An amendment has been proposed to change the status of Thinadhoo, Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll, from an island council to a city council. The amendment, put forward by Parliamentarian Hisaan Hussain, was approved by the parliament with 42 votes.
The change in status was deemed necessary as Thinadhoo had been granted the status of a city on August 30, 2023, by the previous government. However, despite being recognised as a city, the status of the island council remained unchanged due to legal challenges.
The Decentralisation Act outlines the criteria for granting an island the status of a city, which includes meeting specific requirements and a decision by the president. It also stipulates that despite the change in status, the current island council elected to govern the island will continue until the completion of their term.
Thinadhoo's island council raised concerns about the discrepancy in their status, prompting the Decentralisation Committee to propose amendments to the law. Hisaan's bill included five amendments, aligning with the modifications suggested by the Decentralisation Committee.
The proposed amendments state that when an island's status changes to that of a city, the island council's status must also change accordingly. This includes renaming the council's president and vice president to Mayor and Deputy Mayor, respectively. The amendments also clarify that the current council members will remain in office until the end of their term.
Furthermore, the amendments outline procedures for multiple islands forming a city together, abolishing the atoll council in such cases and transferring all authority to the city council. The city council would then be responsible for providing all services mandated by law.
The government acknowledged that Thinadhoo's status change was politically motivated by the previous administration without completing all necessary procedures.