MDP clarifies claimed exclusions were outside agreement scope

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has rejected claims made by Fahi Dhiriulhun Corporation (FDC) that the current ongoing works at the 4000 flats were on work previously excluded by the MDP-led government.

In a statement issued by the party, MDP said that the work that FDC Managing Director Hamdhan Shakeel has said was excluded by the MDP government was not in the initial agreement at all.

Hamdhan claimed that important work such as power grid connectivity, security systems, GPON network, landscaping and waste chutes were excluded from the agreement during the administration of former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

MDP rejected these claims, and said that these works are to be undertaken through collaboration by FDC and the government after the contractor completes work on the buildings. MDP said that 'it could only have been excluded from the agreement if it had been included to begin with'.

"Hence, we assure you that is it completely untrue that the previous government had excluded some work from the agreement. This party believes that these rumours are being spread to deflect from the fact that this government, through its sheer incompetence, has failed to complete this work even as the flats are being handed over to recipients," the statement reads.

MDP further said that the initial 4000 flats under the Gedhoruveriya housing scheme are being built through FDC. This includes 2,800 three bedroom units and 1,200 two bedroom units in 32 towers. The project was handed over to two Indian contractors, with the funds arranged through India's Exim bank, MDP said.

They said that the MDP government, too, had decided to install water, electricity, phone lines, TV cables, internet cables and other such services by FDC and the government after the contractor had completed work on the buildings.

"To prepare for this, several discussions were held in meetings from 2022 onwards, and plans were compiled for executing this, with institutions to implement this also decided on. The government also decided to bear the costs of providing these services," the statement reads.

Two days ago, Hamdhan said in a post on X that work on all flats are now nearing completion. He said that what is remaining is work of the Utility Regulatory Authority (URA) and that the work now being undertaken is work that was excluded during the administration of President Solih.

1. Building signage

2. CCTV network

3. Garbage chutes

4. Boom gates

5. Landscaping

6. Feeder cable and transformer connection

7. MWSC sewage connection

8. Booster pump

9. Shaft doors

10. External gates

11. Internet and Medianet