Public Accounts Committee to file police complaint over MVR 44 million given to Ali Hameed's company

Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament has decided to file a police complaint over former Isdhoo MP Ali Hameed's company North Coast Construction being given a MVR 44 million project, for which the payment was made last year.

North Coast Construction was awarded a MVR 61 million project to develop a six storey hospital building, by Aasandha back in September of 2016. At the time, it was estimated that the company would make a profit of MVR 18.3 million, at a three percent profit margin.

The project which was due to be completed within 15 months, was ordered by Aasandha to be postponed in June 2017 due to budgetary constraints. At the time, construction had not started. However, North Coast Construction claimed damages and entered into a settlement agreement with the state. As per the agreement, the company was awarded another project, and was issued MVR 44 million last year.

Speaking at the Parliament's Public Accounts Committee meeting today, MPs highlighted that there is no documented evidence suggesting North Coast Construction ordered any materials required for the Aasandha hospital building project. As such, the members claimed that this was a scam, and proposed and passed to file a police complaint to initiate a criminal investigation into what happened to the MVR 44 million which was given to the company.

During the previous Committee meeting held regarding the matter in June this year, Parliament's Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim said that although North Coast Company is expected to have sustained a maximum of MVR 18 million, the company being awarded a project valued much higher, along with MVR 44 million is a big issue. He also pointed out that while such a big sum was issued to the company, the second project has not even begun.

Ali Hameed was initially elected to the Parliament on a Jumhooree Party ticket. However, he switched over to Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) last year, and by December 2023, he followed several other MDP members who joined the current ruling party People's National Congress (PNC).