Haveeru reported that Secretary General Abdulla Amin had sent a letter to President Mohamed Nasheed complaining that announcing the criteria through the one-member Local Government Authority was “in contradiction with the idea of decentralisation”, and “humiliates the manners of democracy”.

Amin claimed in the letter that declaring Addu a city was premature as it did not have a functional sewerage system, or even a paved road other than the primary link road, and accused the President of “escaping from his responsibilities.”

The party has said it will support the development of Addu as a city “if done according to the law.”