The Minister of Construction, Housing and Infrastructure, Dr Abdulla Muththalib, has confirmed that the Thoddoo Island Council had indeed requested the use of differently coloured paving stones for road development on the island.

This clarification was issued in response to a post on X, where it had been erroneously stated that no such request had been made by the council.

In his statement, Minister Dr Muththalib explained that the Ministry’s Information Officer had received incorrect information, leading to the misunderstanding.

The Minister has since rectified the matter, confirming that a formal request was submitted by the Thoddoo Council in a letter dated January 8, 2024. Following this, the Information Officer asked the Minister to correct the record and issue an official response to the council.

Furthermore, discussions have taken place within islands where local tourism is carried out regarding the potential use of coloured and patterned paving stones as an alternative to traditional tarmac, with the aim of enhancing aesthetic appeal to tourists.