Are councils merely there to engage in dialogue with the public? What exactly is the role of these councils? : Muththalib

Minister of Housing, Dr. Abdulla Muththalib, has strongly criticized the Male’ City Council and Addu City Council, alleging that they have failed to fulfill their official responsibilities.

Minister Muththalib was summoned to Wednesday's parliamentary session, during which the Member for Maradhoo constituency, Ahmed Didi, questioned him regarding the progress of the Addu Link Road project.

Responding to the question, the Minister stated that the project has now been awarded to the Road Development Corporation (RDC). The Minister further noted that physical work on the project is expected to commence very soon.

Furthermore, the Minister stated that the repair and maintenance of island roads should not be the responsibility of a government ministry. He emphasized that these tasks fall under the mandate of the respective elected island councils.

The Minister stated that if the Addu City Council receives hundreds of millions of Rufiyaa from the state but lacks the mechanism to repair simple potholes on the roads, then the council has failed in its duties.

The maintenance and upkeep of islands is the responsibility of their respective elected councils. Therefore, given that the state provides hundreds of millions of rufiyaa to the Addu City Council, I believe the council has failed if it lacks the mechanism to even repair potholes on the streets.

Minister of Housing, Dr. Abdulla Muththalib

Criticizing the Male' City Council, the Minister stated that the central government is ultimately forced to step in and resolve the issues surrounding the flooding of the city's streets.

The Minister questioned the utility of the substantial block grants provided by the state to local councils, asking what tangible results are being achieved. He raised concerns over whether councils exist merely to engage in dialogue with citizens, rather than taking substantive action. Furthermore, the Minister inquired about the specific practical work being undertaken by the councils.