MDP calls on govt to stop repossessing council land without consultation
The decision came while the council was preparing to invite bids for the development of an entertainment and recreation facility on the island.
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The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has called on the government to stop removing land from the jurisdiction of local councils without consulting the councils and affected communities.
The party issued the statement on Friday following President Dr Mohamed Muizzu's decision to remove Savahili, an uninhabited island near Feydhoo and Maradhoofeydhoo in Addu City, from the jurisdiction of the Addu City Council.
The decision came while the council was preparing to invite bids for the development of an entertainment and recreation facility on the island.
Following the change, official zoning maps designate Savahili as a resort island under the administration of the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation.
In its statement, the MDP said that while the Decentralisation Act gives the President the authority to determine the administrative boundaries of cities and islands, the law also requires consultation with local councils and residents before such decisions are made.
"At a time when the City Council—re-elected with an overwhelming MDP majority—is carrying out its legal duty to formulate Addu's five-year development plan, President Dr Muizzu's decision to remove Savahili from the council's jurisdiction without any consultation with either the council or the residents is a violation of the intent of the Decentralisation Act, an act against the will of Addu's citizens, and an attempt to obstruct Addu's development," the party said.
The MDP said the Decentralisation Act requires councils to prepare, adopt and implement five-year development plans and land-use plans in consultation with the public.
The party also said the Act requires public consultation before amendments are made to local development and land-use plans, arguing that the President's authority to alter administrative boundaries is subject to the requirements of the law.
The MDP further claimed that the government had not delivered development projects to many islands during its time in office and said the outcome of the recent local council elections reflected public support for the work of the MDP-led Addu City Council.
The party called on the government to respect the decisions of the elected Addu City Council, comply with the Decentralisation Act and refrain from actions that, in its view, hinder decentralised local development.
