Thinadhoo Mayor, Deputy Mayor suspended without pay

Local Government Authority (LGA) has decided today to place Thinadhoo City Mayor Saudh Ali and Deputy Mayor Nasrulla Ali on suspension without pay following an inquiry conducted regarding complaints submitted against the council.

Mayor Saudh Ali is on suspension for three months, and Deputy Mayot Nasrulla Ali for one month.

According to the LGA, the Mayor was placed on suspension as he failed to fulfil his duty to ascertain that the council is run in accordance with laws and regulations.

In March, a team from LGA visited Thinadhoo City as part of their inquiry. They met with council members, took their statements, and obtained necessary documentation.

LGA said that the council had been granted 7 days within which to respond to the findings of the inquiry.

The inquiry looked into complaints of the Thinadhoo Council being unable to fulfill its duties, misuse of council powers and facilities and disciplinary issues of councilors. The complaints were lodged at LGA by a private individual.

After monitoring and concluding the inquiry, LGA's report highlighted 19 issues.

- Failure to respond to letters sent to the council by various offices

- Charging of an MVR 5000 fee from residents who move to other islands

- Refusal to comply when LGA ordered them to cease charging fee from those who migrate

- Failure to provide information requested from the council by atoll council and other State institutions

- Failure to comply with orders from the atoll council

- Issuing allowances to the bid committee and bid evaluation committee without approval from the Finance Ministry

- Failure to cooperate with ACC when they visited for an investigation

- Council official sharing posts on social media with negative remarks about the council and decentralization

- Announcing 200 housing unit in Thinadhoo project without liaising with Housing Ministry, and failure to comply with orders to desist

- Depositing funds from council's monument project in an account registered to a private business bank account registered in the mayor's name

LGA further said that although Thinadhoo was not granted city status, or a city council formed, council president and members took salaries and allowances of a mayor and city council members.

The inquiry also looked into further issues, including hiring of staff against the wage policies under the Civil Service Act, doing procurement for a speed boat in a way that benefits a specific individual, forcing administrative staff to take on tasks and the women's committee president attending meetings online against council regulations and taking allowance.

LGA said that it is the responsibility of the mayor to ensure that the council is run in accordance with laws and regulations. Hence, the Mayor has been placed on suspension without pay for a period of three months.

In addition to this, Deputy Mayor Nasrulla Ali was placed on suspension without pay for one month.

Councilors Ahmed Waheed, Aminath Naseema, Ahmeema Ahmed and Mohamed Zaleef Abdulla were advised, and asked to return excess pay within a period of two months.

Women's Committee President Jeeza Hassan was also advised and asked to pay the unlawfully obtained allowance to the committee.

LGA said that the board has decided to forward the report to relevant authorities to implement action recommended in the case of each issue noted in the report, and to conduct a probe into whether there is negligence on the part of the Secretary General and other administrative staff, and if so, to take necessary action.