Addu City Council opposes reducing councilor numbers

Addu City Council has stated today that they stand against the government's efforts to decrease councilor numbers and so, to undermine decentralization. They asserted that islands will not see development unless through a decentralized system.

In yesterday's parliament debate on reducing councilor numbers, government aligned MPs claimed that councils do not perform effectively. Ruling People's National Congress (PNC) MP for South Feydhoo Ibrahim Didi strongly criticized the Addu Council, saying they do not do anything worthwhile.

In an online press conference, Addu City Mayor Ali Nizar responded to these remarks. He raised concerns that MPs had made statements that slandered councils.

Nizar stated that there are developments achieved by the Addu City Council. He said that the amendment brought to the Decentralization Act in 2019 mainly concerns earning revenue to fund projects.

Nizar went on to say that even until recently, the council did not have a vehicle to use in providing municipal services to the large city or for official travels. However, through spending MVR 5 million from the council's revenue, a vehicle has now been sourced, he said.

Additionally, the revenue has also been used to put up solar panels in at council offices, with mosques also being equipped with solar panels now, Nizar added.

"This is the council in Maldives which has earned the highest revenue and saved expenses, I am citing Council statistics. So, in light of all this, it is seen that there has been development in bringing in revenue," Nizar said.

Hithadhoo Councilor Ibrahim Shinaz said that with changes to the government's fiscal policies, it is only recently that they have been able to do things for the community. Shinaz went on to allege that the government is trying to undermine decentralization because they are some within the administration who do not favour the system.

Shinaz said that doing so would be akin to preventing those elected by the public from serving the public.

Shinaz said that he accepts that the country's economic situation is dire at present. However, he said, in Addu alone there are a high number of political appointees who just remain at home due to lack of work to do.

"If you are raising concerns about there being 13 councilors here, even if you consider Addu alone, there are about 50 political appointees. What do they even do? This also needs to be talked about. If we are aiming to improve things, then these issues need to be addressed first," Shinaz said.

He said that although strengthening the decentralization system is a presidential pledge of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, currently it appears as if the government is working against it.

"Citizens will never accept this. I am speaking in defence of this system today, as someone who works within it. This is a system widely accepted by the people. We will not stand aside as this system is destroyed," Shinaz said.

Hulhudhoo Councilor Hussain Faiz Rahman said that the government is attempting to take power out of the hands of the citizens, and to instead have the President appoint councilors. He called on councils across the country to stand against this.

Faiz reiterated that islands will not see true development without councils.

Maradhoo Councilor Ahmed Nadhir said that since 2023, only surveys have been conducted in Addu. He said that taxes are paid on time, and yet nothing has been done for the island in the past two years. A councilor added in that so far Addu has only received 'a black barrel' taken there for bunkering.

Addu City Council's Secretary General Imad Solih stated that after the 2019 amendment to the Decentralization Act, in 2021 the council's revenue was increased to MVR 13 million. Imad said that year by year, the council's revenue has been increasing.

Imad said that MVR 60.6 million as block grant in 2020, MVR 62.5 million in 2021, MVR 68.7 million in 2022, NVR 82.2 million in 2023, MVR 95.3 million in 2024 and MVR 100.9 million this year has been received.

He said that net revenue of the council in 2020 was at MVR 7.3 million. However, with changes brought to the law, and with the new council being elected, this has also seen an increase.

Imad said that MVR 13.4 million in 2021, MVR 17 million in 2022, MVR 26.6 million in 2023, MVR 35.4 million in 2024 and MVR 24 million so far this year has been received in revenues. They project that this year's revenue will reach 40 to 42 million by year end, and further rise to MVR 50 million next year.

He pre-emptively answered any questions that may rise about how the council spends their earnings, and said that, to date, 183 projects have been implemented through the use of these funds.

These are projects which are handed over to the council because it costs less than MVR 15 million. Imad said that 73 of these projects have now been completed, and the remaining 110 are in progress.

Much of the grant is used on employees and bills, he said, stating that the electricity bill alone costs MVR 12 to 15 million annually.

For salaries, MVR 38.5 million in 2020, MVR 51.5 million in 2021, MVR 60.4 million in 2022, and MVR 61.5 million in 2023 was spent.

Mayor Nizar said that the number of councilors in the Addu City Council is not excessive when taking into account the size of the city's population. He alleged that this was nothing more than a political smokescreen.

"We must accept that over 180 islands are inhabited, that they too should be able to operate and develop. How can people stationed in Male' always run this? It is because of this that we stalled, without being developed for so long. That some islands remain without water and sewerage systems to date. This is the reason why people in the atoll were denied basic services," Nizar said.

"It is because of the councils that these things are being improved now, because there are councilors. That councilors don't report to work, that there is no work for them, that councilors are farmers... all these things are being said in condescension."