President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has said that nearly 100 new island council office buildings are expected to be developed and completed within the next two years.
The President made the remarks during the sixth episode of 'The Pulse' podcast series.
Highlighting decentralisation as a policy he strongly prioritises, President Muizzu said that when he assumed office, some councils were operating in very poor conditions. He said some island council offices were in danger of collapsing, while others had deteriorated to the point where they could no longer be used by the public.
As a result, the Government has launched a project to establish new council office buildings on such islands, the President said. Under the project, work on council offices in 55 islands is progressing rapidly, with some buildings already close to completion.
“When employees are able to work comfortably, services can be provided to the people. We are carrying out a project to build council offices on 55 islands. The council offices on those 55 islands will be completed by the middle of next year,” President Dr Mohamed Muizzu said.
In addition, the Chinese Government has provided grant assistance to establish council offices on 50 islands, the President said. Preparatory work required to begin those projects is currently under way, he added. The President said construction of the council offices under this project is also expected to be completed within the next two years.
The new council buildings currently under development are designed to provide workspace for up to 40 employees, as well as dedicated halls for meetings with residents. The buildings will also include designated facilities for the WDC and spaces for passport and national identity card services.