Hiyaa, Vinares flats to Sealife scam victims
" I have proudly completed 203 cases today, in the light of the advice and guidance given by the President", Fazul said.
By
Fathmath Ahmed Shareef
The government has given Hiyaa and Vinares flats as compensation to some of the victims of a housing project carried out nine years ago by Sealife Global.
Hundreds of people paid to buy flats in 2014 after the announcement of SeaLife's housing project. Each of them paid MVR 50,000 as booking fee. Others paid some of their down-payment and others even more than that.
The money was paid but no work was carried out and the project was stopped, labelled as a housing scam. Earlier, HDC said the number of people affected by the scam stood at 381.
President Mohammed Muizzu is now visiting Vaavu atoll, and speaking to the people at a meeting held in V.Felidhoo on Wednesday, HDC Managing Director Ibrahim Fazul Rasheed said the the corporation has already paid compensation to about 375 people affected by the SeaLife scam.
Pointing out that HDC at that time had paid compensation by money when the flats could have been allotted in the Hiyaa and Vinares projects, Fazal said the present government was trying to hand over the flats as compensation.
"When I took over, I took over the enforcement order of 203 people. I have proudly completed 203 cases today, in the light of the advice and guidance given by the President. Today our board has decided to get them their rights," Fazul said.
He said:
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About 60 units of the remaining Hiyaa flats have been accommodated for the victims of the SeaLife scam
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Over 130 flats were set for some people in Vinares
Fazul said some of the 203 people who were ordered to be compensated were given flat deeds on Wednesday. However, he did not mention the total number of people who were given flats in the name of compensation for the SeaLife scam.
The Vinares flats given to these people as compensation were 130 flats that were opened for sale at the end of the previous government. The allotment of flats was put on hold at that time after the application process was opened through the portal, which led to a lot of people finding it difficult to apply for the flats and complaints mounted. Though the decision to reopen after taking cognizance of the complaints was taken, the allotment of the flats has been stalled so far.
After the SeaLife scam:
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203 flat buyers filed for damages
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The case ended out of court with HDC compensating them
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The HDC decided to compensate those who did not file cases in court
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Of those who did not file a case in court, 174 shared information with the HDC; therefore, the total number of people who bought flats from SeaLife reaches 381.
