Advisor to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment Ahmed Nareesh has said that periods in which the opposition secures a majority in the People’s Majlis or local councils have often resulted in difficulties for governments in implementing their development agenda.

Speaking on MMTV’s Dhiveheenge Raajje programme, Nareesh said that since the introduction of multi-party democracy in the Maldives, debates around holding governments to account have remained central to political discourse. However, he argued that sustained institutional deadlock can affect the Government’s ability to deliver on its mandate.

Nareesh said that a government is elected for a five-year term to carry out its development programme, and that political obstruction within the legislature and local councils can disrupt service delivery and slow the implementation of policies and projects. He said the consequences of strained relations between central authorities and councils are often felt most by communities at island level.

Referring to past political cycles, Nareesh said similar challenges had also been experienced by previous administrations when councils and parliamentary majorities were politically opposed to the government. He said this has, at times, affected coordination between institutions responsible for implementing public services and development initiatives.