Maldives Public Accounts Committee Investigates MVR 44 Million Payment to Former MP's Construction Firm

The Public Accounts Committee of the Maldives Parliament has initiated an investigation into the MVR 44 million advance payment made to North Coast Construction, a company owned by former Isdhoo constituency MP Ali Hameed. The payment was made for a contract awarded to the company on December 29, 2016, for the construction of a six-story hospital building for Aasandha, a state health insurance company. The total value of the project was MVR 61 million, with an expected profit margin of 3%, amounting to MVR 18.3 million for North Coast.

Despite the significant advance payment, the project had seen little to no progress, prompting Aasandha to halt the project in June 2017 due to financial difficulties. North Coast Construction later sought compensation from the government for the project's suspension.

Under President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s administration, North Coast Construction received two payments totaling MVR 44 million as an advance for the project, though no substantial work has been completed to date. The Public Accounts Committee has now requested that North Coast Construction provide a written explanation for the lack of progress despite the advance payment.

Aasandha has also informed the committee that despite repeated requests for project updates and the revision of the project timeline, North Coast Construction has failed to deliver the expected work. The company's inaction has raised serious concerns within the Public Accounts Committee, leading to the ongoing investigation.

Ali Hameed, who was elected to Parliament in 2019 on a Jumhooree Party platform, has faced scrutiny over this issue as his company continues to delay the project's execution. The committee's investigation seeks to uncover the reasons behind the stalled project and ensure accountability for the substantial public funds involved.