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This decision resolves a month-long standoff between municipal authorities and the central government, paving the way for a major infrastructure upgrade in the capital while safeguarding local council jurisdiction over public market operations.
News Desk
Male' city council sitting held today, where they passed the handover - Photo: Male' City Council
MALÉ: The Malé City Council has voted to annul two previous development contracts and transfer the local market site to the Ministry of Fisheries, clearing a long-standing legal bottleneck for the construction of the new Malé Wet Market Complex.
The resolution was approved during an emergency council session with 11 out of 16 attending councillors voting in favor. Five councillors voted against the resolution, citing concerns that full project documentation and vendor relocation plans had not been formally shared with the council prior to the vote.
The Malé City Council currently holds an opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) majority.
Land Size Allocated: 17,558.54 square feet of prime commercial space in the capital’s market area.
Completion Deadline: The ministry and contractor must finish construction and return the fully developed building within 30 months.
Zero Third-Party Subletting: No portion of the allocated land may be assigned or leased to third parties.
Mandatory Vendor Protection: Existing market vendors must be safely relocated to temporary stalls before any demolition or physical site work begins.
Operational Control Restored to Council: Upon completion, management of the facility must be handed back to the Malé City Council in accordance with the Decentralisation Act.
The project had previously encountered delays due to two active historical contracts signed under prior municipal leaderships. Mayor Adam Azim explained that the council took time to void those agreements to ensure no third-party financiers or contractors could file costly claims against the municipality. Following discussions, legal clearances were secured without incurring financial liabilities.
While the central government contracted Trusteng Maldives Pvt Ltd on March 15 for MVR 126.3 million to construct the six-storey complex, the council had initially refused to surrender the plot until legal prerequisites were met. Additionally, although the Fisheries Ministry requested permanent operational control over the completed market, the city council maintained that local market management remains a statutory municipal responsibility under Maldivian law.
