Majority Leader Falah Says Goal Is to Cut Councillors on Islands With Under 2,000 Residents

Majority Leader of Parliament Ibrahim Falah has stated that the core aim of a new proposal is to reduce the number of elected councillors on islands with fewer than 2,000 residents, as part of efforts to ease the government’s financial burden.

Speaking during today’s sitting, Falah, the Inguraidhoo MP and parliamentary group leader of the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC), said the intention is not to dismantle councils, but to ensure a more efficient and cost-effective system of local governance.

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“If a referendum was held, 99 percent would support reducing the number of councillors on small islands,” Falah claimed. “We are not targeting councillors. This is about improving financial sustainability.”

Falah made the remarks in support of a resolution proposed by Baarashu MP Ibrahim Shujau. The resolution seeks lawmakers’ opinions on amending the Decentralization Act to allow fewer councillors for islands with smaller populations. The law currently requires a minimum of five councillors per island council.

Falah said the Maldives has a per capita income of USD 12,000, but faces major fiscal challenges, noting that national revenue barely reached MVR 40 billion last year, while the budget deficit is projected to be around MVR 15–16 billion this year.

MP Shujau argued that over the past 15 years, four local council elections have taken place, electing thousands of councillors and costing billions in public funds—with limited tangible development results in many islands.

However, the proposal was met with strong opposition from Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs. South Hulhumalé MP Dr. Ahmed Shamheed dismissed the resolution as baseless and argued that decentralisation has strengthened island economies and brought public services closer to the people. Vaikaradhoo MP Hussain Ziyad accused the government of using the resolution to gradually dismantle local democratic structures.

Debate on the resolution is ongoing. However, Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla cut today’s Majlis session short to allow time for committee work, further dragging the discussion on the matter.