MDP administration did not give one family two flats: Akram

MDP administration Housing Minister Akram Kamaluddin stated today that the administration did not give two flats to married couples (one per individual).

While Housing Minister Abdulla Muththalib has stated that the flat list announced by the former administration has 976 individuals (married couples), Akram said in the MDP Housing Committee press conference today that they had not individually received a flat each.

"Minister Muththalib has stated that over 900 people were given flats in such a manner during our administration. This is not true," said Akram.

Akram stated that while married couples had received flats, no agreements were made to give them the flats. He also said that if married couples had submitted individual forms, they were allocated one flat.

As per Akram, if one spouse received a flat, the flats were put on hold until they had come to a decision.

"If a husband and wife had submitted a form each to this scheme, they were allocated one flat. If they had submitted a form to either the two-room category or the three-room category, the flats were put on hold until they chose which one they wanted," said Akram.

Akram went on to say that the reason why it is being said that people who scored more than 76 points had not received flats was because the current government is not clear as to what had happened.

As per Akram, the reason why the Housing Ministry is experiencing such confusion is because they had let go of the civil staff that had worked on the flat allocation at the time.

In regards to the housing issue, Akram said that the previous administration had reclaimed land from lagoons because they were sure it could be done. He went on to say that that was also the reason why the plot registry was handed over, and that the current administration had used the funds at the Finance Ministry for the land reclamation for other purposes.

During the press conference, Kendhoo MP Mauroof Zakir said MDP believes that one family receiving two flats is not the proper course.

MP Mauroof criticized the current administration for distributing government flats in a manner inconsistent with agreements made under the previous administration.

He said that some people who were originally allocated flats have not received them, while the properties have been handed over to others.

During the press conference held on Sunday, Muththalib stated that 976 married couples who had received flats from the social housing projects also met the conditions for the Gedhoruveriya Scheme, and that there were 645 people who had gotten 76 points.

Muththalib went on to say that there is no policy that states a husband or a wife cannot receive a flat even though one of them already received one. He also said that a lot of work was done to ensure both individuals could not receive flats.

As per Muththalib, the previous administration wanted to give flats in that manner while gesturing towards Maldives' divorce rates. He also said that due to people getting divorced so easily, their housing eligibility should not be lost and that the administration had advocated for them to receive flats.