Government Proposes Transferring Local Government Authority Staff to Civil Service

The Maldivian government has introduced an amendment to the Decentralisation Act aimed at transitioning employees of the Local Government Authority (LGA) into the formal civil service. The bill, submitted by Fuvahmulah North Member of Parliament Hamad Abdulla, seeks to professionalize the authority's workforce to strengthen its operational efficiency. Currently, the LGA board holds the power to appoint and dismiss staff. Under the proposed changes, this authority would be transferred to the Civil Service Commission (CSC). The CSC would handle appointments and dismissals based on recommendations from the LGA's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), ensuring that staffing aligns with standardized national civil service protocols. Under the new framework, the CEO would serve as the senior official responsible for the administration, appointment, and dismissal of employees. Furthermore, the National Pay Commission would determine salaries and allowances for these positions, bringing the LGA's compensation structure in line with the state pay framework law. Beyond administrative restructuring, the amendment introduces a critical mandate for local governance. It formally classifies waste management as a required public service that local councils must provide across all islands and cities. This move legally obligates councils to maintain sanitation and waste services, addressing a persistent challenge in island community management. As the body responsible for overseeing local councils under the Decentralisation Act, the LGA's shift toward a civil service model is expected to provide greater stability and standardized governance. By removing political or board-level influence from hiring and tying pay to national standards, the government aims to create a more resilient and transparent administrative body to support the Maldives' decentralization goals.