Vice President Faisal Naseem has stated that local councils have a huge responsibility in providing services in the islands through decentralised governance. He made the remarks while speaking at the ceremony to inaugurate the Maldives Institute of Local Governance of the Local Government Authority (LGA).
Speaking at the ceremony, Vice President Naseem emphasised that the administration's focus has been to empower local councils and said that its governance system has been comprehensive in decentralising authority from the capital Male’ City to allow citizens to obtain services from any part of the country.
Additionally, Vice President Naseem said that the administration is not biased against small island communities while conducting developmental initiatives. He also said that the local councils have an important role in providing essential services and that increasing their capacity and authority will help in these efforts.
Furthermore, Vice President Naseem highlighted the importance of producing skilled individuals as a prerequisite for strengthening decentralised governance. He noted that local councils have been legally empowered but are still hindered by the lack of skilled employees. He, however, expressed confidence that the Institute of Local Governance will develop the necessary human resources in governance. He also noted that the administration has extended the term for local councillors to five years and made efforts to empower women and ensure their participation in governance.