Why can't NCIT run all council websites?

When I read that Ihavandhoo Council is seeking bids for their website design, something clicked. This isn't just about one island council—this is how our entire government system works. Every atoll, every island council operates like its own little kingdom, each spending money separately, each building their own digital presence from scratch. Think about it: we have the National Center for Information Technology (NCIT) with qualified engineers and developers. They could design one solid template that works for every council office across our islands. Instead, each council goes through this procurement dance—emailing proposals, sealed envelopes, registration requirements—all for what? To get a website that often looks outdated within months. I've seen council websites across different atolls. Some look like they were designed in 2010, others have broken links, and many don't even work properly on mobile phones. Meanwhile, our young IT graduates struggle to find jobs while councils pay external companies for basic web design. The inconsistency is embarrassing—one council site uses professional photography while another looks like someone's first WordPress experiment. This isn't just about saving money, though imagine the millions of rufiyaa that could be redirected to actual island development. It's about creating a coherent digital identity for local governance. When someone searches for 'HA. Ihavandhoo Council' or 'GDh. Thinadhoo Council,' they should find websites that feel like part of the same government family—consistent, professional, and reliable. The current system creates unnecessary competition between councils too. Wealthier councils can afford better websites while smaller islands make do with whatever they can scrape together. This digital divide mirrors the physical development gaps we see between islands. A centralized approach would ensure every Maldivian, whether in Haa Alif or Seenu, accesses the same quality of digital services from their local council. Perhaps there's fear that centralization means losing local identity. But that's missing the point. The template could be standardized while allowing each council to highlight their island's unique character—their fishing heritage, their crafts, their environmental initiatives. The framework could be national while the content remains proudly local. As we move toward digital governance, this fragmented approach becomes increasingly unsustainable. Our people deserve better than patchwork solutions that drain public funds and deliver mediocre results. Maybe it's time we started thinking like one nation rather than 1,192 separate islands when it comes to basic government services.