Ihavandhoo Council order illegal: LGA

Local Government Authority (LGA) has decreed that the order issued by Ihavandhoo Island Council, following the murder of a local by an expatriate, as ‘illegal’.

The governing body of Councils, made the statement in a post on the Authority’s official Facebook page and ordered the Council to maintain order in the island with Maldives Police Service.

LGA earlier on Monday had said they were reviewing the legality of the order issued by the Council.

A notice issued by the Council on Sunday, said that six things had been banned for expatriates. The list says:

- No expatriates can be on the streets after 10 pm apart from those having fixed duties

- Expatriates cannot form groups in any part of the island, except on Fridays from 2pm to 5.30pm

- No fishing in areas under Council administration

- Expatriates cannot collect coconuts, wood, etc from the wood

- Expatriates are banned from entering landfill, unless to throw garbage

- Expatriates are banned from public events, unless invited

The list, published on the Council’s Facebook page exempts expatriates employed by the state as doctors, nurses and teachers. The notice also orders all expatriates and sponsors of those expatriates to register with the Council within a five-day period.

Ihavandhoo Council said expatriates have been involved in a similar case back in 2002. This, the Council said had defamed the island. It also said that Ihavandhoo was an example in hospitality. Having a guest of the island die by the hands of an expatriate, was deeply concerning to the islanders, the Council said.