Meltdown

TWEET SHARE

In the last hours, MaltaToday was the first to reveal the imminent resignation of the Sliema Mayor. The Times followed soon after, of course! If Nikki Dimech had been a Labour mayor the Nationalist press would be in full force to crucify the man.

The fact that the Labour party have a stunted public relations strategy makes life for the PN much easier. But what has been happening within PN-led councils is scandalous – it involves fraud, corruption and now even child molestation. To cover up for the excesses of the councillors in many of these PN majority councils, we have the Times and PBS. The former has just celebrated 75 years of gate-keeping.

It is no coincidence that the PM has been silent. He has learnt that silence is the best policy. Yet what we are seeing here is the serious deterioration in the state of the local councils, and in most cases on both sides of the political spectrum.

The message is clear, the councils need to be revisited. There are too many councils, and far too many councilors see their participation as a golden opportunity for their own personal gain.

The Nikki Dimech saga also proves that the vetting of candidates is poor and is most of the time fuelled by one primary concern: that is to have as many candidates as is possible. This is not a new phenomena; it existed before when Jimmy Magro was secretary-general and it persisted when Lawrence Gonzi held the same post within the Nationalist party.

The present PN meltdown is an embarrassment for the Nationalist party. The only redeeming aspect in this scenario, is that the culture of resignation is alive and kicking in the local councils, but still non existent in the higher echelons of politics.

The only explanation for this is because our elected parliamentarians have no one to tell them how to act. If that was the case, Dolores Cristina and Tonio Fenech would have tendered their resignation, a very long time ago.

Founder and co-owner of MaltaToday, Saviour Balzan has reported on Maltese politics and...

More from Saviour Balzan Saviour on Twitter

•

@Joe South Dr Alfred Sant was for independent people to run councils and not political parties. Unfortunately this was unheeded and MLP/PL had to involve itself after the councils became a bill board for gonziPN. But as always the prophet is not welcome in his own country, and we are reaping the fruits of arrogance. Yes there is a way to reform the councils but first lets do away with party reps.

Mark Fenech •

Regret to write, but from contacts I have with several contractors who work for local councils, I am told that corruption is wide spread in most of the 67 councils we have. The exceptions are very small.

Alfred Galea •

The two parties should have never got involved in local councils. Local councils should have been independent of the parties and not just an extension of the same parties. As it is, a few councillors are using them to make a name for themselves and impress the party's big brass. Although, as you said, some of them have more integrity than some national politicians and ministers.

Alfred Galea •

The two parties should have never got involved in local councils. Local councils should have been independent of the parties and not just an extension of the same parties. As it is, a few councillors are using them to make a name for themselves and impress the party's big brass. Although, as you said, some of them have more integrity than some national politicians and ministers.

Meltdown

I guess the problems with Nationalist councilors in so many local councils can only be blamed on the poor vetting that takes place before candidates are selected.