Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Local Government Authority (LGA) Fathimath Afshan Latheef has stated local councils are providing its full support and cooperation towards development projects carried out by the administration.
The government has amended the Decentralisation Act to provide more authority and responsibility to local councils, allowing them to conduct infrastructure, social, and economic projects in their administrative islands and also giving them a larger stake in local development projects conducted by the government.
Speaking to PSM News, LGA CEO Afshan said the purpose of making amendments to the Decentralisation Act is for the government to develop the atolls with support from the local councils. Afshan noted LGA has been able to act as a mediator and solve disagreements that arise between the councils and state institutions, adding that council members are mostly in favour of the government projects. She said that no council member has yet been suspended over any complaints submitted after the amendments, and noted even opposition council members are supporting the development projects.
Furthermore, CEO Afshan said that most of the complaints submitted to the LGA are regarding the workload or lack of resources, and that the authority is working with the relevant state institutions to solve these issues.