Parliament approves city status for Thinadhoo island
The current five-year term of the Thinadhoo council expires in 2026. Therefore, the council still has two years left.
By
Mohamed Muzayyin Nazim
The Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) bill to amend the Decentralization Act to address the legal obstacles to upgrade G.Dh.Thinadhoo Island Council to a City Council was passed in Parliament on Monday.
Former President Ibrahim Mohammed Solih visited Thinadhoo during his presidential campaign and declared the island a city.
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That led to a series of legal issues, with the councils’ parent body, the Local Government Authority (LGA), earlier in January deciding that Thinadhoo would have to remain an island council until re-election
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Due to these legal issues, the MDP proposed to amend the Decentralization Act
With some minor changes made by the decentralisation committee to the bill, the Parliament on Monday passed the bill with the support of 42 members. No member voted against it.
As the bill has now been passed by Parliament, there is no obstacle to the conversion of the existing Thinadhoo Island Council to City Council from the date of publication in the Gazette. The bill states:
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If the remaining five-year term of the council of an island granted city status is less than one year, it shall become a city council with effect from a newly elected council
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If such council has more than one year remaining in its term, the island shall be converted into a city; the presently elected island council will become a city council, effective immediately
The current five-year term of the Thinadhoo council expires in 2026. Therefore, the council still has two years left.
According to Article 51(d) of the bill, when an island council is given the status of a city council, the Council President becomes Mayor and the Vice President becomes Deputy Mayor. In addition, the island council members will become members of the City Council members.
"The city council that changes in this way will continue till the term of the island council, which has been changed in such a manner, expires," the article further states.
Therefore, the existing Thinadhoo council will be a city council until its term expires.
The bill further states:
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In the event of an island council becoming a city council, it shall have all the powers and responsibilities conferred on it under the Decentralization Act
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With that change, the budget for a city council and the financial benefits for the mayor and members of the city council will also be available
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A city should provide all the services prescribed in the law to be provided by it
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