Parliamentarian Yaugoob Abdulla has stated the administration will continue to equitably develop all parts of the Maldives despite the opposition’s outcries. He made the remarks while debating the amendment bill to hold local council and women’s development committee (WDC) elections once a year.
Speaking at the Parliament, Yaugoob said the current administration has taken the initiative to implement decentralisation policies, while the previous governments had further centralised by only focusing on the development of the Greater Male’ Region. He also said the current administration listens to the opinions and wishes of the people when making amendments and implements the changes in the most cost-effective manner. He said the most beneficial change is the implementation of the Decentralisation Act, which has given local councils the authority to influence the direction of local development initiatives.
Furthermore, Yaugoob refuted the criticisms made by the opposition and said the equitable development of the islands will not stop and that the administration will continue to connect the islands via public transport, establish clean water supply and sewerage networks, and build new powerhouses away from residential communities.
The amendment bill to the Decentralisation Act proposes to hold the local council elections and WDC elections once per year. Elections Commission of the Maldives (ECM) has expressed concern over having to hold back-to-back by-elections for local councils and WDCs. The Decentralisation Act states that by-elections are to be held within 60 days of a local council or a WDC member filing their resignation. The amendment bill proposes to allow the ECM to hold an election within 365 days and that elections should not be held within 300-365 days from each other.
Parliamentarian Rozaina Adam earlier proposed an amendment to the Decentralisation Act to hold by-elections for WDCs on the same date each year. The proposed amendment to the Decentralisation Act states that WDC elections are to be held by the representative atoll council with instructions from the ECM. It also states that the by-elections are to be held on the same date each year if there are no issues related to the lack of quorum at WDC meetings.
ECM stated the amendments will significantly reduce the state expenditure on holding back-to-back elections.