Minister asks councils not to demand changes to signed projects

Infrastructure Minister Dr. Abdulla Muthalib has appealed to local councils to stop attempting to make various changes to projects that are already contracted out to companies, telling the Parliament on Wednesday that it is exposing companies and the state to major losses, and hindering developmental projects.

Muthalib, who was summoned for questioning by the Parliament on Wednesday morning, was questioned by parliamentarians regarding various infrastructure projects in their constituencies.

Vaikaradhoo MP Hussain Ziyad (Fittey), a parliamentarian from the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), questioned Muthalib regarding the delay in a harbor project in HDh. Kurin'bi.

Muthalib said that the harbor construction in stalled because the local council wants to make changes to the project.

He said that he had asked local councils to cooperate in running projects in accordance with the contract.

“These constant variations mean a huge loss for the MTCC. And a huge loss to the state. In the first place, [companies] aren’t able to run the projects based on the figures written in the budget. We do not want to be making variations once the project is signed,” he said.

Muthalib said that councils are pushing for changes to signed projects through their parliamentary representatives.

“Also because of everything that happened in the past, the councils are just signing whatever is put before them. They are approving it. And they are attempting to make changes after signing it through their parliamentary representatives and other parties. And it has been done in this manner. That is the reason for this,” he said.

Muthalib said that making changes to the contract after it is signed and awarded to contractors are resulting in major challenges, including challenges in managing the budget.

He said that it is important not to make changes to contracts in order to ensure projects are run uninterrupted.

The questions directed at Muthalib comes amid complaints that many of the infrastructure development projects in the atolls are stalled.

Muthalib repeated his assertion that the former administration had written unrealistically low figures for projects in the 2024 state budget, hindering developmental works.

He said that the proposed 2025 budget has been compiled in a manner that ensures projects are carried out unhindered.