Tourism Minister, Abdulla Mausoom has said that a housing scheme will be introduced by the end of the year to relocate families of resort staff closer to islands closer to the resort they are working at.

Responding to a question about the housing scheme for resort staff on ONE Exclusive program of ONE Plus, Minister Mausoom said that it is a government pledge to arrange for resort staff to be able to go home for the night. And to make that happen, resorts are being developed closer to inhabited islands.

He said that aside from the resorts, the Ministry is working on introducing tourism to inhabited islands including homestay. And the goal is to be able to work in tourism and be with family.

As for the housing scheme, Minister Mausoom said that the plan is to be able to rent or buy houses through installments from the housing projects in the islands near resorts.

The Tourism Minister said that discussions have taken place with a number of Island Councils and the the funding mechanism has been planned as well. He said that the project will be launched in two islands as a model before introducing it to the rest of the country.

Minister Mausoom said that both the Island Councils and the Tourism sectors approves of the project.

The government amended the Employment Act last September to allow resort staff to go to their home island after their shift. However, it received criticism from the staff that are working far away from their native islands.

In the interview with ONE Plus, Minister Mausoom said that a separate model is set to be introduced to address that issue as well and new resorts being developed near inhabited islands are being given the opportunity to develop staff housing in the nearby islands. Minister Mausoom said that even if housing development off the resort, there should be a lounge for staff at the resort itself.

The Tourism Minister said that discussions have been held with the Ministry of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure regarding the scheme and concept ideas have been formulated. And when such a scheme starts, the island must have good healthcare and education systems.