President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has said that work is under way to establish easier arrangements for people who cannot afford to build a house to obtain bank loans to construct their homes.
The President made the remarks while speaking on the fifth episode of the Rayyithunge Adu programme.
Rayyithunge Adu is a programme launched to provide an opportunity for members of the public who wish to meet President Dr Mohamed Muizzu privately.
The meetings are held once a week. As in previous weeks, members of the public who met the President this week shared their concerns and other matters they wished to raise with him.
In Episode 5 of Rayyithunge Adu, the President met with 10 members of the general public.
A major concern raised by several of those who met the President this week was the housing situation. They raised concerns about their living conditions and the difficulties they face in meeting the requirements for flats under previous housing schemes.
In response to concerns regarding housing, the President said he was confident that the housing scheme recently opened by the Government would be a fair scheme that would benefit both sides. He also said that the process of awarding points was being carried out in a manner that would ensure the opportunity was given to those most deserving.
One participant also raised concerns about the delay in providing water, sewerage and road infrastructure in areas of Hulhumalé that have recently been reclaimed and where plots have been allocated. The participant said permission had not been granted to proceed with construction on the plots because the necessary infrastructure had not yet been completed.
The president said that when residents wanted to proceed with house construction in the newly reclaimed areas of Hulhumalé, work was under way to establish the basic services needed to enable construction to proceed.
He said the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) was working to resolve the issue in stages and that ways of speeding up the work were being explored.
The president also highlighted programmes the government has decided to implement to assist people who lack the financial means to undertake construction.
He said the government was working to resolve difficulties faced in providing equity to banks.
“We are looking into whether a system can be established to assist with equity payments. That is something a very large number of people need. A considerable amount of funding and time is required for this,” the president said.
Members of the public who participated in also raised concerns with the president about operators providing ferry services in Malé.
They noted that although several vessels are currently operating the service, there is no convenient system for purchasing tickets.
After hearing their concerns, the president said the issue would be resolved.
A ferry service operator also highlighted the development of the area’s harbour and roads as a major improvement that had helped them provide the service.
Other issues raised with the president included ensuring that low-paid employees would not be adversely affected when changes are made to the salary structure of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), and ensuring fairness for those employees.
In addition, a request was made to establish an easier system for carrying out maintenance work on Hiyaa flats.
The president was also asked to strengthen the civil service recruitment system and ensure that the most suitable candidates are given employment when recruitment is carried out.