Unresolved housing cases to be referred to civil rights office, minister says

Housing Minister Dr Abdulla Muththalib has said unresolved housing-related cases will in future be referred to the Office for Civil Rights under the Attorney General’s Office rather than being decided directly by the Housing Ministry.

The announcement comes after controversy over a proposed sale of land in Hulhumalé Phase II that had been acquired by the government for the previous administration’s Binveriyaa housing scheme.

It emerged this week that the government was considering selling the plot directly to Ahmed Zahir without a public announcement.

Responding to criticism, the Housing Ministry said on Wednesday that records showed a decision had been made during former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s administration to sell Zahir a plot under an earlier land purchase scheme.

According to the ministry, the previous decision concerned 904 square feet of land for MVR 339,000. It cited a document issued by the Hulhumalé Development Unit of the President’s Office on December 24, 2003.

The ministry said Zahir had not received the land despite the earlier decision and that the current proposal was intended to resolve the long-standing matter by selling him land on previously agreed commercial terms.

The plot identified for the proposed transaction had previously been allocated under the Binveriyaa scheme but was later taken back after the recipient was found not to meet the eligibility requirements.

Under the proposed arrangement, Zahir would relinquish a plot allocated to him in Gulhifalhu under the Binveriyaa scheme in exchange for the Hulhumalé land.

The Housing Ministry said on Wednesday that, because housing matters are sensitive and procedural compliance must be ensured, it would itself submit the case to the Anti-Corruption Commission before proceeding.

Muththalib said on Thursday that the ministry had now decided not to make final determinations on long-standing housing cases that had remained unresolved for various reasons.

“Housing-related matters are sensitive and directly affect individuals,” he said. “To ensure that such cases are handled in the most transparent and fair manner possible, they will in future be referred to the Office for Civil Rights under the Attorney General’s Office.”

The minister said the Housing Ministry would act in such cases based on the findings or decisions made by the Civil Rights Office.

The change would apply to unresolved housing matters that have remained pending over an extended period for various reasons, he said.