Unlawful to change Thinadhoo Council name to City Council: LGA

Local Government Authority (LGA) has stated that changing Thinadhoo Council's name to Thinadhoo City Council is in contravention of the constitution.

Discussions on the change to the council's name came after the island was declared a city by the previous government during the run up to last year's presidential election.

Thinadhoo Council appealed to the LGA and the Parliament seeking advice as they are currently being referred to with both names by different entities. They claim that this poses difficulties and gives rise to confusion in budgeting, provision of members' salaries, and providing certain public services.

LGA decided that until the election of a new council, the current council will remain as an island council, and the President of the Council will also remain the same.

LGA presented this same decision at the Decentralization Committee's meeting.

LGA stated that although former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had declared Thinadhoo as a city under the powers granted to him under Article 51 of the law. However, they maintained that the authority and responsibility will remain with the island council until the end of their term.

LGA further pointed out the letter sent to the Decentralization Committee by the Consul General of the Parliament Fathimath Filza, which also noted the legal obstructions in declaring Thinadhoo a city.

Filza's legal counsel also states that even though an island is declared a city, the city will be managed under the island council until the end of its term, citing Article 51 of the Decentralization Act.

Filza further said that in such an instance, the island council would be granted the powers of a city council so as to ensure the citizens are provided the services available in a city without interruption.

It was pointed out that Kulhudhuhfushi City was also run by an island council until its city council was elected in the next local council elections.

Although LGA has announced this decision, the Decentralization Committee has decided to amend the laws to allow an island council to be changed to a city council in the middle of a term.