The government is moving ahead with plans to construct council secretariat buildings on islands across six atolls, with Minister of Cities, Local Government and Public Works, Adam Shareef Umar, urging local councils to initiate contractor searches for the projects.
According to Minister Adam Shareef, councils in Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Shaviyani, Noonu, Raa and Dhaalu atolls have been instructed to seek contractors to carry out the work. The Utheemu Island Council has already begun the process, earning commendation from the Minister for its swift action.
The push for new council buildings is part of a broader initiative to enhance the physical infrastructure supporting local governance. In January, the Ministry signed an agreement with Malaysia-based Hextar Global to construct council secretariat buildings on 55 islands. The deal, signed on 20 January, is based on a contractor-finance model that allows the government to maximise the use of available resources for development.
Groundbreaking ceremonies have already taken place on 13 islands across three atolls, signalling the start of construction under the initiative. The administration aims to complete buildings on 105 islands during its current term, replacing outdated structures and tackling long-standing limitations on space and functionality.
Once completed, the project is expected to cover around 70 percent of the government’s target to improve the administrative capacity of councils nationwide, offering a long-awaited boost to the operational effectiveness of island-level governance.
