This year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of local councils in our country. Local government was established in 1993, following the Maltese Parliament’s approval of the Local Councils Act (Chapter 363 of the Laws of Malta) on 30 June of that year. This saw the establishment of local councils in 67 areas (later increased to 68: 54 in Malta and 14 in Gozo).
As the Parliamentary Secretary responsible for Local Government and Communities, I – together with all those involved – am busy with plans to commemorate this event. This week I launched the official 25-year anniversary logo and we are close to finalising arrangements for several commemorative events. The Secretariat will soon be announcing the programme of events planned for this 25th anniversary year.
However, apart from commemorating this anniversary, I also feel there is an immediate need to begin discussions leading to a much-needed reform of local government. This process, which is intended to strengthen local government for the provision of better and more efficient services, has already begun.
As part of the reform process, a seminar was recently to consult former mayors and I was pleased to note the constructive discussions and suggestions for the reform process. In this respect, I extend my thanks to both the ex-mayors and the organising team for their contributions.
I feel there is a real need for local councils to be revitalised if they are to cope with the modern needs – and legitimate aspirations – of our citizens. This is why, together with all those involved, I have been working towards this end.
I can confidently say that the regions are at the forefront of this Local Council reform. They will have more defined roles and responsibilities, as well as the resources needed to carry out their work in a more comprehensive manner. Among the key proposals is that the number of these regions should be increased from five to six, that there should be a new system of appointing the President of the Regions, that waste collection contracts should be on a regional basis, that regions should be given responsibilities related to social issues and that the Regional Committees should have a direct financial allocation to enable them to be stronger and more independent.
Another proposal is that the Local Mayor should have the opportunity of working on a full-time basis. I strongly believe that mayors are also required to be present when there is an issue that is crucial to their locality. It is worrying that mayors who have needs pertaining to their locality cannot honour them due to the simple fact that they are not granted compensatory leave. Attending meetings or conferences is central for mayors to enhance their knowledge and keep abreast of anything affecting their area.
It irks me that whenever, in my line of duty as Parliamentary Secretary for Local Councils, I meet mayors from other countries, I am always struck by the fact that they are much more powerful than our local mayors. I think it is time to give our Mayors more praise. The mayor must be the leading citizen of the area, so I emphasise that they have to be always on hand, must always know what is going on and must participate in everything to do with the locality.
In order for the local councils to be more effective, it is also proposed to further enhance their IT infrastructure, to strengthen the human resources and to strengthen the councils as a whole, so that they will truly be given the esteem and respect that they deserve and will regain the citizens’ trust. It is only by means of this reform that our country will truly have local governments of excellence.
The above is only an example of what this reform is intended to bring about and this cannot happen without the direct participation of everyone. Public consultation is at the top of our agenda for this reform to be implemented and, once it is in place, it will see result in better administration of local government, for the benefit of everyone.
Silvio Parnis is the Parliamentary Secretary responsible for Local Government and Communities