Hours before polls opened on Sunday, the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) was enlisted to develop hospitals in Raa Alifushi, Noonu Manadhoo and Meemu Muli.

MTCC was contracted for the island hospital projects on Saturday.

Projects to build 50-bed hospitals in Muli and Manadhoo were awarded for MVR 185 million each to be completed in two years. A 30-bed hospital is to be built in Alifushi for MVR 128 million in 730 days.

Ahead of the polls, the Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) expressed concern that President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu visiting islands and announcing projects before could unduly influence the elections.

"Since the announcement of the parliamentary elections [January 30], the President has visited more than 100 islands. As the head of state, it is important to visit islands and meet the people. Still, the inauguration of already completed projects, announcing new projects and signing new projects could influence the election,” the commission said.

The hospital projects were awarded to MTCC along with several other infrastructure projects in the days before the Majlis polls despite the government saying that the state-owned company was overburdened with work beyond its capacity.

At a press conference on January 14, President’s Office Undersecretary on Public Policy Ahmed Nazim said the MTCC, the main contractor of government infrastructure projects, had been awarded more projects than it could execute.

Several projects were stalled as a result of awarding too many projects to MTCC, Nazim said at the time. As a solution, the cabinet has decided to establish a new company to carry out infrastructure projects, he announced.

“As you know, a lot of work has piled up at MTCC now. [The cabinet] deliberations took place to find a solution because work has exceeded what they can do,” Nazim said to explain the cabinet’s decision.

However, the government awarded several projects to MTCC in the three days before the parliamentary elections.

• Airport development in Shaviyani Komandoo
• Airport development in Thaa Guraidhoo
• Airport development in Thaa Vilifushi
• Airport development in Shaviyani Milandhoo
• Airport development in Shaviyani Bilehfahi
• Construction of 75 housing units in Meemu Dhiggaru
• Land reclamation in Kaafu Giraavaru and Gulhifalhu lagoons
• Land reclamation in Thaa Kibidhoo
• Airport development in Haa Alif Dhidhdhoo
• Road construction in Haa Alif Hoarafushi

MTCC was also awarded housing and road projects on several islands in addition to providing high-speed ferry services in four regions. Most of the projects were signed last Thursday.

Six hours after a project to build 75 housing units in Meemu Dhiggaru was announced by the Housing Ministry on Thursday morning, Housing Minister Dr. Ali Haidar and MTCC CEO Abdulla Ziyad travelled to the island and laid a foundation stone for the project.

The agreement was signed by Ziyad on behalf of the MTCC and Housing Ministry Permanent Secretary Zeeniya Ahmed Hameed. Former MP Ahmed Nazim, the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) candidate for the Dhiggaru constituency, was present at both the signing ceremony and groundbreaking ceremony. But Nazim is not a government official.

However, according to information shared by the Housing Ministry to the media, the MVR 117 million project was awarded to MTCC on a design-and-build basis, which meant that the MTCC would have to design the units before construction could begin.

It is clear that the design process would have taken much longer than six hours when the groundbreaking ceremony was held. Designing the flats, approving the drawings and securing regulatory permits would also take longer than six hours.

A foundation stone is usually laid as a symbolic gesture. The government faced criticism for holding a ceremony to launch the project before the design process could be completed. Many people characterized the move as an apparent attempt to influence the election.

Aside from announcing plans to create a new company to do the same work as MTCC, the government has not provided any update on the efforts to date.