football: Ahmed “Dhonbileh” Haleem who had endured for Victory Sports, and Ali “Ayya” Shahin, who had taken off from Club Valencia. “While [Baa atoll] Thulhaadhoo’s residents are masters of lacquer work, the people of that atoll are now hoping that the next ‘Dhagandey’ (national team captain Ali Ashfaq, widely regarded as the best footballer the Maldives has ever seen) will be Thulhadhoo’s Anko (Ansar Ibrahim of Club Eagles) who is playing in the national team for the first time,” Haathie went on to say. “Meanwhile, the residents of Rinbudhoo are goldsmith masters, and the people of Dhaalu atoll are hoping that the next ‘Dhagandey’ will be Rinbudhoo-born Dhaadh (Naaiz Hassan of TC Sports Club), who is nominated for the Under 21 Best Football Player chosen by the annual Haveeru Sports Awards. And so, we are all in hopes of producing exceptional football warriors who will bring a good name to the Maldives from our island of Rinbudhoo as well, God-willing,” he added. A photo last Saturday of the sun setting behind Dhoores was instagramed under the #Rinbudhoo hashtag by Mayor Haathie, from the tip of his island's inner breakwater. HAVEERU PHOTO: IBRAHIM NOOR