Last Thursday I went to Hulhumale, the man-made island that is about a 40 minute boat ride from Male. President Gayoom commissioned the building of the island as a safe haven for the people of Male if the sea levels rise. The island is 6 feet above sea level which probably makes it one of the highest points in the entire country. The only problem is that practically no one has moved there. This is partly because the Hulhumale development corporation it not that good about providing basic utilities such as running water, or about charging affordable prices for plots of land, which then have to be built on. The result is a lot of wide open spaces and dirt. The flow of foodstuffs and other goods to the island is also not constant. I talked with the daughter of a shopkeeper who says they do a good business when they have something to sell. 
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