Parliament rejects motion seeking disclosure of Eagle Hills agreement
MDP MPs Dr Ahmed Shamheed, representing Hulhumalé South, and Abdul Ghafoor Moosa, representing Hanimaadhoo, did not participate in the vote.
Parliament on Monday rejected a resolution calling on the government to disclose the agreement signed with UAE-based Eagle Hills for the allocation of more than 500 hectares of reclaimed land in Ras Malé.
The resolution, submitted by Galolhu South MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), sought the publication of all details of the agreement between the government and Eagle Hills concerning the Ras Malé development project.
Following a debate, Parliament voted against accepting the resolution, with 45 MPs from the ruling People's National Congress (PNC) opposing it and 10 MDP MPs voting in favour.
MDP MPs Dr Ahmed Shamheed, representing Hulhumalé South, and Abdul Ghafoor Moosa, representing Hanimaadhoo, did not participate in the vote.
The resolution raised concerns about the government's handling of the agreement to allocate a substantial portion of Ras Malé to Eagle Hills.
It stated that the government had not disclosed the full terms of the agreement, instead indicating that detailed arrangements would be formulated as the project progressed.
The resolution also questioned arrangements under which land reclaimed using Maldivian taxpayers' money would be allocated without provisions to recover the expenditure incurred.
According to the resolution, more than 500 hectares of reclaimed land in Ras Malé had been allocated to Eagle Hills for 99 years without requiring the company to pay an acquisition cost or rent.
It further raised concerns that the agreement granted Eagle Hills the right to lease developments constructed on the land to third parties.
The resolution argued that withholding information about projects of this scale could expose public finances to losses and create opportunities for corruption.
It called on the government to disclose all provisions of the agreement signed with Eagle Hills without delay.
The resolution also questioned the economic benefits of the project, stating that the information available so far did not demonstrate that the development would deliver substantial benefits to the Maldives.
The proposed agreement has faced criticism from opposition politicians and other groups over the allocation of reclaimed land, the financial terms of the arrangement and the government's failure to publish the agreement.
Despite these concerns, the resolution was defeated by the PNC's parliamentary majority.
