Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP for Hanimaadhoo Abdul Ghafoor Moosa raised questions about Housing Development Corporation (HDC) granting the land adjacent to the SJ Mall in Hulhumale' Phase 1 to the same company.
Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP for Hanimaadhoo Abdul Ghafoor Moosa raised questions about Housing Development Corporation (HDC) granting the land adjacent to the SJ Mall in Hulhumale' Phase 1 to the same company.
This led to an angry exchange between Ghafoor and MDP's South Hulhumale' MP Dr Ahmed Shamheed.
In yesterday's Public Accounts Committee meeting, Ghafoor extensively questioned HDC Managing Director Ibrahim Fazul Rasheed about this land which has been granted to SJ, a company which Dr Shamheed's family has stakes in.
After the meeting, Shamheed accused Ghafoor of raising the questions due to 'personal differences' with him. Another MP who witnessed the incident said that there had been a heated exchange between Ghafoor and Shamheed.
SJ has submitted a proposal to HDC seeking the land adjacent to the SJ Mall. HDC has decided to allocate the land in accordance with the proposal.
However, Fazul did not disclose the price at which the land is being sold to SJ, avoiding providing a direct answer despite being asked multiple times by Ghafoor.
Fazul stated that the sale of this land to SJ would cause HDC to lose a land through which they could have gotten revenue. Hence, a decision was made to seek a way in which HDC can otherwise generate revenue, in which SJ will need to invest, he said.
Fazul said that SJ had been tasked with building huts worth MVR 20 million in the 'Ruhgan'du' area in Hulhumale', which they had done under the terms of buying the land in question. Fazul did not mention how this affected the price of the land.
"The company has to pay the set price for the land, and under CSR, invest MVR 20 million. So there's these two different factors," Fazul said.
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