PPM accuses MDP of gross corruption in granting islands for resort development

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has said that the total value of State assets given away as “gifts” to close associates and activists of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) during former president Mohamed Nasheed’s three years in power sums up to over MVR 530,000 per head for every Maldivian citizen.

This was revealed at a presentation by former Tourism Deputy Minister Maleeh Jamal and senior PPM official Abdulla Ameen at an economic forum hosted by the party on Wednesday night.

They said the State had suffered great losses because of the numerous uninhabited islands granted for resort development and other long-term purposes, without a bidding process, to close associates of the MDP government.

PPM mentioned a total of 12 individuals, including MPD MPs Reeko Moosa Manik and Abdul Gafoor Moosa, along with party activists and prominent businessmen who had been granted 14 different islands for resort development and other long term projects.

Detailing some of the cases, Maleeh said: “Areesha was given Thaa Vahbandhi without bidding to develop a resort. That is enough money to establish hospitals the people of Thaa atoll would have been proud of, in every island in the atoll.”

He said the State assets have been “distributed” to MDP activists without due process and that these acts of corruption are accessible in public records.

Maleeh said MDP activist popularly known as “prepaid” Shiuna was granted 3 islands for resort development outside a bidding process. “Giving away an island to Shiuna, without bidding, costs the State a $400,000 per year. That is $700 million for 99 years. Enough money to establish sewerage systems in 200 islands,” Maleeh said.

He said these information are vital for the citizens to make a decision in the upcoming second round of the presidential election.

Maleeh also revealed that the Sim Mohamed Ibrahim, the husband of MDP cabinet minister Mariyam Zulfa was given three islands for resort development without due procedure, which he described as a loss enough to cover the electricity subsidies for all households in the capital Male’.

“Reeko Moosa was given Noonu Huivani for develop a resort. That is enough money to fund 10,000 post graduate students,” Maleeh said. He also said that similar assets granted to MDP associate Dhonbilei Ahmed Haleem costs the State MVR 18 million per year, and a total of 900 million within the entire lease period.

Focusing on PPM’s manifesto, Ameen Abdulla said that a PPM government will dedicate a tourist resort and its income to every atoll in the country, the revenue from which will be spent on the development of individual communities.

In comparison, Ameen said that Nasheed’s government was corrupt in granting resorts to his close a associates and parliamentarians.

Concluding last Wednesday night’s forum, PPM said former president Nasheed had granted over 400 uninhabited islands through corruption.