The Anti-Corruption Commission has completed a case lodged in the commission alleging that the names of some people who had agreed to pay for their flats were omitted from the draw taken so as to decide the awardees of the flats. The facts that were noted throughout the investigation of the stated case are listed below.
1. Nominees eligible to own a flat among the flats that were constructed on the old Arabiya School ground and “Gaa Koshi” under the Veshifahi Male’ project, were informed 3 years ago, that they are entitled for flats from the mentioned buildings.
2. It was not stated in any preceding documents that the duration given to make payments for the flats would be 5 years.
3. A letter was distributed to the qualified nominees, later from the Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure, stating that the imbursement amount for each flat is MVR 2 million and that priority would be given to those who are capable of paying the dues within a period of 5 years. It was also stated in the letter that they should notify the Ministry of their ability to pay the stated amount.
4. Among the 266 applicants who were nominated for the flats, 228 nominees accepted the letter from the ministry; the remaining 38 were not able to accept the letter due to different reasons. 18 nominees had not responded to the letter from the Ministry.
5. Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure noted that 149 nominees had submitted their letters to the Ministry stating their ability to make payments for the flats, within the given period of 5 years. A list was made including the names of these 149 nominees, for the purpose of a draw between the applicants. However, it was noted by the Commission that, names of some nominees who had not responded to the letter from the Ministry were also included in this list.
6. 61 nominees had responded to the letter form the Ministry, stating that they are not financially capable of settling the amount due within the given period. The names of these nominees were not included in the list prepared for the draw. However, it was noted by the commission that names of some nominees who stated that they are able to pay the amount due, were also omitted from this list.
7. The Commission also found out that, while the Ministry had omitted the nominees who had not submitted a detailed payment schedule as per the notice given by the Ministry to those who agreed to make the payment, they have included some nominees who had not submitted the payment schedule.
8. As per the information given by some staffs of the Ministry, some nominees were given an extension to submit the payment schedule while there were some nominees who submitted queries to the Ministry and were awaiting a reply from the Ministry before submitting the payment schedule. These nominees were unable to notify their ability or inability to make the payment because they had not received a reply for their queries.
9. According to the news statement published by Ministry of Finance and Treasury on 08th September 2016; ref: (PR)13-E/13/2016/04, a sum of MVR278,145,960/- (Two hundred seventy-eight million one hundred forty-five thousand nine hundred sixty) was issued to Apex Reality Private Limited under the agreement signed between Housing Development Corporation and Apex Reality Private Limited for the construction of the flats at “Gaa Koshi” and old Arabiya School ground under the Veshifahi Male’ Project. It was also stated in the news statement that the government has decided that the nominees can make arrangements to pay through Housing Development Corporation so as to minimize the complications faced by them.
With reference to the above mentioned points, it was evident that Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure has acted against the procedures outlined to allocated flats under Veshifahi Male’ Programme. Moreover, the Commission also observed that the manner in which qualified nominees for the flats were decided, lacked fairness and equality between the nominees, while giving unfair advantage to some nominees and depriving rights of others. Since Ministry of Finance and Treasury’s news statements allows nominees to settle their payments through Housing Development Corporation, the Commission advised Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure and Housing Development Corporation to include the 266 nominees that were pre-determined to receive flats from Male’ to be included in issuing flats under Veshifahi Male Programme. The institutions were also advised to refer to the above mentioned points while issuing flats to nominees.