President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has announced over 500 development projects will be conducted across Maldives this year. The president made the announcement in the ceremony held to officially launch the campaign of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) for the local council elections.
Speaking at the ceremony, President Solih announced the administration will be conducting over 500 development projects across the country this year. The president said it would be impossible to conduct so many projects under a centralised system of governance, adding the projects can only be made successful by electing councilors who are capable of administering these projects and understand the development goals of the administration. He criticised the centralised policies practiced by the previous administration, noting the over-congestion of the capital Male' City was caused by such policies.
President Solih further stated the administration has brought important changes to empower local councils, such as extending the term of a council to five years and granting financial independence to councils. The president said local councils will play a much bigger role in the development of the nation in the future, noting the upcoming council elections are very important in shaping the future of the nation. He said the most important responsibility of a council is to implement and monitor the development projects of the administration, adding this would only be possible through councils that can work with the administration. In this regard, the president called for public support for candidates representing the main ruling party in the upcoming council elections.
In his speech, the president affirmed the commitment of the administration to strengthen the decentralisation system of the country and to retain the authorities of councils that were seized by the previous administration.