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Government looks to cut out private sector 30% cut on local enforcement
Local warden reform addresses fact that offences and contraventions are declining and money cannot subsidise private operator costs
1 February 2014, 12:00am
Matthew Vella
Matthew Vella
1 min read
Kenneth De Martino - the owner of Guard & Warden services will meet government officials to discuss their plans for the future
Malta's local warden system is in the process of being reformed, 14 years after it was first introduced - but the jury is out on what government's plans for a centralised unit means for people like Kenneth De Martino, whose Guard & Warden Service runs the gamut of local enforcement services, deploying wardens to the councils, monitoring CCTV systems and also processing speed camera fines.
De Martino is set to meet former Kalkara mayor Michael Cohen, the government's consultant on the new centralised unit for local enforcement next week to see how José Herrera intends changing the current privatised system.
The hints of nationalisation are in the air: yesterday the parliamentary secretary for local councils said a "fairer and more transparent" system would reduce costs by 20% and become more efficient in collecting some €18 million in unpaid fines.
The key change is granting the current management committee that runs the local enforcement system, the power to create a centralised unit to enforce the laws delegated to the five regional committees.
But this means effectively taking on the administration of local wardens, from the private companies currently providing the manpower for the local councils.
Full story in MaltaToday on Sunday, with comments from Kenneth De Martino
Matthew Vella, a freelance journalist at MaltaToday, was formerly executive editor at Malt...
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The wardens operators are nothing but fat cats who keep on getting fatter at our expense. Good riddance to them all!
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Enforcement of the law should have NEVER been privatized. Private enforcement only workd to fatten the private wardens companies pockets at the expense fo the motorists.
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Il-bierah smajt li il-Gvern sejjer jaghti amnestija lil min ma hallasx. Din il-Gustizzja li niftahru biha? Mela min jaghmel zball u jacetta ilkastig ghaliex jkun jibza inhallas u min iun ghala bieb il hazir dejjem u jehlisa. Mela il-poplu Maltri kollu ghandi jigi ghala biex il-hanzir u ma ihallas xejn ghaliex fl-ahhar tinghata amnestija, kemm fil VAT, taxxa, cittazzjonijiet u miljun haga ohra u ic-CUCC ihallas. X'tip ta Gustizzja hija din. Jek Malta taghna ikoll, allura minn kien ragel u hallas jinghata flusu lura. Pajjiz tal-Qamel nghixu fih
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Good idea, savings millions from sharks
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Some people made loads of money from the introduction of the traffic wardens' fiasco, thanks to that duo Lorry/Austin who also ruined an acceptable albeit crude Public transport system.
