Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Dr Abdulla Muththalib has reiterated today that the Maldives Waterfront and Marina project signed with Eagle Hills does not allow any party besides the Maldives' State to hold ownership of land in Rasmale'. 

Responding to a concern raised on social media, Minister Muththalib clarified that a buyer who buys property from Rasmale' will own only the property, and not the land it stands on. In the instance of a buyer's death, the government will review all necessary details before the property is released to their heirs, he said. Further, the heirs will be required to pay a designated fee to the government before the property ownership is transferred to them, he added. 

"So it is false to claim that there will be an automatic transfer of ownership. Resorts and businesses in the Maldives owned by foreigners are also assets which are sold, transferred and inherited," Muththalib stated. 

The minister further clarified that purchasing a property in Rasmale' is not an automatic approval of a visa. Visas, instead, will be issued as usual by Maldives Immigration, and the authority will hold full discretion of issuing and canceling visas in accordance with the law, he said. 

"The Maldives State is a proud, independent State. The prosperity of the Maldives State will only strengthen our sovereignty and protect the nation from external influence. Those who wish to exert influence over the Maldives would not wish for it to prosper," he wrote. 

In a previous interview with Mihaaru News on Maldives' largest foreign investment project, Minister Muththalib stated that there will be no freehold under the agreement with Eagle Hills. 

"No properties in Rasmale' can be bought, sold or exchanged without authorization from the government. When each property is sold, they must seek authorization from the government. The government will look into the recipient, and hold the authority of whether or not to issue authorization," he said. 

Muththalib further stated that even if a property is bought from Rasmale', the buyer will only be allowed to enter or stay in Maldives through obtaining a visa under Maldives' Immigration laws.