City Council complains to President against ministries

Malé City Council has sent a letter of complaint to the President claiming that ministries and other government departments were not cooperating with the Council in fulfilling its legal responsibilities.

A letter of complaint signed by Malé Mayr Ali “Maizan Alibe” Manik was submitted to the President’s Office yesterday. The city was directly addressed to the President Dr. Mohammed Waheed Hassan Manik.

Malé Mayor expressed his concern over what he described as “difficulties” facing the Council due to challenges in working with various ministries of the government in performing its obligations under the Decentralized Administration of the Maldives Act. Mayor’s letter also claimed that the same difficulties hindered its work to “ease life for the people” who live in the city.

“Because of the challenges thrown our way by various ministries of the government, we have been facing difficulties in discharging our responsibilities under the Decentralized Administration of the Maldives Act, and in finding prompt solutions to problems in order to ease life for the people who live in Malé”, read the letter.

The letter especially noted “challenges and difficulties created by” the Ministry of Housing and the Ministry of Youth in the City Council’s tasks to perform its responsibilities including “setting up a framework of regulations”.

However, the letter does not give any details of any such challenges or difficulties created by any ministry or government department.

Mayor also stated that the City Council was prepared to fulfill any conditions that the President might put forth in return for governmental cooperation with the Council, and that the Council needed full presidential cooperation for its work to be properly carried out.

Malé City Council has reportedly prepared a report to be submitted to Government Accountability Committee at the People’s Majlis, saying that government ministries and departments do not provide necessary cooperation to the Council.

Malé City Council is controlled by the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) which has almost all the seats in the Council, and when MDP leader Mahomet Nasheed resigned as president of the country on 7th February this year, the Council first publicly stated that it would render all cooperation with the new government of Dr. Waheed. However, within days, the City Council went back on its word and declared that it “would not cooperate with a rebel government”. Since then, the Council has constantly challenged the government questioning its legitimacy.

The City Council has also been accused of working for the interests of MDP, and being totally negligent of its duties towards Malé and its people.