The Fahi Dhiriulhun Corporation (FDC) has criticised Parliament budget committee's decision to omit MVR 400 million allocated in next year’s budget to begin President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s flagship Fushidhiggaru land reclamation project.
FDC Managing Director Hamdhan Shakeel told Adhadhu that the Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) removal of the funds from the budget was undemocratic and against the spirit of the constitution.
The MDP’s opposition to the project planned by the current government with the goal of providing housing to at least 120,000 people was alien to the norms of advanced democracies.
“So when a Parliament that’s close to the end of its term does this without consulting at all with the present government, it’s serious harm done to the Maldivian people as well. What’s more, this was done against democratic best practices,” Hamdhan said.
Parliament’s budget committee decided to take MVR 200 million out of the MVR 400 million earmarked for reclaiming the Fushidhiggaru lagoon next year to water and re-allocate the funds for water and sewerage projects.
The projects are to be carried out in reclaimed land in Gulhifalhu, Giraavaru and Hulhumale’ where former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s administration awarded plots of land. The committee decided to transfer the remaining MVR 200 million to various other projects.
A Parliament whose term is about to end acting so irresponsibly on a matter of importance to the public would not have happened in any other country, Hamadan said.
“For example, just because you have a majority you could amend the constitution a day before your term ends and you could change the leader and do these things. It is done through legal means but it is against democratic principles and against the spirit of the constitution as well,” Hamdhan said.
The size of the Fushidhiggaru lagoon south of Male’ is about 1,280 hectares. President Muizzu has said that land reclamation could be completed within about 19 months. His manifesto proposed developing 65,000 housing units, including flats and land plots.
The President said the work would not cost too much from the state budget as the reclaimed land would be developed by bringing foreign investments.
