All Councilors except Council Presidents and Vice Presidents to work part-time

Local Government Authority (LGA) has commenced work to propose a revision to the decentralization act, to make the employment of all Councilors with the exception of Council Presidents, Vice Presidents, City Council Mayors and Deputy Mayors, part-time.

LGA member Ahmed Faisal told Sun Online that the current council system practiced in Maldives is probably not the most economically viable system. He noted that the only way to make it economically sustainable is to change the structure of the council system:

“The question is, considering the expenses and marginal productivity, is the current decentralisation system in the Maldives feasible? The answer given by all the councils is ‘no’. So the first step is to make it an economically sustainable system.”

Faisal said that no changes will be made to the number of members in each council. Five or six members will remain in each council, however they will be employed part-time, which means instead of going to work every day, they will only attend meetings.

“Two members will be elected as full time employees of each council. That would be the Island Council President and Vice President, or the Atoll President and Vice President, or City Council Mayor and Deputy Mayor. The rest will be representatives. They will attend meetings for discussions and will give advice. They will be paid an allowance for attending the meetings,” Faisal said.

He said that as a result of this revision, the atoll Council President and Vice President will be elected with the votes of the atoll citizens. Also, the Island Presidents or Vice Presidents will attend the Atoll Council meetings. He noted that the representation of every island in the Atoll Council will allow islands to attend to their people’s requirements.

Faisal said that LGA will discuss the revisions extensively with political parties, before submitting them to the Parliament with the assistance of MPs.