Committee: Island councils may be summoned to Majlis if they fail to respond

Island councils that fail to respond to inquiries may be summoned in front of the Government Oversight Committee of People’s Majlis, says members of the committee.

Speaking during the committee meeting held last Monday, Maradhoo MP Ibrahim Shareef noted an increase in lack of response to inquiries made by the committee for details to look into complaints sent by constituents. He said it was an issue that needed to be taken seriously.

“They aren’t responding no matter what the issue is. They aren’t responding even if its regarding the loss of a right of a citizen. Chair, this needs to be taken seriously. It needs to be looked into why island councils are failing to respond. They need to be summoned here even if by court order,” said Ibrahim Shareef, speaking to Chair of Government Oversight Committee, Vilifushi MP Riyaz Rasheed.

Addu-Meedhoo MP Rozaina Adam expressed support for Ibrahim Shareef’s comments, and said all government institutions, in addition to island councils, need to be summoned to the committee if they failed to respond to inquiries.

Riyaz Rasheed noted that weeks had gone by since the Th. Atoll Council was sent a letter inquiring about a complaint regarding interruption to ferry services by MTCC to the atoll. He said he will send one more letter to the Th. Atoll Council, but may have to summon Th. Atoll councilors if they still failed to respond.

He said he hoped Th. Atoll Council would respond to the letter, and that the committee would not have to summon the councilors.