L. Fonadhoo housing project awarded to company linked to Majlis Speaker’s family, despite no experience in construction
A MVR 139 million housing contract was awarded to White Links Private Limited, a company owned by Parliament Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla's family members with no construction experience
President Dr. Muizzu (L) and Parliament Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla (R)
Serious concerns have emerged following revelations that a company with direct family ties to Parliament Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla has been awarded the contract to build 100 housing units in Fonadhoo island of Laamu atoll, despite having no prior experience in construction projects.
The contract, valued at MVR 139,295,700, was granted to White Links Private Limited during the government’s large-scale distribution of development projects on Thursday. The event was touted by the administration as an effort to set a national record for awarding the highest number of projects in a single day.
However, scrutiny has followed the announcement after it was revealed that many of the awarded contracts went to companies linked to members of the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) and individuals with close ties to senior government officials. White Links emerged as the fifth-highest recipient of funds among all projects distributed during the event.
Public registry data from the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade shows that White Links is a family-owned entity, with shares held by Abdul Raheem’s spouse and son. Despite receiving one of the largest allocations, the company has no documented experience in executing housing or infrastructure projects. Its previous business activities have been limited to retail trade and equipment rental, sectors far removed from large-scale construction work.
The decision to entrust such a major public housing project to an inexperienced, politically connected company raises further questions about the government’s procurement practices and the transparency of the project allocation process.
Adding to these concerns, the 206 projects announced on Thursday were reportedly awarded without any open bidding process, further fueling allegations of favoritism and lack of accountability in the government’s handling of public funds.
The Fonadhoo housing project has now become a focal point of criticism against the administration, with mounting calls for greater transparency in the awarding of state contracts and stricter oversight of potential conflicts of interest among top officials.
