The Local Government Authority (LGA) has moved to quell public concern, issuing a formal statement to assert that the abolition of the Ministry of Cities, Local Government and Public Works, along with the Atoll Councils, will not create a legal or administrative vacuum.
The statement directly addresses concerns on social media regarding the potential fallout from the structural changes. The LGA clarified that the foundational principles of decentralisation are firmly entrenched in the Maldives Constitution, which mandates that administrative areas be run on a decentralised basis and empowers the President to establish the necessary island and city councils.
The legal mechanism for the transition, according to the Authority, is the 17th amendment to the Decentralization of Administrative Areas Act. This amendment is designed to seamlessly transfer all services, resources, and property currently managed by the Atoll Councils directly to the LGA. Crucially, the law grants the LGA the explicit power to establish new offices to carry out these functions.
With this provision in the law, the Atoll Councils will be abolished and the legal responsibilities they were performing will be transferred to the LGA, the statement said. This move is framed as an effort to strengthen service delivery by removing administrative barriers between the government and island councils, creating a more direct and efficient line of governance.
To ensure stability, the LGA confirmed that the existing Atoll Council members will complete their current elected terms. Upon their expiry, the councils will be formally converted into administrative offices operating under the LGA's umbrella. This process is intended to guarantee job security for current employees and, most importantly, ensure the uninterrupted continuity of essential public services for the citizens in the atolls.