Deputy Speaker suggests downsizing councils, increasing pay

Councils can only do productive work for local communities if led by educated and capable youths, says Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim, a senior politician from the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC), adding that it can only be done by downsizing councils and increasing the pay.

Nazim, the representative for the Dhiggaru constituency, made the remarks during the preliminary debate on Tuesday morning on a parliamentary resolution submitted by the PNC, seeking the opinion of lawmakers regarding the Decentralization Act, the various amendments made to the Act over the course of the last 15 years, and the challenges and issues with the decentralization system.

During Tuesday’s debate, Nazim said the country needs “productive individuals to come out and do productive work.”

He said the country does not need councilors who just go to work to punch in and out.

Nazim said that what the country needs is for “educated and quality people” and youths working in resorts and neighboring islands to return to their home island and serve their local communities.

He said attracting youths and educated people requires offering better paying jobs.

“While it may seem like there’s huge spending [on councils] under the current Act, educated and quality individuals aren’t going to and serve these islands unless the pay for individual councilors is high,” he said.

Nazim believes the solution lies in downsizing councils and increasing the pay of councilors.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has repeatedly said he wishes to downsize local councils. In May, he announced plans to push amendments to the Decentralization Act in order to downsize councils in islands with small populations.

He said he plans to amend the Decentralization Act in order to:

• Elect three-member councils in islands with populations under 2,000 people, and five-member councils in islands with populations above 2,000 people.
• Elect three-member women’s development committees in islands with populations under 2,000 people, and five-member women’s development committees in islands with populations above 2,000 people.
• Have presidents of women’s development committees elected through a direct vote.
• Cap the number of city councilors at the current level.
• Increase women’s quota in councils from 33 percent to 40 percent.

He also announced plans to introduce a provision to the Decentralization Act to empower the Finance Ministry to ensure councils restrict spending from block grant to fulfilling their legal duties.

The changes are opposed by the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), who have accused the government of attempting to deprive the people of their power and concentrate all powers to the central government.