Abbas: Councils have not brought any development; number of seats must be cut

Local councils – despite having such a large number of councilors – have not brought any development to the islands they serve, says Mohamed Abbas, the deputy president of Maldives Development Alliance (MDA), and parliamentary representative for the Velidhoo constituency.

Speaking during the parliamentary debate on the state debt bill on Wednesday, Abbas said that councils were created for a noble cause.

He said that councils enjoy state funding, in addition to earnings from rent on land and properties under its jurisdiction.

Abbas said that despite the large number of members that sit at the council, and despite the large budgets they enjoy, they have not brought any infrastructure development to islands.

Abbas said that it is enough for councils to have two elected seats. He said that islands should then have a siting council composed of top officials of state institutions. He said the change will provide a huge financial relief to the state.

“There’s no infrastructure development to islands from the presence of these councilors. So, electing just a president and vice president to the council and then having a siting council composed of officials from other state institutions will save the state billions,” he said.

During Tuesday’s debate on the same bill, Abbas said it is unnecessary for islands with a population of less than 200 people to have five-member councils. He also does not believe the post of secretary-general of councils should be a civil service position.

Abbas alleged that people serving the position often worked to undermine the government.

Stressing the need to cut down government’s expenses, Abbas said that heads of companies should fear the Parliament.

He said that company heads who violate the law will be summoned and held accountable by the Parliament, and that anyone who steals will be immediately dismissed after recommending as such to the president, and replaced with capable people.

He reiterated MDA’s support for President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu to improve the country’s economic situation.

In a recent meeting with the Parliament’s Decentralization Committee, officials from the Local Government Authority (LGA) said that the number of members of local councils was already low.

However, some within the Parliament are opposed to this, arguing that it is not just the number of parliamentarians who should be capped to cut costs, but also council members.