Ministry seeks AG Office help for Gulhi Falhu land agreement fix

Ministry of Construction, Housing and Infrastructure has announced today that they will be deliberating with the Attorney General's Office to seek a resolution to the legal issues arising in the Gulhi Falhu land allocation agreements made during the previous administration.

On July 1, the ministry announced that it will be issuing new registries for land plots issued from Gulhi Falhu under the Binveriya housing scheme after voiding previously issued registries. However, land recipients are refusing to sign the new agreement.

In a statement issued on the matter, the ministry said that although the previous administration led by former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had issued registries to those who received land from Hulhumale', Gulhi Falhu and Giraavaru Falhu, due to various reasons, the land use plan of Gulhi Falhu has been recently changed, due to which the locations of land plots issued in Gulhi Falhu has also now changed.

The ministry said that a draw was taken amongst recipients to determine the land plots they will be allocated. During the process of revising existing agreements for re-signing, the ministry identified discrepancies with provisions under the Land Act.

Article 11(a) of the Land Act states, "State dwellings shall be issued to Maldivian citizens who do not have a state dwelling or a private dwelling or a flat from a government constructed building or from a co- owned building or a part of a state or private dwelling that has been divided in accordance with section 15 of this Act. However this Act shall not prohibit the issuing of a state dwelling to a person who relinquishes his/her ownership of a part of a state or private dwelling that has been divided in accordance with section 15 of this Act or relinquishes his/her ownership of a flat from a government constructed building or from a co-owned building or on a condition that the person relinquishes his/her ownership of the aforesaid properties

However, the initial policies on issuing land under the Binveriya scheme conditions that land under the size of 600sqft in the Male' area be relinquished.

Housing Ministry said today that while this was the condition said, construction had commenced on some of the land plots issued from Hulhumale'. The ministry maintains that a complete solution cannot be reached through changing only the agreements made with Gulhi Falhu land recipients.

The ministry is now seeking a total solution through deliberations with the Attorney General's Office, according to the statement.

The ministry said that with a view towards expediting handover of land plots as per the draw held on May 30, they have decided to sign a new agreement with the recipients in which the article outlining information about the land plot will be amended to show the land plot number and location.

Earlier this week, the Gulhifalhu Citizens' Association appealed to recipients to not sign the new agreement as it could lead to some listed as recipients no longer being eligible.