The list of flat recipients under the ‘Gedhoruveriyaa’ Housing Scheme has been reviewed in accordance with the guidelines of the previous government's housing committee, the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Infrastructure has said.
The former administration, led by the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), initiated the development of 4,000 flats in Hulhumale' under the Gedhoruveriyaa Scheme. However, the project remained incomplete at the end of the term. Ahead of the conclusion of then-President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s term, the government released a final list of flat recipients. However, after a case was filed regarding the list, the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) revealed that only 20 percent of the listed recipients met eligibility criteria. The discovery by the ACC forced the current Administration to conduct a thorough review of the recipients list.
Last Thursday, following a review of the list gazetted by the previous government, the current government published a revised list identifying both eligible and ineligible applicants.
However, there have been question marks led by the opposition raised over the authenticity of the reviewed list.
In response, the Ministry in a statement reiterated that of 3,721 people on the three-bedroom list, only 1,423 people had scored 75 points and above. Out of 1,218 people on the two-bedroom list, 397 people were found to be eligible with at least 73 points.
The Ministry also said that applications with less than 75 points from the three-bedroom list and applicants who scored less than 73 points from the two-bedroom list were not reviewed and deemed ineligible for the flats.
The flat list review was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the housing committee formed by the previous government, the Ministry insisted, adding that maximum leeway was afforded to all applicants during the review.
According to the Ministry, flats have not been allocated to any recipient as the window to submit complaints over the reviewed list is still open.
Despite allegations of mass disqualification of applicants with over 15 years of residency in the capital Male’, the Ministry insisted that the only people omitted from the reviewed list were those who had failed to prove continuous residency.
The Ministry also assured that any change to the points in the reviewed list would be down to the incorrect awarding of points by the previous housing committee based on the information provided.
The statement said as the previous government had not publicly announced any change to the required documentation to prove residency in Male’, any decision to accept additional documentation would be unfair to the rest of the applicants.
The Ministry also denied allegations that it had only considered proof of residency in Male’ issued by the Male’ City Council when President Dr Mohamed Muizzu was Mayor.
According to the Ministry, the opportunity to submit complaints over any mistakes in the reviewed list is now open and If there are any remaining flats after this deadline, the same verification process will be followed.
The applicants with the highest points will then be allocated flats, however no opportunity will be given to change the information given when submitting the form or to submit additional documents to support the application, it added.
In addition, a person who is not on the list announced on 15 November 2023 has not been included in the list, the Ministry said adding that if a married couple is eligible, they will not get two separate flats.
The Ministry expressed disappointment over attempts to distort the facts and misinform the public.
In the statement, the Ministry insisted that those who missed out on the 4000 flats will not be required to re-apply for housing as President Dr Muizzu’s Administration remains committed to ensuring equal opportunity to every Maldivian citizen to receive housing.