Fayyaz: Protests inevitable if Ras Male' project referendum is not held by the 15th
2 ނޮވެމްބަރު 2026 | ހޯމަ 11:24The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has passed a resolution calling for a public referendum regarding the government's decision to grant 500 hectares of land from Ras Male' to a UAE-based company on a long-term lease. The opposition party alleges that leasing such a vast area to a foreign entity without any clear financial benefit to the state constitutes a betrayal of public trust and a misuse of national resources.
Former Economic Minister Fayyaz Ismail. | raajjemv
Former Economic Minister Fayyaz Ismail has stated that the public must take to the streets in protest if a national referendum is not held by November 15 to seek the citizens' opinion on the decision to award the Ras Male' project to UAE’s Eagle Hills company.
Speaking at the 38th meeting of the MDP’s 4th National Congress on Sunday night, Fayyaz Ismail stated that the government must consult the public regarding their views on the Ras Male' project. He emphasized that if a referendum was deemed necessary to divide a city, then a project of such magnitude should not proceed without seeking public opinion.
If a referendum is not held—specifically, if it is not conducted by the 15th of this month—I call upon the members of the MDP involved in this effort to take to the streets every night from wherever they are until November 17th. We must protest this. People from across the Maldives must converge on Male' to demand a referendum. The voice of the people must be heard on this matter.Fayyaz Ismail
During the meeting, the party passed a resolution calling on the government to hold a public referendum regarding the Ras Male' project. The resolution urges the administration to let the public decide on the deal involving the allocation of 500 hectares of land from the reclaimed Fushidhiggaru Lagoon to the UAE-based company, Eagle Hills.
The resolution states that the Maldivian government entered into a commercial terms agreement with UAE-based Eagle Hills on September 21, 2026, to develop the "Maldives Waterfront and Marina" project in Ras Male'. The resolution further notes that 500 hectares of land from Ras Male' is to be allocated for this project on a 99-year lease. This allocation was reportedly decided without any acquisition costs and is exempt from lease rent for the duration of the agreement.
The resolution highlights that the reclamation of Fushidhiggaru Lagoon for the development of Ras Male' was funded using public tax revenue. Consequently, it asserts that leasing a vast area of this land to a foreign entity for a long-term period—without any acquisition cost being paid to the state treasury—constitutes a betrayal of public funds.
Furthermore, the resolution details the grounds for believing that Eagle Hills was selected to undertake this project in violation of established legal procedures.
