The government has effectively paralyzed Ihavandhoo island in Haa Alif atoll by suspending its local government council, says council president Mohamed Rasheed.

Rasheed said that the government suspended the island’s council to ensure that there will be no obstacle to leasing out a large chunk of land at the island’s harbour to an affiliate of the ruling party.

Rasheed said, speaking to Raajje Television, that there is no legally valid or substantial reason to suspend the council, or any of the others that have been.

The council president described the statutory body Local Government Authority as being heavily influenced by the government and effectively ‘serving their will’.

Rasheed said that the Local Government Authority has acted in a way that demonstrates this, and that they have isolated opponents of the government.

Further claiming that the government is targetting councilors that are aligned with the opposition and alluding to previous situations where council with a majority of opposition aligned councilors have been suspended, Rasheed said the government has destroyed mechanisms of separating powers and decenralization for personal benefit.