Solih in favor of decentralisation

Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, the former President, has expressed that it is the island's residents who will suffer the consequences of attempts to weaken decentralization in order to promote centralization for political advantage.

Solih expressed these views in a post on X regarding the government's suggested bill that details significant changes to the Decentralization Act, intended to enforce stricter regulations on local councils' financial management.

The initial review of the bill, presented by Fuvahmulah MP Ibrahim Hussain, is scheduled for today's parliamentary session. Solih urged for a reassessment of the bill and the withdrawal of the suggested changes.

Solih stated that decentralization is one of the most important constitutional reforms fostering citizen progress. Subsequent administrations have both increased and limited these authorities, with the 2019 changes— heavily discussed and supported across political views— being the most significant, he stated. Solih characterized the centralization of authority that prevents citizens from making informed decisions about their islands as a significant injustice.

He stated that the beneficial effects are currently observable from establishing the jurisdiction of each island, allocating block grants from a segment of the State revenue, and issuing permits to produce revenue under specified policies. "The councils are achieving self-sufficiency," the message states.

Solih warned that compromising decentralization for political motives at this crucial stage of progress would negatively affect island communities. Multiple officials aligned with the government contend that the existing decentralization system is financially unwarranted and deficient in transparency. They support reducing the number of councilors for each island.