Strada Pvt Ltd to sue government 'for damages' over Newport View eviction notice

Strada Private Limited, parent company of Newport View Restaurant, is to head to court over the government's order to vacate its waterfront restaurant in capital Malé City in 30 days.

A credible source confirmed this to RaajjeMV, and added that the company intends to abide by court ruling.

The case is to be filed at the Civil Court.

According to Maldives Independent, the government had offered compensation to Strada Private Limited which it rejected to 'sue for damages.'

The 10,000 square foot plot in the capital's south-eastern side was leased to Strada Private Limited in 2016, for an eight-year period, to build a 'bridge view platform.'

The company was served a notice to vacate the premises earlier this week, after failure to pay the MVR 100,000 monthly rent for three months.

The agreement signed by the government and Strada Private Limited states that the former has the authority to take back the plot if the company fails to pay rent.

Strada Private Company was investigated by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in 2015, after it was awarded the catering for the official Independence Day banquet that year despite not having the experience to cater for such an event.

It's former director Zahid Rameez has also faced various allegations, and has since handed over the company’s management to his wife. Three events that were to be hosted there were cancalled recently, following public outrage over the allegations against the company and Zahid; especially over the death threats he made against blogger Yameen Rasheed who was murdered in April 2017.

The new administration is to open up the area where the Newport View Restaurant, for public use.