Hulhumalé services remain with HDC as council declines takeover: President

Municipal services in Hulhumalé have not been transferred to the Malé City Council because the council has not taken over the responsibility, President Mohamed Muizzu said on Sunday.

Speaking at a meeting with residents of Hulhumalé Phase I, President Muizzu said municipal services in Hulhumalé continue to be provided by the Housing Development Corporation (HDC), which also owns the land in the area.

Muizzu said transferring responsibility for municipal services to the city council was an objective he supported while serving as mayor and was later included as a pledge in his presidential campaign. In line with that commitment, he said instructions were issued for the transfer to take effect on 31 December 2023.

However, nearly two years later, Hulhumalé continues to be managed by HDC.

The president said all necessary preparations had been completed by the relevant ministries and that the Cabinet had taken decisions related to the transfer. He said the process has not been completed because the Malé City Council has not agreed to assume responsibility for the services.

“The city council did not agree to take over municipal services in Hulhumalé. As a result, HDC continues to manage them on a temporary basis,” Muizzu said.

He said he expects the city council to reconsider its position and take over the services. “I am ready to fulfil my pledge,” he added.

Muizzu said Hulhumalé should not remain under the management of HDC for municipal affairs, as it is a district of Malé. He said the law recognises Hulhumalé as part of the city and that municipal services should therefore fall under the city council rather than a state-owned company.