Yesterday, Pravind Jugnauth answered a question from Chief Whip Kavi Doolub duting the Prime Minister’s Question Time on Agalega. The Prime Minister was very explicit about his government’s vision for the development of Agalega.
According to the Prime Minister, the socio-economic development of Agalega had been neglected for far too long, and the needs and aspirations of its inhabitants had been receiving little attention, leaving them with the bare minimum for their subsistence. For the PM, under his government, with two major infrastructural development projects namely, the new airstrip and the new jetty, Agalega is set to embark on a transformative journey towards a better and brighter future for the Agalegans and their children.
After an interaction with the representatives of the Agalegan community of the North and South Islands, Prime Minister Jugnauth has requested his Office to ensure the necessary follow up on the issues raised by them. A Committee at the level of PMO is currently working on a Master Plan for the development of Agalega. The Committee will work in collaboration with all the Ministries concerned and the OIDC to ensure that all issues, including those raised during my visit are addressed, namely:
- implementation of mitigation measures against beach erosion;
- protection of historical monuments;
- provision of sports facilities;
- development of fishing;
- upgrading of health services;
- boosting food crops and livestock production;
- improving fire and rescue service;
- enhancement of education facilities;
- improvement of land transport facilities;
- improvement of internet and mobile connectivity;
- construction of housing units and maintenance of existing units and staff quarters; and
- employment opportunities and training.
The Prime Minister also replied to queries regarding operation of commercial flights to Agalega. PM reiterated what he said during a press statement in Agalega on 01 March 2024. Proper planning and consultations need to be carried out with all relevant stakeholders for the airstrip to become operational for commercial flights. In addition to financial viability, there are several technical and operational requirements that need to be catered for to ensure the smooth operation of commercial flights.
