On September 18, Maldives Local Councils’ Association (MLCA) hosted its first Local Governance Forum in partnership with Transparency Maldives and Association of Planners. MLCA is the first association formed comprising of local councils in the Maldives as its members, with the purpose of strengthening and advocating decentralization reforms in the Maldives. Currently, MLCA represents over 30 member councils in the Maldives.

The purpose of the Local Governance Forum (LGF) was to convene member councils of MLCA and interested parties from public to raise awareness and debate on the current legislative changes to the decentralization legal framework in the Maldives. On September 8, President ratified and gazetted the Urban Planning and Management Act. This sparked criticisms from the public due to the discretion it affords to the Ministry to alter the jurisdiction of the Councils. Currently, Urban Development Bill, another critical reform to the decentralization legal framework in the Maldives is also being deliberated at the committee stage of the Parliament.

In LGF, a presentation by the MLCA board members highlighted that through the eighth amendment to the Decentralization Act 2010, Councils were empowered with more planning and development functions in their mandate with provisions that enable the Councils to use resources in their jurisdiction to increase their fiscal autonomy. However, MLCA raised concerns on the current legislative changes which can erode the councils’ powers in the planning and development process. The legislative proposals give the government the discretion to take back the resources of the Councils by declaring it an urban development area, discretion to alter the jurisdiction of the councils and transfer council’s planning, management and development functions to an Urban Development Authority.

Transparency Maldives also presented on the implications to the decentralization framework in relation to the Urban Planning and Management Act and the proposed Urban Development Bill. In their presentation they stressed on the importance of consensus oriented, inclusive, participatory decision-making involving youth, women and persons with disabilities. The legislative changes have not been constructively consulted with stakeholders and there has not been a platform for adequate dialogue on its impacts of changes on the different groups of the public. For example, the Urban Planning and Management Act was introduced to the Parliament on August 12 and passed by the Parliament on August 22, and ratified by the President on September 8 which indicates the short time frame in which sweeping changes to the decentralization framework was introduced.

From the session conducted by Transparency Maldives in the Local Governance Forum

The Association of Maldivian Planners also presented in the Local Governance Forum and shared their insights into different planning models across the globe and their technical views on urban planning. The Association welcomes legislation that uniforms the rules and regulations on planning as the current legal framework on land-use planning poses many gaps and inefficiencies. They also highlighted the importance of public participation in the planning processes. The Association of Planners noted that they have commented and forwarded their written concerns on the Urban Planning and Management Bill and Urban Development Bill when it was opened for public comments.

President of the Association of Maldivian Planners, Hussain Ziyath speaking at the Local Governance Forum

One of the participants from Local Governance Forum voiced out that the Government should publish more law reform papers and policy briefs to inform the public on the intended changes and benefits of the legislative agenda. When massive changes to the governance framework are brought about with scarce public consultation or inadequate public sensitization on issues, such reforms will be contested and negated.

On the same day, MLCA and Transparency Maldives also issued a joint statement calling the government and the parliament to redesign the Urban Planning and Management Act and Urban Planning Bill with adequate consultation from the councils, public and all relevant stakeholders.