Regulation misses deadline, councils unable to hire staff to maintain mosques even

Island councils are expressing concern over their inability to recruit staff for mosques and challenges in implementing land use plans. This follows the government's amendment to the Decentralization Act, which limits the powers of councils.

The changes were approved by Parliament on August 6 and ratified by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu a week later, despite concerns from various island councils that the proposed amendments would create difficulties. These concerns were voiced by council presidents in separate interviews with Sun.

The President of Bodufulhadhoo Council in North Ari atoll stated that the amendment required the Local Government Ministry and the Local Government Authority (LGA) to formulate and gazette a rule on the amendments within 30 days. As this deadline has passed, councils are now facing more difficulties.

“The mosque has not hired the support staff it needs; it is very difficult. Land lease agreements for some places have expired, but there is nothing else we can do at the moment except to halt everything and just wait,” he said.

Ahmed Nishan Mohamed, President of Meemu atoll Dhiggaru Island Council, noted that the council had only recently started hiring employees after resolving long-standing space constraints in the island council office building, just when the Act was implemented.

He stated that no further employees will be hired, despite the council still needing to fill important positions.

“For example, in matters like port maintenance, we just finished work on the landfill site, and we need more staff for that area as well, permanent ones, but it [the law] says we cannot do that,” Nishan explained.

Ahmed Irushad, President of Baa atoll Dhonfanu Council, said the changes to the Decentralization Act have prevented councils from undertaking any work. He mentioned that Dhonfanu’s first land use plan was prepared by the current council recently and took 1.5 years to approve.

Irushad added that the law was amended shortly after the council implemented the land use plan.

“Last August was the period when we were ready to announce the bid documents for the land reserved for local tourism and the industrial areas of the island,” he said. “We have not done anything.”

Mohamed Basheer, President of Noonu Atoll Council, stated that councils were provided the opportunity to develop land use plans during this term, and they had begun creating land use plans and development strategies.

He noted that most islands had budgeted for land allocation, land resources allocation, and land lease for businesses this year.

“For one thing, that came to a halt. Another thing is that recruitment of employees is done through a certain structure and rules of the civil service, with clearance from the Finance Ministry. With these amendments to the law, now we are unable to recruit staff at all,” Basheer said.

He explained that land leasing and renting were carried out in a specific manner, similar to the government's previous processes for land use approvals. House leasing also had a budget and required approvals for a designated lease period, but this entire process has now stopped.

Most council members suggest that the amendments imply that work on islands is done arbitrarily by the council. However, they assert that every government action follows legal procedures, and even without the recent amendments, the process was already delayed. Now, they complain that it is not just difficult, but has almost completely ceased.

When asked about the delay in gazetting the rules on the amendments to the Local Government Act, LGA CEO Mohamed Nimal told Sun that the regulations under the amendments to the law have been formulated and will be gazetted very soon.

“Once the legal considerations are completed, the regulation will be gazetted,” said Nimal, who also served as President of the Kaafu Atoll Council.

The government amended the Decentralization of Administrative Areas Act to restrict the powers of councils to recruit staff, lease lagoons and land under their jurisdiction, and implement development projects.

On August 14, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu ratified the law, which came into force on the 18th. According to the amendments, no rent can be charged from land or buildings allocated to various parties for the purpose of providing basic services to the people.

Additionally, councils will now receive revenue only after the deduction of state taxes and if they have not defaulted on payments for public services for over six months.

Councils are also mandated to maintain bank accounts according to Ministry of Finance procedures and provide statements upon request. In their final year, councils will face restrictions on new employee recruitment, leasing land, lagoons, or reefs, and initiating new development projects not previously outlined in their plans.