President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has announced that his administration is working to introduce a modern, high‑tech solution to strengthen the reintegration of children who commit crimes, especially those entangled in the nation’s drug epidemic.
Speaking in the third episode of The Pulse podcast, the President framed the initiative as part of a broader national drive to save young people involved in drugs and enable them to live responsible, dignified and constructive lives.
During the interview, President Muizzu stressed that the drug epidemic cannot be curbed merely by law‑enforcement and the true root causes must be identified and treated.
“Housing shortages, inadequate employment opportunities, limited income‑generation options for youth and women, as well as gaps in health and education all contribute to the pathways that lead our young people into drug use and crime,” he said.
To address these drivers, the government’s round‑the‑clock strategy includes tackling the chronic housing crisis through new reclamation projects, providing adequate employment and creating diverse income‑generating avenues, such as support for small‑business start‑ups, home‑based work for women, expanding access to quality healthcare and increasing educational opportunities that empower youth.
The President revealed that, despite the high cost, a dedicated site at Uthuruthilafalhu has been identified for the reintegration project, in addition to land already reclaimed for the national housing scheme. Funding is being raised and proposals are currently under evaluation, with the aim of breaking ground “as soon as possible” and delivering measurable outcomes within the current term, he added.
Responding to listeners’ questions on The Pulse—a platform designed for the President to answer a responsible journalist’s queries—he reaffirmed that the new facility will offer a comprehensive, modern approach to rehabilitate juvenile offenders, emphasising that real change will come only when root causes are addressed in a meaningful way.