MDP concerned over delays in handing over flats

Opposition party Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) has expressed concern over the delays in handover of flats, for which beneficiaries have been selected under the previous administration’s Boahiyaavehikan housing scheme.

In a statement issued on Thursday, MDP said that though the government has entered into an agreement with the 4,000 beneficiaries who will receive flats from the Male' area through the housing scheme, the party has been receiving complaints that the government has not been able to hand over the flats till date.

"During the election campaign and even after coming to power, the President Dr. Muizzu has spoken about flats in different ways, contrary to what he has promised to the people and misleading the people, which is also a matter of concern for the people," the statement said.

MDP therefore urges the government to handover the land and flats allotted in the housing schemes their administration conducted while they were in office.

There are 13,000 people eligible for flats in the permanent list of the housing scheme announced by the previous government. Of these, only 4,000 flats were initially allotted. Three room flats will be allotted to those who score above 76 points. Two-room flats will be given to those who have scored above 73 points.

However, amidst allegations that points were rewarded wrongly, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) started a probe to investigate the accusations and halted the handover of flats.

While the ACC probe is still underway, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu said on January 2 that flats will be handed over within two weeks.

However, Minister of Housing, Land, and Urban Development Dr. Ali Haidar Ahmed has said the flats will be handed over once ACC concludes its probe.

He said they will not make any changes to the criteria, and if there are no issues with the beneficiaries list, the 4,000 flats will be handed over accordingly.

ACC’s latest comment on the issue was that even though they are conducting the probe as fast as they can, they do not know when they will be able to close the case.