Gov’t Denies MDP’s Allegations Regarding Flat List

The Ministry of Construction, Housing and Infrastructure denied allegations made by the Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) yesterday regarding the flat list published by the ministry last month. 

On February 27, the ministry published an updated flat list originally published on November 15, 2023. Yesterday, MDP held a press conference where they made several allegations regarding how the government handled the beneficiaries list. The opposition party alleged that even though the government denies new names were added to the beneficiaries list, 577 new names were added. They also alleged the government altered the previously awarded points of some applicants as well. MDP alleged that the government was modifying the list of beneficiaries with the intention to award the flats to “specific people they favour”. 

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In the three-page press release by the ministry today, they said this list did not contain any new beneficiaries, but rather it was updated according to the recommendations made by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) regarding the original beneficiaries list published by the previous administration.

ގެދޮރުވެރިޔާ ސްކީމްގެ ދަށުން އިމާރާތް ކުރެވެމުންދާ 4000 ފްލެޓް ލިބޭ ފަރާތްތަކުގެ ލިސްޓް ވެރިފައިކުރުމަށް ކުރެވުނު މަސައްކަތާ ގުޅޭ ނޫސް ބަޔާން pic.twitter.com/TuCqxvEHDS— Ministry of Construction, Housing & Infrastructure (@MoCImv) March 9, 2025

Additional Clarifications the Ministry Made in their Statement

• Government only verified the authentication of people who had applied to the three-bedroom flats, and were told they had gotten the flats because they had gotten 76 points, and people who received 75 points, that were told they would get the flats depending on whether they won the draw. 
• This list also contains people who had applied for the two-bedroom flats that had received 73 points as well.
• The government did not update the beneficiaries list under a new policy; they followed the policies set by the previous government.
• The government has not reallocated flats given to the beneficiaries to another person. Any decision to be made regarding this will be made after taking into consideration any complaints submitted by the applicants.
• If 15 years have passed since an applicant became a Male’ resident, they would not be disqualified. If they had been a resident of Male’ for a period shorter than 15 years, other documents are required to verify their residency status, as was determined by the “Gedhoruverikan Committee Guidelines” set by the previous administration 
• If an applicant has observed a change to the points they have received, this is because they were awarded undue points previously. This information is available to the applicants via the online portal.
• The government only considered the list of documents specified by the previous administration in considering the residency of the main applicant, and did not announce that they would take any new documents into consideration 
• Regarding the documents submitted to prove residency, if the applicant has provided documents that show continued residency was halted for an acceptable reason, they will be considered. This includes working on a seafaring boat or working on a nearby resort. If their spouse and children are found to be based and living in Male’ while they are obtaining an income elsewhere, they will still be considered to be living in Male’, regardless of whether or not they provide documentation to prove why there was a halt in Male’ residency.
• There is no chance for MDP to allege “flats were made empty to be given to certain parties” as they are following the policies set by the previous administration. The government is only considering the applicants previously awarded and is not accepting any new documentation. Additionally, beneficiaries are given the opportunity to lodge complaints regarding the updated list as well. 
• The previous administration had accepted the residency of an applicant who had submitted only one side of their NID to mean they had Male’ residency for 15 years. The ministry said this showed that the previous administration had not been particularly equal in reviewing applicants. 
• It is not within the government policy to give two flats to a married couple within the same scheme. Therefore, if a beneficiary had not been in the list published in 2023, they would not be in it this time either as no new names have been added. If a couple had been listed, both of them would not have received two flats.

The ministry added the window to submit complaints is not an opportunity for applicants to submit new documentation, but rather to make the ministry aware if they had awarded points wrongly regarding the information they had previously submitted.