Social Liberal Party Leader Ibrahim Ismail (Ibra) who was also the Head of Constitution Drafting Committee has warned that the newly passed decentralisaion bill could change the country from a unitary to a federal state.
“A unitary system was chosen for Maldives after an immense debate and after considering several options and suggestions,” Ibra who played key role in drafting the country’s new constitution was quoted as saying in Miadhu.
The decentralization bill “could make the Maldives a federal state, which would be against the Constitution,” he has said.
According to Ibra “decentralization could also mean different sets of policies being followed in different administrative regions” adding that could also “threaten the socio-economic fabric of the society.”
Decentralizing “Maldives into 20 minute atolls would further fragment the society and questioned if this was the best option.”
The controversial decentralisation bill was originally meant to divide the country into seven provinces, as pledged by President Nasheed during his 2008 election campaign.
But it was vehemently opposed by the DRP led opposition.
Finally, the bill was met with many amendments and was passed dividing the country into 20 administrative areas instead of seven provinces.
Nasheed not bothered about local politics but development projects
President Mohamed Nasheed has said there is nothing serious in the local politics that warrants his concern.
The President said his only concern is “materializing development projects in the pipeline” upon his return from official visit to Bhutan and China, Miadhu reported.
The President’s apparent don’t care attitude about local politics is despite his Vice President Dr. Mohamed Waheed publicly criticizing Nasheed over lack of consultation with him and also comes in the backdrop of opposition parties regrouping themselves against his government.
He said China has pledged USD 210 million to the Maldives, out of which USD 10 million is grant assistance.
Funding apart, China also promised to increase the number of its tourists arriving in the Maldives midst pledges of medical assistance and scholarships too.
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