Second Phase of Hulhumalé land reclamation project to begin in late December

President Abdulla Yameen has announced that the second phase of the Hulhumalé land reclamation project will begin this month and that all preparatory measures for the reclamation have been taken.

While speaking at a foundation laying ceremony for 704 new flats built with the Chinese loans, President Yameen said that the dredging boat will arrive late December and start work on the reclamation.

President Yameen also said that the reclaimed land will not only be used for social housing projects, but also for opening investment opportunities for potential investors.

“Majority of the reclaimed land will go towards social housing. However, land will be allocated for luxury apartments and apartments for foreigners who wish to settle in the Maldives,” said President Yameen.

The second phase is to feature a theme park, yacht marina, specialized tourism district and various infrastructure aimed at the youth population.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Parliament rejects amendments to Decentralisation Act

Parliament today rejected amendments submitted by Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Riyaz Rasheed to the Decentralisation Act to transfer land and and lagoons under local council jurisdiction or ownership to the housing ministry.

The amendments were rejected with 68 votes against, six in favour and three abstentions. Pro-government MPs also voted against the amendment bill submitted by the PPM parliamentary group deputy leader.

“I am proposing amendments to the Decentralisation Act to the [People’s] Majlis today because of the disputes concerning land between councils, city councils and the housing ministry, and because the existing land law and decentralisation law does not make clear enough to us who has ownership of land,” Riyaz had said while presenting the legislation (Dhivehi) last week.

“Therefore, I certainly believe that the state’s property should be under one institution.”

In the ensuing debate, MPs of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and Jumhooree Party (JP) accused the government of attempting to “destroy” decentralisation and render councils powerless.

The amendments would defeat the purpose of devolving decision-making powers, they contended, noting that articles 234 and 235 of the Constitution state that local councils shall have the authority to “raise funds” and “own property and incur liabilities”.

Riyaz  had argued that state assets should be under the control of the executive, alleging that councils with opposition majorities were deliberately obstructing development projects by refusing to provide land.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Bill proposed to transfer land from local councils to central government

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Riyaz Rasheed has proposed transferring land and lagoons under local council jurisdiction or ownership to the housing ministry.

“I am proposing amendments to the Decentralisation Act to the [People’s] Majlis today because of the disputes concerning land between councils, city councils and the housing ministry, and because the existing land law and decentralisation law does not make clear enough to us who has ownership of land,” said Riyaz while presenting the legislation (Dhivehi) at yesterday’s sitting of parliament.

“Therefore, I certainly believe that the state’s property should be under one institution.”

In the ensuing debate, MPs of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and Jumhooree Party (JP) accused the government of attempting to “destroy” decentralisation and render councils powerless.

The amendments would defeat the purpose of devolving decision-making powers, they contended, noting that articles 234 and 235 of the Constitution state that local councils shall have the authority to “raise funds” and “own property and incur liabilities”.

Riyaz  meanwhile argued that state assets should be under the control of the executive, alleging that councils with opposition majorities were deliberately obstructing development projects by refusing to provide land.

The deputy leader of the PPM’s parliamentary group claimed that some island councils have yet to arrange land for the fisheries ministry and youth ministry to build ice plants and sports arenas, respectively.

The current administration was “facing serious difficulties” in implementing its policies, he contended.

Following disputes between the housing ministry and councils, Riyaz noted that councils have recently been informed not to conduct transactions involving state-owned land or lease property without obtaining permission from the president.

In June, the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure removed two parks from the jurisdiction of the MDP-majority Malé City Council, while Dharubaaruge convention centre was reclaimed by the government in May.

Riyaz also criticised the city council for leasing parks in the capital for restaurant businesses. While councils should have authority over land, Riyaz said the law should not allow that power to be misused.

“It should be done in accordance with the government’s policies,” he insisted.

“Toothless”

During the debate, MDP MP Abdul Ghafoor Moosa said the amendments would make councils “toothless” and the decentralisation law “useless.”

Ghafoor denied Riyaz’s allegations of non-cooperation from MDP-majority councils, adding that the claims were intended to “mislead” the public.

JP MPs also noted that property and lagoons under council ownership were the only significant means available for generating an income.

MDP MP Rozaina Adam said the government was trying to “cut off the arms and legs” of councils as they would not be able to do “any work when the government steals land from small islands.”

Several MPs suggested that there were many island councils doing exemplary work for the benefit and development of their islands or atolls. All local councils should not be punished or blamed for the actions of a few, the MPs said.

JP MP Hussain Shahid suggested amending the law to allow councils to function more efficiently, arguing that the number of councillors in each island were excessive.

The current model of more than 1,000 elected councillors approved in 2010 by the then-opposition majority parliament was branded “economic sabotage” by the MDP government, which had proposed limiting the number of councillors to “no more than 220.”

Following the release of the UNDP’s second Human Development Index report in June – which found the rest of the country lagging behind the Malé area with its ‘highly developed’ score – Salma Fikry, a prominent campaigner and proponent of decentralisation, told Minivan News that lack of political will was to blame for the disparity.

“The whole point of decentralisation is scary for the Maldivian government because they like to keep people dependent, they like to think of themselves as doing people favours,” she said.

She predicted that “three quarters of the population would probably move to the capital and the rest of the country will be taken over by the corporations.”

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Land leased by Jabir’s company revoked due to outstanding rent payments

Land leased on Kaashidhoo in Kaafu Atoll to Maldivian Democratic Party MP Abdulla Jabir’s J Hotels and Resorts has been revoked by the government due to failure to pay rent.

According to local media, Kaashidhoo Council President Ali Sulthan said the land – leased for the construction of an 80-bed guest house – had been leased for the past ten months, of which only three months’ rent had been paid, local media reported.

An amount of MVR 166,000 (US$10,758) is apparently due from the company, which was contracted to pay a sum of MVR 15,000 (US$972) per month.

“The land was leased to a company owned by our constituent member Jabir. We have revoked the land because they were not paying the rent at all,” Sulthan was quoted as saying by Sun Online.

J Hotels and Resorts is operated under Jabir’s Yacht Tours Maldives.

Executive Director of J Hotels and Resorts Ibrahim Rasheed confirmed to local media that that the company does own a land in Kaashidhoo, but it does not have land with outstanding rent payments.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Civil Court issues injunction on land sales

The Civil Court of Maldives issued an injunction yesterday to temporarily cease the auctioning of plots in the Male’ southwest harbour, pending a ruling on the case filed by the opposition joint coalition challenging the legitimacy of the process.

‘’If the opportunity is given to continue the transactions, the court believes its potential consequences may be irreversible,’’ reads a statement from the court.

The four opposition parties in parliament, Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), People’s Alliance (PA), Jumhooree Party (JP) and Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP), contested the policy in court on the grounds that the cabinet made the decision in violation of the Land Act 2002, article three of which states that the president should declare policy.

As the cabinet has not been approved by parliament, the coalition argues it did not have the authority to hand over the task to Male’ municipality.

Moreover, the coalition claims that the transactions violate article 250[a] and article six of the constitution.

On July 20, the President’s Office announced the cabinet’s decision to sell off 11 plots of 50,000 square feet of land as part of the policy to develop the southwest harbour area.

”Proceeds from the sale of this land will be used to finance the development of entire harbour area, and build multi-purpose buildings to lease,” the President’s Office revealed at the time.

Over Rf100 million has been raised so far from the sale of four plots in the first phase of the auction.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Municipality claims land illegally occupied by MDP Haruge

The Male’ Municipality has claimed the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has built a part of its ‘Haruge’ headquarters illegally on the municipality’s land, and informed the party to vacate within 14 days.

President of the Male’ Municipality Adam Manik said the MDP had taken part of the municipality’s land when it built its headquarters.

Adam said that was a part of the land on which the Housing Ministry planned to build flats.

”[MDP Chairperson] Mariya Didi built their office there unauthorised,” Adam claimed.

He said the council had now informed Didi to clear out the site within 14 days.

”It’s not the whole of the MDP Haruge,” he said. ”Its’s the part of the Haruge where they have the administration office.”

Spokesperson for MDP Ahmed Haleem said the party would clear the land within 14 days as requested. He said the land had been given to the MDP by the Maldives National Chamber of Commerce “as a gift.”

”We did not know that a part of the municipality’s land was occupied by us,” he said, adding that the party had not decided where to build its new administration office.

He said the land claimed by the municipality measured around 2000 square feet.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)