MDP sends letter to President regarding bridge project

MDP has sent a letter to President Abdulla Yamin Abdul Gayoom raising concerns about the bridge project to be built between Malé City and Hulhulé.

The concerns raised in the letter to the President include the awarding of the project to China’s CCCC Second Harbour Engineering, a company the World Bank has blacklisted until 2017 in a fraud case.

“Awarding the Malé/Hulhulé bridge project to a company blacklisted in suspicion for corruption in project in countries by international organizations, the people of Maldives would be negatively affected by it.” A statement issued by MDP today said.

The MDP letter to the President noted that corruption cases has risen in the Maldives today and awarding the project to that company in such a time is something that would encourage such negative behaviour.

The company to award the “China Maldives Friendship Bridge” project has been decided and the Maldives and China has signed the relevant documents. But neither Government have revealed which company the project went to.

Housing Minister Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has previously told Sun Media that the name of the contractor would be announced later and the contractor would come to the Maldives to sign the agreement.

“…about 200 million (U.S.) dollars, the price of the project is. And the contractor would also come to the Maldives to sign the agreement. The project would begin before the end of this year.” Minister Muizzu said.

Three Chinese companies were shortlisted before to award the bridge project. They were CCCC Second Harbour Engineering Company Ltd., Sichuan Road and Bridge Construction (Group) Co. Ltd and China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Group Co., Ltd.