Councils should work to get not parties

Vice President of Local Government Authority (LGA) Mohamed Zahid has said that Councils can only be operated according to the decentralisation act if the government hears more of the citizens’ voice, than parties’ voices.

Speaking after a workshop held in K. Thulusdhoo yesterday to prepare development plans and financial plans, Zahid said that Councils should get their voices heard not regarding party decisions, but regarding the people’s requirements.

“What we see today is that Councils make their decisions based on party decisions. This needs to be turned around. You are the ones in the driver’s seat,” Zahid said.

He said that in other parts of the world, Councils are more powerful than the leaders of political parties. Councils can only get the government to listen to them by using their full authority in making decisions.

“You have been asking, how to make the government listen to you? This is how. It is by you being in the driver’s seat,” Zahid said.

Noting that the Councils are in need of some equipment in order to increase islands’ income, Zahid said that these means will be delivered to the Councils within the next six weeks or so.

“Only few Councils responded when asked about what they need. Only the Councils which requested for the equipment will receive them,” Zahid said.

He said that it should be possible for Councils to obtain budget more easily than they do today, and that this will be facilitated soon.

The purpose of the workshop organised by LGA was to provide Atoll Councillors training on developing five-year development and financial plans. The workshop was conducted from 14 to 17 May.

Certificates were distributed at yesterday’s ceremony to the all Atoll Councillors and two civil servants from each atoll who participated in the workshop.