Malé City Councilor Mohamed Saif Fathih has accused the government of failing to act on its promises of decentralization and public empowerment, giving it "zero for action and a hundred for speech."
Speaking to a local media outlet, Saif said the government often speaks about being on the side of the people but leaves local councils out of key decisions affecting citizens. He said that true empowerment means allowing people and councils to have a voice, something the current administration is failing to deliver.
He criticized what he described as the government’s focus on appearances over substance, saying its rhetoric on decentralization and people’s rights is not matched by actual action.
Recalling past remarks by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, Saif said the President had once supported placing the management of Hulhumalé under the Malé City Council, a position Saif said he would not easily forget. He argued that handing over municipal services of Hulhumalé to a corporation like the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) is inappropriate and goes against the principles of decentralization outlined in the Constitution.
Saif further noted that recent decisions regarding the Hulhumalé master plan were made without consulting the City Council, calling the move contradictory to the President’s earlier promises.
Speaking to a local media outlet, Saif said the government often speaks about being on the side of the people but leaves local councils out of key decisions affecting citizens. He said that true empowerment means allowing people and councils to have a voice, something the current administration is failing to deliver.
He criticized what he described as the government’s focus on appearances over substance, saying its rhetoric on decentralization and people’s rights is not matched by actual action.
Recalling past remarks by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, Saif said the President had once supported placing the management of Hulhumalé under the Malé City Council, a position Saif said he would not easily forget. He argued that handing over municipal services of Hulhumalé to a corporation like the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) is inappropriate and goes against the principles of decentralization outlined in the Constitution.
Saif further noted that recent decisions regarding the Hulhumalé master plan were made without consulting the City Council, calling the move contradictory to the President’s earlier promises.
