State Minister: Mayor lying, impossible to offer Vinares flats for MVR 7,000

State Minister for Planning Akram Kamaluddin accused Male’ City Mayor Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of lying with his claim the previous administration had planned on offering the Vinares flats for a monthly rent of MVR 7,000, stating that renting out the flats for that rate would be impossible.

Akram told Sun on Monday that Dr. Muizzu had a habit of misleading the public, dating back to his time as Housing Minister during former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s administration.

“I don’t know from where they are producing these figures. Offering the flats for the rate they say is impossible, it’s a blatant lie,” he said.

Akram said Muizzu needed to stop misleading the public and spreading misinformation.

Akram’s comments come in response to criticism by Muizzu regarding the rent for Vinares flats, a social housing project in Hulhumale’. Muizzu claimed that the former administration had planned on offering the flats for a monthly rent of MVR 7,000.

Housing Development Corporation (HDC) has offered two payment options for the Vinares flats, which brings the monthly rent to within the range of MVR 16,000-MVR 23,000. Meanwhile, one-off payment will bring the cost of the flat to MVR 2.5 million.