Questions raised on state revenue from floating city protect lagoon sales
The project is not being taken up because the government is obstructing it and it is being done because it has Nasheed’s name on it.
Questions have been raised on the parliament on whether the state has made any income by leasing the islands reclaimed by Netherland’s Dutch Docklands company, which is building the world's first floating city in the country.
The floating city was discussed in Tuesday’s session amid questions posed to planning minister Mohamed Aslam by lawmakers when he was summoned. Funadhoo MP Mohamed Shahid, who initially questioned about the number of lagoons allotted to Dutch Docklands for the purpose of the project, and the number of lagoons sold out of them, was revealed. Replying to a question, Aslam said he remembers that "not one but two lagoons" were given for the purpose of the project.
Later, Thinadhoo North MP Abdul Muguni also asked about the floating city. He asked "how many islands have been reclaimed and sold to different people in the lagoons given to build the floating city?".
Nasheed, who sat in the chair before allowing the minister to answer Muguni's question, asked the members who spoke to share information with the remaining members as many members wanted details of the project.
"I would like to give a more complete description of the floating city. I would like many honourable members to look at the question with interest. Giving as much details as possible will satisfy this Majlis, I believe," he said. He said the minister was aware of "all the details".
Not satisfied with Aslam's response, Muguni took up a systemic issue and repeated his question. Nasheed, however, did not give Aslam a chance to reply this time, saying it was a question that was not related to the information required by the minister when he was summoned to parliament.
"I am sorry, honourable minister, I know it may not be a question related to the honourable minister's day, nor the question about the ministry. That's sales and these kinds of things go to the treasury," he said after stopping Aslam from responding .
Earlier, replying to Muguni's first question, Aslam had said that he had been working to go ahead with the project for a long time and that he could not remember whether he had required land reclamation for the project.
"Then I cant remember if the lagoon would have reclaimed land masses when we initially began the project. I cant remember agreeing on the reclamation. Then I knew that a local company was assigned to make a mockup of it. It is not a project directly under the ministry," Aslam said.
The first attempt to implement the project was made during Nasheed's administration. However, the project was stalled at that time after Nasheed's regime changed in February 2012. The floating city was re-signed on May 9, 2019, after the formation of the party government again. Since then, work on the project has not taken off. The project is not being taken up because the government is obstructing it and it is being done because it has Nasheed’s name on it.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Aslam was questioned by lawmakers supporting president Solih's faction in MDP, which has formed two factions due to competition.
Responding to Nasheed's accusations against the government over the project, then economy minister Fayyaz Ismail said the project was a scam and that the company had sold three lagoons to Dutch Docklands. The day after Fayaz alleged that the floating city project was a scam, the government changed the deal.
