Community-Led Monitoring to Oversee Council Secretariat Projects on 55 Islands, Says Cities Minister

The Ministry of Cities, Local Government and Public Works has unveiled a strategic initiative to establish oversight committees on each of the 55 islands where local council secretariat buildings are under construction. These committees, comprised of local residents, aim to actively monitor and guide the progress of these infrastructure projects, ensuring transparency and community involvement.

The announcement was made by Minister Adam Shareef Umar during a Tharaweeh dinner hosted by the ministry for its staff. In his remarks, the minister revealed that civil works have commenced on 17 islands, situated in the Haa Alifu, Raa, and Dhaalu Atolls.

Building on this progress, Minister Umar highlighted the administration's commitment to prioritising local engagement. Elaborating that preference will be given to local contractors in the allocation of civil works, he has asserted, the initiative exemplifies President Dr Mohamed Muizzu's commitment to decentralisation and the empowerment of local councils.

This approach, according to Minister Umar, underscores the administration's strategic focus on fostering economic resilience and encouraging self-reliance within communities. "With the advancement of the 55 councils, the contracting of civil works is being carried out with the objective of benefitting the people of the islands and enhancing the involvement of local councils," he explained.

To further ensure accountability, oversight committees will be established on each island, integrating members from the local population. "On each island, a monitoring committee will be established, comprising members of the residential community. This, too, is intended to promote greater participation among the residents," he assured.

The government's timeline for these initiatives is ambitious yet focused. Civil works on all 55 islands are set to begin within the year, according to the minister, with a targeted completion period of two years and six months.

The minister also addressed another critical aspect of the decentralisation agenda: the transfer of ferry stops to municipal control. He disclosed that the handover of 21 ferry stops in the northern atolls—Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, and Shaviyani—is nearing completion. These facilities, integral to the Raajje Transport Link (RTL) ferry network, are currently operated by the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC). Their transfer, the minister has said, is expected to provide local councils with enhanced revenue-generating opportunities and operational authority.

In addition to these developments, Minister Umar also outlined progress on other key projects. These include the construction of additional ferry stops by MTCC and the development of parks in Shaviyani, Noonu, and Meemu Atolls.