Government warns Sliema council to ‘get sorted or be dissolved’

Additional reporting by Karl Stagno-Navarra

In a statement issued this evening, government explained that following a monitoring exercise of the Sliema council's public meetings, "it is clear that there are a number of circumstances which are disrupting procedures, including lack of cooperation among councillors."

Government added that notwithstanding repeated efforts to correct the situation, these has proved to be futile.

The Director for local government said that this situation is hindering the administrative procedures within the council. It added that no progress on a number of initiatives was registered.

In its formal notice, government referred to a report prepared by the Director of the Department for local government. The report mentions a series of investigations conducted by the Internal Audit and Investigation Directorate (IAID) and other allegations against the council.

Many of these irregularities have been confirmed, government said.

The former mayor, Nikki Dimech, together with the former executive secretary and the deputy executive secretary as well as a number of councillors were mentioned in the report, it added.

Dimech, together with local councillors Martin Debono and Yves Bobby Cali were charged in court over a series of irregularities.

The Department has now given the local council 10 days time to sort out all pending issues and reach an agreement to move forward or face the invocation of Article 22(b) of the Local Councils Act to have the local council officially dissolved by the President of Malta.

"The Director of Local Government has already given his advise that the Sliema local council should be dissolved," government said.