The public has noted granting powers is not enough and the councils must be ensured of financial stability. The public made the comments at the second session of the Jazeera Holhuashi held to collect views and ideas of the community regarding the Decentralisation Act.
The Decentralisation Act was passed by Parliament in April 2010. The act formalised the roles and responsibilities of city, atoll and island councils and required that they be democratically elected. Importantly the Decentralisation Act did not include any role for provincial administrations.
The Decentralisation Act provided for the establishment of a Local Government Authority (LGA) to which the local councils are made accountable. LGA was established in late 2010 and the first local council elections were held in February 2011. The Decentralisation Act mandates local councils to provide primary healthcare, which was the first function to be decentralised.
It has been eight years since Decentralisation Act was adapted. However, even after eight years, the administration and the general public noted there were several issues in the act.
The administration has pledged to amend the Decentralisation Act during the first 100-days of the presidential term. The administration has also granted authority and powers to the local councils, which were revoked by the previous administration. Ensuring financial stability to the councils is also a top priority when the Decentralisation Act is amended.
Further, the administration has decided to ease actions taken against 78 councillors and to reissue their salaries.