Removing Savaaheli from Addu City’s jurisdiction is a disgraceful act intended to obstruct the city’s development: MDP

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has condemned the removal of Savaaheli from the jurisdiction of Addu City, describing it as a disgraceful act by the current administration intended to obstruct the city's development.

In a press statement, the MDP emphasized that while the Decentralization Act grants the President the authority to determine the administrative boundaries of islands and cities, this power must be exercised within the legal framework defined by the law. The party further noted that the Act mandates such decisions be made only after consulting with the residents of the respective island or city.

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) issued a press statement condemning President Muizzu’s decision to remove Savaaheli from the jurisdiction of the Addu City Council without any consultation with the council or the residents of Addu. This move comes at a time when the council, elected with a significant majority, is fulfilling its legal mandate to formulate the city’s five-year development plan. The MDP characterized the action as a blatant violation of the spirit of the Decentralization Act, an affront to the democratic will of the people of Addu, and a disgraceful attempt to obstruct the city’s development.

The MDP stated that one of the most critical mandates imposed on councils by the Decentralization Act is the formulation, approval, and implementation of a five-year development plan and a land-use spatial plan, both developed through public consultation. The party further noted that while President Muizzu’s administration has failed to bring any meaningful progress to the country’s islands—and specifically to Addu City—as it approaches its third year, the results of the recent council elections clearly demonstrate that the Addu City Council has delivered results acceptable to the public through community consultation over the past five years.

The Decentralization Act stipulates that any amendments to a city or island's development and land-use plans must be made in consultation with the public. This provision signifies that the President's authority to alter the jurisdiction of an island or city is not an absolute power to be exercised at will.

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)

The party emphasized that councils are distinct legal entities with the statutory authority and autonomy to plan and manage their own affairs. Consequently, they called on the government to respect the decisions of the Addu City Council—which was elected by a clear public majority—and to fully uphold the Decentralization Act. The party further urged President Muizzu’s "incapable" administration to cease obstructing the decentralized development sought by the people.

The removal of Savaaheli from the jurisdiction of Addu City Council comes at a time when the council had already opened a bidding process to find a developer to transform the island into an entertainment and recreation facility. While the decree issued by President Muizzu states that the decision to remove the island from the city's jurisdiction was made to utilize it for tourism purposes, the document does not provide any further details regarding the matter.

The public is heavily criticizing the government, asserting that seizing islands without any consultation with the council—especially while a significant development project was being planned for Addu City—poses a major obstacle to the economic progress of local communities.