President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has reaffirmed his commitment to factor in and consider public concerns in all developmental aspects, revealing that last year he discussed such concerns in 77 meetings with local council representatives.
He made the statement in his opening remarks at the opening ceremony of the "Viavathi Raajje" conference held on Ukulhas Island in the Alifu Alifu Atoll.
Delving into the details of the meetings, President Solih stated that island councils across the country were facing similar issues: financial constraints that curtail income for developmental plans challenges to formulating land-use plans, and a lack of adequate resources for Women’s Development Committees (WDCs).
The President said that the conference’s main objective was for policymakers, the local council, and WDC representatives to gather and deliberate on ways to resolve these issues.
President Solih spearheaded the administration’s efforts to ensure local councils’ fiscal and legal autonomy and ratified the Decentralisation Act’s eighth amendment in December 2019.
Reiterating his commitment to decentralized development, the President stated that all the administration’s policies centered around this concept. The President said that by prioritizing decentralization, each island would reap the benefits of developmental progress while simultaneously easing the burden on Malé City.
He added that the councils play a pivotal role in implementing the policies.
