MDP MPs call for referendum on Ras Malé agreement with Eagle Hills
The government plans to allocate 500 hectares of the 1,100 hectares being reclaimed for Ras Malé to Eagle Hills.
Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs have called for a public referendum on the government's decision to allocate 500 hectares of reclaimed land in Ras Malé to UAE-based Eagle Hills for a tourism and real estate development project.
The calls were made during Monday's parliamentary debate on a resolution seeking the disclosure of the agreement signed between the government and Eagle Hills.
The government plans to allocate 500 hectares of the 1,100 hectares being reclaimed for Ras Malé to Eagle Hills for the development of a waterfront marina, hotels and tourist villas.
The agreement has faced criticism over the allocation of land without an advance payment and reported links between Eagle Hills Chairman Mohamed Alabbar and Israel.
Speaking during the debate, Hulhumalé South MP Dr Mohamed Shamheed of the MDP said he had not encountered anyone who supported the project.
He claimed that everyone he had spoken to, including government ministers and some MPs from the ruling People's National Congress (PNC), had expressed concerns about the agreement.
Shamheed said Maldivians were concerned about allowing foreign nationals to settle permanently in the country and transferring portions of Maldivian territory to foreign parties.
He also questioned the financial terms of the agreement, saying the government was spending USD 500 million of public funds on reclaiming land for Ras Malé.
Shamheed argued that the land should not be allocated to a foreign company unless the government recovered the reclamation expenditure, together with interest.
He said the government's assurances that the investment would generate sufficient returns were not a basis for supporting the agreement without further scrutiny.
Shamheed challenged the government to hold a referendum to determine whether the public supported allocating the land to Eagle Hills.
"The Maldivian people want a referendum on giving away this land for free. Why should anyone be afraid of holding a referendum?" he asked.
He referred to remarks by PNC parliamentary group leader Ibrahim Falah, who had claimed that the public and all PNC MPs supported the project.
"If that is the case, why not hold a referendum? It should be held as soon as possible. He says it will pass. I challenge him to hold it," Shamheed said.
Kendhoo MP Mauroof Zakir of the MDP also called for a referendum, arguing that the government should seek public approval before entering into agreements involving large areas of Maldivian territory.
Mauroof said the public elected MPs and the President to govern the country for five years, not to authorise the disposal of national territory.
He argued that holding public office did not give any individual the authority to sell the country.
"We have passed legislation in this Parliament concerning referendums. I call for a referendum before Maldivian land is given to foreign parties," Mauroof said.
He added that decisions of this nature should not proceed without first determining the views of the Maldivian people through a referendum.
However, PNC MPs rejected the calls, arguing that the project had substantial public support and did not warrant a referendum.
Ibrahim Falah, the PNC parliamentary group leader and MP for Inguraidhoo, said all MPs from his party supported the development.
He described Ras Malé as the project with the strongest support among PNC lawmakers.
The debate took place as Parliament considered an MDP resolution calling on the government to disclose the agreement signed with Eagle Hills.
The resolution was subsequently rejected, with 45 PNC MPs voting against it and 10 MDP MPs voting in favour.
The agreement has remained a subject of political debate over its financial terms, the allocation of reclaimed land and the extent of rights granted to the developer.
