Government’s priority is to initiate its own new projects, and it was at this point that ongoing projects were halted and public trust was lost: Rafeeq

Fuvahmulah City Mayor Ismail Rafeeq has stated that the government’s current focus is solely on initiating new projects, noting that this shift in priority is where existing projects have stalled and public trust has begun to erode.

He made these remarks while speaking on RaajjeTV’s "Fala Suruhee" program. He noted that numerous projects initiated by the previous administration in Fuvahmulah have come to a standstill. He further stated that the failure to resume these works despite repeated requests sends a clear message that the government is unable to deliver on the people's needs, warning that citizens will take a stand and hold the government accountable if the situation remains unchanged.

Furthermore, he stated that the establishment of the Ministry of Cities, Local Government and Public Works, along with the restructuring of Public Works to operate outside the City Council's jurisdiction, has posed significant challenges to their operations. The Mayor further noted that procedures have been bypassed and that, rather than strengthening state-owned enterprises, these institutions have been heavily politicized.

"These tasks could be carried out far more effectively by allocating the budget directly to local councils. Instead, the process was used as a political tool to create ministries and provide political appointments. It was not structured in a way that facilitates efficient work," the Mayor said.

Furthermore, he stated that one of the primary reasons for the government's defeat in the council elections was its attempts to dismantle the decentralization system and discredit local councils. He also noted that the government had obstructed the recruitment of personnel for these councils. He added that the public had grown disillusioned by such actions.