Five-year Male' residency period may be shortened

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu said last night that he will consider reviewing the five-year condition regarding eligibility of plot schemes for Male' residents under the current government's housing policy.

During last nights' community meeting with Male' Henveiru residents at Kalaafaanu School, a citizen had shared their concerns regarding the five-year condition for the eligibility of plots for Male' residents.

They stated that their six siblings had been living in Male' on their mother's family plot since the beginning. However, their mother had not received any part of the plot upon division, which led to her children having changed their residency to Addu.

They went on to say that they were unable to apply for the Gedhoruveriya Scheme during former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's administration, and had to change their residency back to Male'.

They said that when the conditions were announced for the plot scheme from the current government last month, they were unable to apply because their current residency in Male' had not reached five years, despite having previously always having Male' residency.

"Due to the current regulation, there is a very big gap in trying to meet the conditions for housing. The gap is the exclusion of those who have been living in Male' their whole lives but have not met the criteria of having their residency in Male' reach five years," said the citizen while requesting the regulation be reformed.

Regarding the citizen's concern, President Muizzu stated that the government will consider it to solve this issue on a "positive note".

"We will think on the matter and bring about concessions so that the five-year condition can be shortened as much as possible. It may be possible to completely dissolve it. And so we will see what kind of change we can bring about. We want to give this opportunity to as many citizens as possible," said the President.

There are two categories that have been determined for awarding plots in this government's housing policy. They are the Male' residents' category and the category for those who are living in Male' from other islands.

The conditions for the Male' residents' category is to be included in the Male' registry since birth or having their name be on the Male' resident's register or be registered to a Male' house or be a resident of Male' for more than five years. The condition for those who are living in Male' from other islands is to have been living in Male' for more than 15 consecutive years.