Land should be allocated like Veshi Fahi Male' programme: Nasheed

Former President Mohamed Nasheed has said the best approach to land allocation in Male' is to follow the principles of the Veshi Fahi Malé programme introduced during his administration.

As debate over land distribution in the capital intensifies, Nasheed wrote on social media that reclaimed land should be allocated to residents who surrender plots in Male's narrow streets. Under such a system, residents would receive plots of equivalent size in newly reclaimed areas.

He added that it is equally important to provide Male' residents with access to land from other islands.

Nasheed said Male' had never been reserved for any particular group, noting that its history shows it has long been home to people from various regions and islands.

Citing his book Male' Killaa, he said that if a census had been taken in 1750, it would have shown residents from different continents and islands living in Male'.

Land and flats distributed under the Veshi Fahi Male' programme during Nasheed’s administration were provided in exchange for residents surrendering their plots in Male's narrow streets.