Councils to be downsized in small islands; women’s quotas increased

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has announced plans to push amendments to the Decentralization Act in order to downsize councils in islands with small populations and increase the women’s quota in councils.

In a press briefing at the President’s Office on Saturday morning, President Muizzu announced plans to submit 30 additional bills to the Parliament this year.

This includes bills to amend the Decentralization Act in order to:

• Elect three-member councils in islands with populations under 2,000 people, and five-member councils in islands with populations above 2,000 people.
• Elect three-member women’s development committees in islands with populations under 2,000 people, and five-member women’s development committees in islands with populations above 2,000 people.
• Have presidents of women’s development committees elected through a direct vote.
• Cap the number of city councilors at the current level.
• Increase women’s quota in councils from 33 percent to 40 percent.

Speaking to reporters, President Muizzu said that several islands have disproportionately large councils.

“I will not name any specific island but we see islands without a school, where some 20 people live, have five councilors,” he said.

President Muizzu also announced plans to introduce a provision to the Decentralization Act to empower the Finance Ministry to ensure councils restrict spending from block grant to fulfilling their legal duties.

“What’s happening now is councils are using this block grant on trips to experience Bangkok and where not. Due to legal limitations, there’s nothing the Finance Ministry can do or say,” he said.

“We are giving the block grant. They can do what ever they want. We are unable to stop it. But there’s things they have failed to do in their island.”

President Muizzu had previously pledged to have a portion of Tourism Goods and Services (TGST) go to councils in an effort to financially empower the institutions.

He said that this will be enforced in November.

However, he did not specify that the specific percentage of TGST proceeds that will go to councils.