The Male' city council has decided that approval at a council meeting would be required for leasing any public spaces.
The change was proposed by Galolhu Medhu councillor Reehan Nazim, Galolhu Hulgahu councillor Nazima Mohamed Faiz and Galolhu Uthuru councillor Mohamed Saif Fathih. The proposal was passed at the council floor.
The proposal submitted by the three councillors on June 11 states that the full council should be involved in making changes and designating uses for public spaces, parks, roads, and plots of land.
Such decisions must be included in the agenda in advance and approved by a majority vote during a meeting of the council, they said.
A city council committee previously approved such changes. But that paved the way for corruption, according to the proposal by the city councillors.
The proposal also said that public concern has grown significantly over the issue recently.
The city council's permission must be sought to make any changes to roads and public spaces in Male'. But complaints have persisted over the city council's actions in matters such as the lease of parking slots.
