Qatar should institute a master plan to distribute land more fairly to its people, say nationals who assert that favoritism and wasta play too much of a role in the decision-making process.

The complaints come as land, which falls under the behest of the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning, becomes increasingly valuable in Qatar. 

The number of sales of vacant sites here have jumped some 50 percent as investors pursue development projects, Al Raya reports.

“People are complaining. There is no clear policy, no transparency and no mechanism for distribution of land. What is the justification in giving 1,300sqm of land to some one in an area that he selected and 800sqm of land to another in an area specified by the Ministry,” said one national, as quoted in Al Raya.

In its annual report, the National Human Rights Committee also made note of inequities in the distribution process. 

It urged a review of the current housing law, which entitles all citizens to land they can use for homes but does not address long waiting lists and how decisions are made as to who gets what.

The Peninsula reports:

“To get a plot of land is the right of every citizen and it should not be based on tribe or family,” (Mohammed Al Banna said). However, I am not against some exceptional cases of allotting land to someone on humanitarian grounds.”

“There is no reason for making some citizens wait for eight years, while some others don’t have to wait for more than two years,” he added.

Thoughts?

Credit: Photo by the apostrophe