Council president warned over anti-government remarks

The government has issued a warning to Gaaf Alif atoll council President Ahmed Fuad for his criticisms of President Abdulla Yameen and the government during an interview.

The GA atoll council has recently come out of a three-month suspension for violating the Local Government Authorities (LGA)’s ban on council members meeting foreign diplomats.

The three GA atoll council members met with Indian Ambassador Akhilesh Mishra on December 11, 2017 and were suspended three days later.

Returning to work after three months, Fuad told RaajjeTV that rather than official work, citizens care more about righting the government and so there was no way to return to his official duties unless President Abdulla Yameen is deposed.

He also said that neither the LGA nor the home minister can achieve anything by threatening the councils, and that he is not afraid of another suspension or the dismissal of the council.

Fuad said that, right after returning to work, LGA told him to choose a bookkeeper for the council from a list of civil service employees. He said he told LGA that the council president is legally tasked with handling the council’s finances.

Due to this interview, LGA sent a letter of warning to Fuad.

In the letter, LGA said that local councils should exercise their power under the guidance of the state as ruled by the Supreme Court. It also said that the decentralization laws do not state that the council’s president is also its bookkeeper.

The letter ended by saying that it opens the opportunity for Fuad to send a statement of explanation to LGA regarding his comments to the media before 11am, Thursday.