LGA board dispute over banning Yameen's 'haram verdict' statements
When asked if she plans to take any further action against the councillors in connection with the statements, Afshan said she did not think of doing it.
By
Aman Haleem
The board of Local Government Authority (LGA) has been embroiled in a controversy over a letter sent by the LGA to the councils, barring them from issuing statements demanding the release of former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, who has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for accepting bribes and money laundering.
With this, home minister Imran Abdulla who serves as LGA president also left the LGA's official Viber group.
Pro-Yameen councillors and councils controlled by the opposition PPM/PNC coalition have been issuing statements against Yameen's verdict.
In response to this:
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Imran wrote a letter to the councils, banning such political statements from being issued
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The problem with the members of the board was that Imran himself signed and sent the letter without consulting the board.
K. Atoll Council President Mohamed Nimal, who sits on the board, said that in addition to speaking about the good things in the official viber group of the LGA Board, he would also speak about it if it was a 'haram verdict'.
"It's freedom to express your opinion. Council members are elected to councils based on the political ideology of the constituency and its people. Council members can speak up," he said.
Nimal added that the LGA's letter had no respect because "freedom of expression is being curtailed". He urged the board members not to think of imposing severe punishment on councilmen by linking them to such incidents.
Nimal alleged that it was wrong for Imran to sign the letter, who has never signed such a letter before. In his messages to the group, Nimal wrote, "When he made these remarks on the Viber group, the LGA president left the group because he himself believed that it was a mistake.
However, LGA CEO Afshan Latheef told Atoll Times that Imran did not leave the group.
"I believe the minister [Imran] was not in the group when he sent those messages," she said.
Afshan said it was a letter sent as per normal procedure. In the past, such letters were not made in consultation with the board before sending them, she said.
"This is a practice that the previous government was doing. The minister signed the letter as LGA president," Afshan said.
When asked if she plans to take any further action against the councillors in connection with the statements, Afshan said she did not think of doing it. Instead, the priority is, she says, to resolve issues through dialogue.
"The LGA wants to find a negotiated solution instead of taking action on such issues," Afshan said.
