The Attorney General’s office has today re-filed a case seeking to block the private development of Male’s West Harbour area. The original case was dismissed by the Civil Court the day before, allegedly after the prosecutor general arrived ten minutes late for a hearing.
Local media report that the Attorney General’s office was seeking a fast-tracked procedure to prevent work beginning on the US$30 million project (MVR462million). Male’ City Council announced its intentions to turn the development over to private company West Gate Assets earlier this month, with work scheduled to begin on September 1.
The project is designed to include coffee shops, cafes, petrol sheds, shopping malls, and spacious parking zones intended to resolve severe congestion in Male’ City.
Despite the council’s insistence that the deal had been approved by both the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Housing Ministry, Housing Minister Mohamed Muizz told Minivan News last week that no such approval had been given by his department.
