Remaining Vinares flats issued under false Sea Life payment slips

Housing Development Corporation (HDC) has sold many Vinares flats to people not included in the list of individuals who won Vinares flats, it has been revealed.

Local reports say the flats were sold under a settlement agreement to give flats to those who paid to buy apartments from the failed Sea Life Global project.

From the 1,344 flats of the 13 storey, 10 tower Vinares project, there were about 400 flats not allocated to anyone when former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's administration ended.

After the current administration assumed power, HDC made an announcement to issue those flats, but cancelled it later on. The corporation said at the time that the remaining flats would be allocated to individuals who had agreements with the government and had incurred losses after paying for apartments promised by Sea Life. Those who did not win flats from Gulhifalhu were also to receive the Vinares flats.

However, local media outlet Mihaaru today reported from a reliable source that HDC had tempered with the Sea Life list which had not been publicly announced. Those who were never on the list were also added to the list with false documents as proof of payment, Mihaaru reported.

According Mihaaru, those who were initially included in the Sea Life list, but failed to secure bank loans to pay for the apartments were removed from the list and replaced by other individuals with fake documents. Some of these fake documents were allegedly produced at court to receive the deed as well, the news report said.

It is further alleged that a dedicated team within HDC has been tasked with facilitating these arrangements in exchange for payment.

However, a Sea Life official denied any knowledge of falsified documents in the company's name. Sea Life has no involvement in the matter, the official also added.

"We have not given a new slip to anyone since 2018. Since terminating that agreement, it was not shared with us. Even back then we asked them not to issue [apartments] without verifying with us," the Sea Life official said.

HDC's former Chairperson Ahmed Zuhoor also said previously alleged that Vinares flats were issued to those who paid. In a leaked letter from Zuhoor, he also said that there are rumours that lands and flat building opportunities are being given after taking bribes of varying amounts. The current opposition party MDP has also made allegations about the Vinares list. "All the Sea Life people [those who paid for the Sea Life flats but did not get them] who asked for Vinares [flats] were given the flats. So how was the remaining amount given? Last night, HDC's MD said there were a lot of people in Sea Life, but we don't know who they are. Meaning anyone could come to us and say they are from Sea Life and we wouldn't know it," Former Senior Executive Director of the Housing Ministry Mohammed Arif said in an MDP press conference.

"Without the Sea Life list on the public domain, there is no way for us to know if the flats have now been given to people on there [the list]."

In a press conference held by HDC over the illegal issuing of lands, the now suspended Managing Director of the corporation Fazul Rasheed said that there are 376 people from Sea Life who faced issues, and them some of them have now been given Vinares flats. He also said that about 203 cases are in court.

"The Vinares flats we had were prioritised towards resolving the cases already in court. What we do here is resolving issues. Giving that guarantee. We are not distributing things from there," Fazul said.

He also said 75-80 people from Sea Life have yet to find a solution.

HDC previously refused to provide the number and details of the unannounced Vinares flats allocated during this government when asked by Mihaaru under the Right to Information Act.

At the hearing held at the Information Commissioner's office regarding the case, HDC said the Vinares flats were allocated to those who had signed settlement agreements with the government. However, the names of the people who were allocated the flats are personal information and it is not the policy of the HDC to make such information public, they said.

The settlement agreement was made after 203 parties who suffered losses due to the failed Sea Life project sued the state. HDC settled the case out of court by awarding MVR 45 million in compensation to the plaintiffs and an agreement to allow them to buy flats from another housing project.