Nothing left that councilors can do besides taking pay: MDP

Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has said that the bill of amendments to the Decentralization Act submitted by the government has stripped councilors of the ability to do any work besides taking their salaries.

In a press conference held today, MDP MP Hussain Ziyad (Fitte') said that the incumbent government has, even previously, submitted numerous amendments to the Decentralization Act with the intention of stripping local councils of their powers. He said that the current bill in parliament would result in completely undermining councils.

Ziyad said that the government has changed the laws so that by-elections cannot be held in the instance that a councilor's seat becomes vacant but there is less than 18 months left in the term. Further, he said that the government had also taken away the right of councils to determine their jurisdiction, which was granted during MDP's time in office, and instead placed this power directly with the President.

Ziyad stated that the government is now seeking to strip councils of their financial authority and autonomy

The MP said that the previous MDP administration had given the councils the authority to form companies to facilitate means of revenue generation as councils are unable to manage all their affairs through the government grant alone.

The current bill, however, would take away from councils the option of generating their own revenue, he said.

He said that the government claims this amendment is targeted towards preventing councils from competing with businesses conducted by private individuals. However, the law, even as it stands now, does not allow the council to conduct just any business they opt for, he argued.

"Even as the law stands now, the councils cannot just undertake any business they want. Even now, they have to get a permit from the government to conduct any business. The business cannot be one that is being done by a private resident of the island. That is what's in the law even now. Our worry is that while this is all already there, they are attempting to make the conditions more restricting," he said.

"Our fear is... councilors who get elected in the upcoming election, what will they be able to do? Instead of just being appointed, there will be elected people. There will be nothing they can actually do. If things go as per the current bill, all they can do is accept salaries when Finance Ministry sends it, and then just sit there."

Ziyad voiced concerns that these amendments to the Decentralization Act would severely inhibit islands' development.