A formal complaint was filed with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) today alleging corruption in the government's decision to grant reclaimed land from the Fushidhiggaru lagoon project to UAE-based Eagle Hills for 99 years.
Out of the 1,010 hectares reclaimed for the Rasmalé project, 500 hectares were allocated to Eagle Hills. The company has already begun marketing and selling apartments on the island, which are designed to offer permanent residency to foreign tycoons.
Speaking on the matter, lawyer Ali Hussain noted that while Rasmalé was reclaimed at major public expense under the guise of providing housing for Maldivian citizens, the decision to grant a major portion of the land to Eagle Hills without a competitive bidding process raises serious questions.
Ali Hussain stated that the case was brought to the ACC because the project agreement remains undisclosed and the process is being carried out in violation of the Constitution.
"We had to submit this to the Anti-Corruption Commission because the agreement has not been made public. We don't know what is in it; the terms of the deal remain hidden," Ali Hussain said.
"Furthermore, the Constitution stipulates that no land can be leased or otherwise granted to a foreign party or any other entity for a period exceeding 99 years. In this case, the land has been granted to Eagle Hills for what effectively amounts to a perpetual 99-year term."
In addition to the ACC complaint, Ali Hussain filed a case with the Supreme Court yesterday seeking a ruling that the Rasmalé project's allocation to Eagle Hills is unlawful.
The Supreme Court filing asserts that the government's decision to grant 500 hectares of Rasmalé land to Eagle Hills for 99 years violates Article 250 of the Constitution.
