‘Unacceptable that local councils have to beg for funds’ - AD

Alternattiva Demokratika secretary general Ralph Cassar said that it was unacceptable that local councils had to beg the government to fund projects that will ultimately benefit residents.

“The time has come to search for alternative and sustainable means of financing for local councils,” Cassar, a candidate for the Attard local council said in a TV debate broadcast by the Broadcasting Authority. “Perhaps they should start receiving a percentage of eco-contribution taxes and shop licence fees.”

“AD wants the streets to be given to the people, such as by introducing more bicycle lanes, by planting trees in the streets, and by defending open spaces,” Cassar said. “Unfortunately, Transport Malta’s mentality still gives first preference of the streets to cars.”

“Every local council should have a waste reduction plan, and start offering additional services such as collecting clothes and electronic equipment for recycling.”

He also said that pavements should become more accessible to people with disabilities, that more historical sites should be transformed into community zones, and that public libraries require more investment.     

Cassar warned that a public-private partnership on road maintenance launched by the previous administration has left local councils sinking in debt, due to them having to fork out 70% of the project expenses.

He dismissed a €1 million fund for local council capital projects as an excuse for Justice Minister Owen Bonnici to appear on television.

“Only projects that yield profit will be selected through this fund,” Cassar argued. “How can one make profit on social and educational projects? Besides, two projects have been allotted to the Qormi local council – one of which involves nothing more than installing beacons that will guide people in crossing zebra crossings at night. It’s hardly an innovative project, which makes me wonder whether this project was only selected because Qormi’s mayor is the Prime Minister’s friend.” 

Although the debate was supposed to focus on local councils, the Labour and Nationalist representatives spoke at length about national issues, with both sides accusing each other of promoting partisan politics.

Denise Cutajar, a PL candidate for the Luqa local council, praised the government for creating incentives for women to find employment, such as free childcare centres, breakfast clubs, and Klabb 3-16, for setting up a Youth Guarantee Scheme that has helped youth unemployment drop by 30%, and for reducing hospital waiting lists and out-of-stock medicine lists.

On local councils, she said that their customer care services must be improved and that they must constantly consult with residents.

Robert Cremona, a PN candidate for the Qormi local council, referred to the Auditor General report that criticised the government’s €4.2 million ‘bailout’ of Café Premier.

“The government has wasted public funds to bail out Café Premier, and the question remains as to why it has done so,” he said. “How many local council fund projects could have been funded through that €4.2 million? The people will keep that in mind when voting in the local council elections on 11 April.”

Muscat, he said, tried to cancel this year’s local council elections because they were too expensive.

“Somehow, he didn’t consider the Café Premier bailout to be too excessive,” he said.

James Cassar, a PN candidate for the Mosta local council, referred to the Auditor General’s report that criticised Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi’s “ministerial interference” into Enemalta’s hedging deal with SOCAR.

“People are directly affected by this deal because, thanks to it, they had to fork out high prices for petrol and diesel for months,” he said, while arguing that Mizzi’s “interference” was a sign of a government that disagrees with the decentralization of power.

“Local councils are all about the decentralization of power, so how can Labour say that it believes in them when their policies revolve around the centralization of power?” Cassar asked. “It’s a paradox and something is off.” 

PL deputy leader Toni Abela said that this year’s local council elections will be historic in that 16-year-olds will be able to vote.

“This has only been made possible thanks to the Labour government,” Abela said. “Youths have the chance to determine the future of their villages, and I’m convinced that they’re willing to shoulder this responsibility.”