ACC review sought over proposed sale of Binveriyaa plot

The Housing Ministry said on Wednesday that it will refer to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) a proposed sale of a Hulhumalé Phase II plot that had previously been allocated under the former government’s Binveriyaa housing scheme, before taking a final decision on the transaction.

The announcement follows the circulation of a Housing Ministry memorandum showing that arrangements were being made to sell the plot directly to an individual without a public announcement.

The plot had earlier been allocated to a recipient under the Binveriyaa scheme but was later taken back after authorities determined that the person did not meet the eligibility requirement of having been born in Malé. The land has since remained unallocated.

A memorandum sent by the Housing Department to the ministry’s Finance Department, which circulated on social media on Tuesday night, showed that arrangements were being made to sell the plot to Ahmed Zahir. The Housing Ministry confirmed the authenticity of the memo in a statement issued on Wednesday.

The ministry said records show that a decision had been made during former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s administration to sell land to Zahir after he applied under an opportunity opened at the time.

According to the ministry, the decision was to sell him a 904-square-foot plot for MVR 339,000.

The ministry said the decision was supported by a document issued by the Hulhumalé Development Unit of the President’s Office on December 24, 2003.

However, no government subsequently provided Zahir with the land, the ministry said.

As a way of resolving the longstanding matter, the current government decided that land would be sold to him on the commercial terms or price that had previously been agreed, according to the statement.

The ministry said the land selected for the proposed sale was a plot that had been taken back from a Binveriyaa scheme recipient who was later found to be ineligible.

It said the arrangement would involve Zahir relinquishing a plot already allocated to him from Gulhifalhu under the Binveriyaa scheme in exchange for the Hulhumalé plot.

The ministry said housing and land allocation were sensitive matters and that it was important to ensure decisions were made in accordance with established procedures.

For that reason, it said the ministry would itself submit the matter to the ACC for review.

“The final decision on signing an agreement to hand over the land to the individual will be taken after seeking the opinion of the Anti-Corruption Commission and obtaining legal advice on the agreement,” the ministry said.

According to Dhauru, Zahir had raised the matter directly with President Dr Mohamed Muizzu during a neighbourhood meeting held in Galolhu as part of a series of meetings with Malé residents.

The report said the President’s Office later instructed the Housing Ministry to make arrangements to resolve the matter.

Land in Hulhumalé is owned by the Housing Development Corporation (HDC). However, land acquired from HDC by the former government for the Binveriyaa scheme was converted into state land.

The plot in question is therefore considered state land.

Under Article 12 of the Land Act, applications for state land can generally be accepted after the government announces that plots will be allocated from a specified area. Applicants are then required to submit the prescribed application to the authority that issued the announcement.

The law does not ordinarily provide for state land to be sold directly to an individual without a public announcement.