Minister for Local Government Adam Shareef denied the rumors circulating that the current government does not accept the city status deigned to Gaafu Dhaalu atoll Thinadhoo by former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih during the last couple of months of his term.
Speaking at Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) National Council meeting held last night, Hulhumale' MP and Chairperson of Decentralization Committee Ali Niyaz said that the island council had been informed by the Local Government Ministry that they do not accept the city status given to Thinadhoo by former President Solih via a resolution he had passed.
When questioned about this by Mihaaru News, Adam Shareef denied these allegations and said that it was the incumbent President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu who first promised city status to Thinadhoo during the election campaign.
However, he said that the previous government bestowed the city status without taking the necessary steps and that this change was done outside the bounds of law. The minister said that efforts are ongoing to bring it within the boundaries of law. He declined to elaborate further.
Thinadhoo Council President Saud Ali told Mihaaru that they have decided to raise the issue with the Parliament as different parties are interpreting the resolution in different ways.
Thinadhoo was granted city status by President Solih’s government on August 30 during this year's presidential campaign. However, the then presidential candidate Dr. Muizzu had already pledged to make this change if he won the election.
The criteria for giving an island the status of a city includes the island having a population of over 10,000. However, the latest census shows that Thinadhoo has a population of 8,000.
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