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Maldives gives control of local government authority to pres

Aishath Mihna Nasih
12 April 2017, MVT 20:30
Members of Parliament during a sitting. PHOTO/MAJLIS
Aishath Mihna Nasih
12 April 2017, MVT 20:30

The parliament on Wednesday passed the amendment submitted for the Decentralisation Act to give full control of the board of Local Government Authority (LGA) to the president.

This amendment was passed with a majority of 44 votes in favour from 61 members where 17 voted against the amendment.

With the rectification of the amendment, the current LGA board will be abolished.

The new amendment states that the new LGA board would consist of a minister appointed by the president, a female appointee from the Gender Equality sector, a member of a non-governmental organisation, a member with a background in governance or public administration, and a Chief Executive Officer. All members will be appointed by the president with the consent of Parliament.

The president is to determine the allowances to be provided to the five members who will serve a term of five years. The current Decentralisation Act mandates a secret vote among LGA board members to elect its president and vice president. However, should the new bill be passed, the president will appoint LGA board’s president while the vice president will be elected from among the other member’s sans the CEO.

Meanwhile, the opposition claim that such an amendment was passed ahead of the upcoming Local Council Elections only to captivate the public.

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