Male' City Mayor Adam Azim said today that the Finance Ministry has slashed a total of MVR 74 million from the block grants legally mandated for the Male' City Council.
Speaking at an official council meeting, Azim alleged that the reduction of MVR 74 million over the past three months was a deliberate attempt to obstruct and sabotage the services provided to the public. However, he maintained that the council would continue to serve the people to the best of its financial capacity.
"The budget is being cut. Over the last three months, they [the government] have slashed MVR 74 million from our budget. As a council that provides essential services to the public, I believe this systematic obstruction is a direct act of malice against the citizens. We will continue our work here with whatever budget remains," Azim said.
Azim further noted that the government is also hindering the council’s recruitment process, claiming these restrictions began just as the council was seeking to hire qualified professionals.
"We are facing difficulties in carrying out our work because they are obstructing staff recruitment and creating various other hurdles. I want to share this for your information; these challenges arose just as we were working to bring capable people on board," Azim added.
The reduction in block grants for the council responsible for municipal services in Malé—where 42 percent of the Maldivian population resides—was implemented due to outstanding payments owed by the City Council to the state-owned Waste Management Corporation (WAMCO).
The City Council has previously dispatched a letter to Finance Minister Hassan Zareer, warning that the government's decision to cut the block grant would impede the council’s ability to pay staff salaries and provide public services.
In addition to the budget cuts, the government has reclaimed 14 plots of land from the council, including several revenue-generating sites. Furthermore, the government has amended regulations to divert vehicle fees—a key source of income for the council—away from the council's budget and has already begun implementing these changes.
