Decentralization bill to be amended within two weeks

West Henveiru MP Hassan Latheef has said that the decentralization bill will be amended within two weeks.

MP Latheef said this at the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Councilors Conference.

He said that they aim to complete the draft within a few weeks and implement the decentralization act before next year’s local council election.

He also said that President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and speaker Mohamed Nasheed are also of the opinion that the bill needs to be amended by the committee.

Speaking earlier at the MDP Councilors Conference, President Solih said that work is underway to incorporate the changes to the decentralization framework after forming a freshly amended bill, and that it will include expertise and concerns of Councilors.

In this regard, Solih said that the amendments to the decentralization framework will prioritize fiscal decentralization and accord powers to councils in order to collect revenue from services they provide as well as from the resources over which they have the jurisdiction.

Once effective, five percent of the government’s annual budget will be given to councils who will be allowed 40 percent of the revenue from leasing reefs and to 100 percent of the total revenue from renting land over which they have jurisdiction in inhabited islands.

After this, councils will have rights to collect fees for their services and power to create and operate businesses that are beneficial for their constituents.