Male’ City Council to grant concessions on all leased land

Male’ City Mayor Shifa Mohamed, on Tuesday, announced the council planned on rolling out concessions on the lease rates charged by the council on land, in order to aid businesses mitigate their losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Parliament’s Decentralization Committee held a virtual meeting with the Male’ City Council regarding concessions on the lease rates charged on vendors who run stalls in local markets on Tuesday.

At the meeting, Shifa said the council was entertaining the decision to roll out concessions on the lease rates not only for market vendors, but also on all the land leased out by the council.

She said the council was deliberating on the possible lease concessions with may be granted.

“I believe; councilors are considering on cutting a specific percentage on the lease [of market stalls]. And not just for markets, we have also awarded additional placed to a great number of parties. Therefore, it is important in this situation that we make changes to the lease of all places which have been leased to business owners by the city council,” said Shifa.

With regard to the traveler’s market in Male’, Shifa said that the council had finished redeveloping the traveler’s market and was signing lease agreements with vendors.

Agreements have already been signed with 116 vendors, who may begin their trade as soon as this Wednesday, she said.

‘Those who have received stalls from the traveler’s market may set up their stalls and begin their trade as soon as tomorrow… The traveler’s market is being reopened with a camera system and an increase in staff. The lease of a stall there is MVR 3,000 [per month]. This is inclusive of cleaning services,” said Shifa.

And with regard to the local market, Shifa said the council had made the decision not to impose any changes in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Vendors at the local market may continue to use their stalls for trade.

“Since they may face losses if we reopen application, the vendors, who have been trading there for so long, may continue to trade all through Ramadan, until the market is dismantled,” said Shifa.

According to Shifa, the monthly lease of a stall at the local market is MVR 2,000.

She added that the stalls at the traveler’s market had been leased out based on an efficient new policy, and that violation of the policy would be met with seizure of stalls.

“This time around, everyone took stalls by saying that they will stay at their respective stalls, and that a local will be there [at the stall instead of a migrant worker]. We have it on our policy to immediately seize the stall if a migrant is found working there during our checks,” said Shifa.

At the meeting, Decentralization Committee members urged the council to grant effective concessions on lease. Some also suggested that vendors be granted incentives beyond lease cuts.