Prime Minister holding Cabinet meeting in Mellieha

The Cabinet of Ministers is meeting at the Imperial Club in Mellieha, the second of a series of Cabinet meetings which are being held outside the walls of Auberge de Castille.

Chaired by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, the ministers will discuss problems affecting localities in the north of Malta.

In a brief address, Muscat said the first Cabinet meeting held in Marsaxlokk had proved to be a success. "Concerns raised during that meeting are being addressed," he said.

He also took the opportunity to make a pitch for the Individual Investor Programme - a scheme which has raised the ire of the Opposition, made headlines abroad and got the European Parliament to take a stand against Malta's programme - urging the government to amend it.

"Part of the funds coming in through the IIP will go towards helping local councils to fund the projects they have long been planning to do. Local councils would be asked to submit an application to benefit from the Social Development Fund," Muscat said.

He added that the localities and their residents will be the first to feel the positive effect of the citizenship scheme. 

Muscat reassured mayors of localities in the north region that the government was committed to reform the local enforcement system.

Welcoming the ministers to Mellieha, mayor John Buttigieg said his council was committed to work with all the councillors, irrespective of their political allegiance.

He however expressed concern over the biggest challenge that Mellieha faced: striking a balance between retaining the locality's historical heritage and addressing the influx of tourists who visited the locality.

He said, the government should address once and for all the traffic congestion in George Borg Olivier road as repeated attempts to seek solutions proved to be futile.

Buttigieg called on government to help in the up keeping of the Ghadira promenade which was in urgent need of embellishment.

He proposed that a portion of the taxes paid by hoteliers to the government should be diverted to the local councils, helping them in the up keeping of the locality.

"The residents of Mellieha would also appreciate if the government were to take care of Selmun palace. It is in a prominent area and is if a cultural tourist value," he said. Muscat confirmed the government was in the process of seeing which areas could be passed on to the private to be taken care of.

The Cabinet meeting is still in progress as mayors of other localities in the north will be submitting their concerns and proposals.