MDP to review project awards without public tender, says Ameer

Former Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer said on Thursday that a future Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) government would review the current administration’s decision to award development projects to private companies without public bidding.

The government on Thursday signed 206 agreements with private companies to implement projects in nine infrastructure-related sectors. The projects, valued under contractor-financed arrangements, were awarded to 53 companies without prior public announcement.

The Ministry of Finance amended the Public Finance Rules last month, allowing certain government projects to be awarded without open bidding.

Speaking at an MDP Economic Committee press conference, Ameer, who chairs the committee, said such changes to procurement rules could not be justified.

“The Finance Rules cannot be changed to allow the government to give projects to whoever it wants,” Ameer said. “This is a direct facilitation of corruption.”

He accused the government of using funds from the Bank of Maldives (BML) to fulfil political promises by awarding projects outside the standard tender process.

“The government is changing the rules as it pleases, giving projects to selected parties outside the tender and procurement regulations. We will not accept this,” he said.

Ameer further said:

He added that the MDP would examine each project awarded under the new framework if it returns to government.

“We have reviewed every project signed today, and we will investigate these. Governments change, and when it does, this will be addressed. What is happening now is large-scale corruption that no previous government has carried out,” Ameer said.