Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said an agreement reached in secrecy should not be implemented and that during MDP government it should not allow such an agreement to proceed.
Solih made the remarks last night while speaking at the opening of the MDP congress about the Rasmale’ development project by Abu Dhabi-based Eagle Hills.
The government signed a commercial terms agreement with Eagle Hills on September 21 for the Maldives Waterfront and Marina project, which includes about 500 hectares of reclaimed land in the Rasmale’ area. The full terms of the agreement have not been made public.
Solih questioned the benefits to the public of reclaiming Fushidhiggaru lagoon at an estimated cost of about USD700 million and allocating 500 hectares for the project.
“...The question is what is the benefit to the people? What is the government getting from this?” he asked.
Solih said the MDP was not opposed to foreign investment or the introduction of residency programmes, but expressed concern about what he described as undisclosed aspects of the Rasmale’ project.
He called on the MDP congress to urge the government and Eagle Hills to cancel the agreement if the details of the project are not disclosed.
“We should not say yes to anything that goes on in secret. And we should not allow such work to be carried out in our government,” he said.
Government officials have criticized the previous MDP administration’s lease of Vaavu Fottheyo lagoon while the MDP has opposed the Ras Male’ project. Responding to those criticisms, Solih said the government received USD43 million from the lease of the lagoon and that the money was used to reclaim land for the development of a domestic airport.
Solih said projects should be assessed based on the benefits they bring to the people and the country. He said the development of a domestic airport in Vaavu Atoll would benefit many people.
He also said the previous government allocated a lagoon in Noonu Atoll for the development of a domestic airport.
Solih criticized the current government’s arrangements for the Rasmale’ project, saying they would result in the state foregoing significant revenue.
The government has maintained that the Rasmale’ agreement does not involve the sale of state land and that the underlying land will remain state-owned. Government officials have said the project will operate through leasehold arrangements and that no special tax concessions will be provided.
Solih has criticized the Ras Male’ agreement, while former President Mohamed Nasheed has also called for details of the agreement to be disclosed. Former President Abdulla Yameen has called for the agreement to be scrapped by the next government.
