North Thinadhoo MP Saudhulla Hilmy asserted that the MVR 400,000 in land rent owed to the Thinadhoo City Council does not need to be paid, arguing that the land remains unused due to the Council’s failure to clear the premises.
In an announcement shared via the Thinadhoo Council’s social media pages on Friday, the council said that as of June 30, it was owed MVR 29,954,660.45 in outstanding land rent and fines for land leased for industrial purposes.
This includes land plots leased to Saudhulla’s businesses, Swift Engineering and MIMS Construction, as well as for his party centre. According to the Council, Swift Engineering owes MVR 89,695.89 in rent, MIMS Construction owes MVR 44,625.86, and Saudhulla owes an additional MVR 433,155.10 for the party centre rent.
Saudhulla explained that although he rented a land plot under his name on August 1, 2023, with plans to establish a party centre, the land has remained unused. He noted that from the outset, the plot contained a container and a godown belonging to another party, and the Council had not taken any action to clear the premise.
“I concluded that there is no reason for me to pay rent for the land plot as I could not utilize the plot in any way because the Council had failed to clear the premises,” he said.
Despite this, Saudhulla said the Council had instructed him to pay MVR 100,000 in rent along with a fine of MVR 354,121.30 in June. He added that he is currently in communication with the Council regarding the matter.
He detailed that his lawyers had advised him against paying the rent as the land plot had not been used even for a single day. He said they also recommended against paying the substantial fine, arguing that no Maldivian court would uphold such a hefty fine even if the matter were taken to court.
Saudhulla noted that he has given up the land plot as there is no further use for it.
According to Saudhulla, the Council informed him on July 18th that he is now required to pay MVR 115,000 in rent, along with a fine of MVR 433,155.10.
“I have decided against paying the rent and the related fine as lawyers have advised me against paying it for a land plot that has never been used by me,” he added.
Meanwhile, Saudhulla attributed the delays in payment of MVR 89,695.89 owed by Swift Engineering and MVR 44,625.86 owed by MIMs construction to financial constraints faced due to the failure by government offices to disburse payment for various bills submitted since 2021, citing that both companies were engaged in government projects.
 
He emphasized that these financial difficulties are not due to the companies’ own actions, but rather stem from broader economic challenges in the Maldives caused by the misuse of state funds, theft, corruption, and a rise in wasteful spending.