Bodufulhadhoo council urges president not to abolish atoll councils

AA. Bodufulhadhoo Council has requested President Dr Mohamed Muizzu not to abolish the Atoll Council and to avoid further disruption to the council system.

The request was made on Wednesday during the President’s visit to the island as part of his current tour of Alif Alif Atoll.

Council President Shujau Adam, speaking on behalf of the council, expressed concern over the recent amendments to the Decentralisation Act. He urged the President to reconsider the government’s decision to reduce the number of councillors and abolish the Atoll Council.

Shujau said that while councils are already limited in their ability to recruit staff due to budgetary and administrative constraints, the reduction in council membership further disrupts their operations.

“It is very difficult to run a three-member council; even if one of them is on leave, the council will be disrupted. For such reasons, a five-member council is very important,” he said.

He added that Atoll Councils play a vital role in coordinating development across islands and provide necessary support at both atoll and village levels. Shujau argued that instead of changing the entire system due to the shortcomings of a few councils, the government should take direct action against negligent councils and strengthen monitoring mechanisms.

During the meeting, he also acknowledged positive steps taken by the government, including the establishment of a dedicated ministry for councils, which he said had reduced the need for councils to travel to Malé for administrative matters.

The Decentralisation Act was recently amended to limit the powers of councils, a move that faced criticism from some councils and the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). Parliament passed the bill last week, and it was ratified by the President, who has since defended the changes during his island visits.

President Muizzu has previously described Atoll Councils as unnecessary and confirmed plans to submit a constitutional amendment to abolish them when Parliament reconvenes in October. He also announced plans to reduce the number of councillors elected to island councils, saying that smaller councils would improve efficiency and reduce costs.

Despite concerns raised by councillors, the President reiterated earlier this week that voters would not be required to elect Atoll Councils in the upcoming local council elections.