Land allocation biggest scam ever, Falah says

The ruling party People’s National Congress (PNC) Parliamentary Group Leader and Inguraidhoo Constituency MP Ibrahim Falah has said that the landlord scheme 9Binnveriya) implemented by the previous government is the biggest scam conducted in Maldives to date.

Speaking at a press conference held by the PNC's Parliamentary Group on Monday, Falah said the previous government had not allocated land and just made a list. He said it was two different things to compile a list and actually give land.

Falah described the allocation of land from unacquired lagoons as a scam.

"Giving something and listing something are two different things. When land was given from Gulhi and Giraavaru, these are both lagoons with no dry land to cast lots," Falah said.

"I would describe this as the biggest scam ever committed in Maldives”.

Falah said valuable land dredged using tax money should not be given free of charge. He also called for land to be given to everyone equally. He said that if land is given in that way, all the people of the city should be given free land.

Some people in the city are given free land while others buy land at high prices, he said.

He said more than 9,100 plots of land have been listed for allocation in Hulhumale, Gulhi and Giraavaru lagoons with a total value of billions of Rufiyaa.

"Just looking at the list of land allocated in Hulhumale, it's MVR 5.4 billion. The average price of a 1,000-acre plot in Hulhumale is MVR 10 million”.

Housing Minister Dr Haider Ali was questioned in Parliament on Monday over the delay in allocating land and flats given under the previous MDP government’s schemes. Haider said the land would be allocated as soon as the land is dredged.