1,820 applicants confirm flats; irregularities in points to 53% on old list

1,820 individuals have been deemed as rightful recipients of the first 4,000 housing units under the ‘Gedhoruveriya’ scheme, says Housing Minister Dr. Abdulla Muthalib, with irregularities found in the award of points to 53 percent of the individuals who were on the original list.

The 4,000 units were developed in Hulhumale’ Phase II by the Fahi Dhiriulhun Corporation (FDC). It is the first of housing units being built under the ‘Gedhoruveriya’ scheme, a social housing project launched by the former administration.

The list of recipients of the flats, which was released during the last days of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) administration, was the subject of an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), following allegations of irregularities and corruption in the award of the flats.

 The corruption watchdog ordered for the suspension of the issuance of flats, before finally giving the Housing Ministry the go-ahead to proceed in February 2024, after which the Housing Ministry initiated a review of the applications which lasted over a year.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday afternoon ahead of the release of the new list of recipients, Muthalib said that the incumbent People’s National Congress (PNC) administration referred to the point scheme published on the Government Gazette in 2022 in reviewing the applications.

According to the point scheme, applications would need minimum 73 points to be eligible for two-bedroom flats and minimum 76 points for three-bedroom flats. Meanwhile, the remaining three-bedroom flats were supposed to be awarded through a draw among applicants who score 75 points.

Muthalib said that as per the original list, 1,218 applicants were deemed eligible for two-bedroom flats after scoring above 73 points, and 3,721 were deemed eligible for two-bedroom flats with 75 points.

He said that the Housing Ministry reviewed the applications of these 4,939 individuals, and found irregularities in the award of appoints to 53 percent of them.

“Therefore, the list we verified includes 4,939 individuals. During verification, we did not check the forms of anyone on the November list for three-bedroom flats who scored below 75 points or below 73 points for the two-bedroom flats,” he said.

“Meaning we did not check any additional forms to add anyone to this list.”

Muthalib said that the ‘Gedhoruveriya’ towers built in Hulhumale’ Phase II have 2,750 three-bedroom flats and 1,250 two-bedroom flats.

He said that the verification process was carried out based on information uploaded to the portal, and stressed that no one was given any chance to alter the information on it.

“With the changes to the points through the process we carried out, around half of the people do not have enough points,” he said.

Muthalib said that following verification, total 1,820 applicants were deemed eligible; 1,423 out of 3,721 on the original list for three-bedroom flats, and 397 out of 1,218 on the original list for two-bedroom flats.

Meanwhile, 2,695 applicants were deemed ineligible, and 424 applicants were omitted from the list following changes to points.

Muthalib said that the main reason why many of the applicants were declared in eligible was because of issues with documents submitted to prove 15-year residency in Male’.

According to Muthalib, the handover of flats to the 1,820 eligible applicants will begin once the list is released. He added that others will have one month to lodge complaints via the portal.