Malé council urges govt to consult on projects affecting council land

The Malé City Council has called on the government to refrain from signing project agreements involving land under council jurisdiction without first consulting the council and providing the required documentation.

The issue was raised during the council's general meeting on Wednesday after the Ministry of Infrastructure awarded a contract to Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) for coastal protection and dinghy jetty development works in Villimalé.

According to Mayor Adam Azim, the council was not informed of the project before the agreement was signed.

Azim told councillors that projects affecting land under the council's jurisdiction fall within areas where consultation and public engagement are required under existing laws.

“When things are done according to the wishes of just one or two people in matters clearly specified in the law, it causes hardship to the public, and we all know things will not progress in the best interest of the citizens. That is why it is written in the law that work must be done by seeking the council's and the public's views and consultation,” Azim said.

The mayor said established procedures exist for implementing such projects and argued that the relevant authorities should comply with legal requirements before proceeding.

According to Azim, information that should be shared with the council includes project award documents, project concepts, implementation schedules, environmental assessments, budget details, financing arrangements, records of stakeholder consultations and information relating to contractors.

He said agreements should not be signed without providing the required documentation.

“I brought this up as an administrative matter because such incidents may recur. I believe we must draw the council's attention to this, notify the government and relevant parties to halt these practices, and if they fail to comply, initiate efforts alongside citizens to stop them,” Azim said.

“No one is above the law—whether it is me, the President, or Infrastructure Minister Abdulla Muththalib. No one has the right to act in violation of the law,” he added.

Several opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) councillors supported the concerns raised by the mayor.

Councillors said the council had also not received details relating to the fishing platform project currently being carried out by MTCC in the West Park area.

They argued that the government has increasingly entered into agreements affecting council land without prior consultation, informing the council only when land handover is required.

Maafannu North Councillor Hussain Furushan questioned the council's role if decisions relating to council-managed land were made without its involvement.

“We can only support government initiatives if they operate within the law and regulations. Just because they sign a contract and demand the keys every week doesn't mean we have to give them up. That is not why the public put us here,” Furushan said.

The issue follows a previous dispute over the proposed Fish Market project.

At the time, the council raised concerns after the government requested the transfer of land following the signing of an agreement with a contractor.

The council initially declined to hand over the site, arguing that legal requirements had not been met and that project documentation had not been provided.

According to Azim, the council's position remains unchanged and land will only be transferred once the required legal procedures have been completed.