Former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom has slammed the current administration for failing to even place a “single rock”, in a year that has been deemed by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu as the “golden age for housing”.
The government has touted this year’s state budget as a “housing-centric’ budget with a record allocation in the budget for housing. President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has repeatedly stated his housing pledges would be implemented this year.
Yameen criticized the current administration of making remarks just to brag.
Speaking at serial townhall meetings held by PNF every Thursday night, Yameen noted that approximately MVR 2 billion was budgeted for housing projects this year. He added that there is not a “single rock” to show despite these funds being exhausted.
“Last year, it was said this year will be the “golden age” for housing. There is not a “single rock” to show despite spending some MVR 2,000 million,” he said.
“Housing is one of the biggest issues [in the Maldives],” he stressed.
President Muizzu, who served as the Housing Minister for seven years, including five years during Yameen’s administration, and also served as Male’ Mayor prior to his election as the president, had pledged to providing housing to all individuals above 18 in the Maldives. His administration has come under huge criticism for failing to carry out housing projects apart from the reclamation of Rasmale’, as it recently marked two years in office.
According to Finance Ministry’s statistics, MVR 1.8 million was budgeted this year for housing projects. With less than two months left in this year, only MVR 175 million of this has been utilized, accounting for just 10 percent.
Just a day before the current administration marked two years in office, it announced plans to issue 7,500 flats and 15,000 land plots under its housing policies. Majority of these flats and land plots will be issued from Rasmale’.
 
Although the government has invested heavily in reclaiming Rasmale’, the opposition argues the site is too far from Malé and that it would take considerable time to develop, populate, and equip with services. They insist that focusing on closer, more accessible locations would be the better choice.