Like a bolt from the blue, motor vehicle owners received the news that “wardens will shortly start clamping unlicensed vehicles and a crackdown on long-overdue arrears will also be launched”.

The new measure is expected to come into effect in mid-February. Vehicle owners will face fines, as well as administrative costs.

However belated, this draconian measure bears testimony to a multitude of sins. It is piously to be hoped that it will expose and punish those who committed mortal sins well ahead of venial sinners.

It has “now” been established that there are an estimated 20,000 vehicles on the roads not covered by a road licence.

Local councils are owed no less than Lm 2.9 million in outstanding fines – the vast majority of which relate to traffic offences.

It has been reported that one particular contractor owes Lm 20,525 for 1,035 contraventions. The owner of a car rental company is said to have clocked up 2,169 infringements and has outstanding debts running up to Lm 42,680 and an unidentified driver owes over Lm7,000 for 254 traffic contraventions. If these reports are correct, here is a case where truth is stranger than fiction !

Doesn’t this deserve the concentrated attention of the media watchdogs and, indeed, of all concerned citizens?

Statistical Evidence

There is statistical evidence that the total of outstanding fines due by defaulters has been climbing merrily during the past five years. By far, the vast majority of outstanding fines relate to traffic offences.

It has emerged that the number of motoring defaulters increased from 1,467 in the year 2000 to 11,235 last year. Car licences are not renewed – unless car owners settle past fines – but this has prompted several drivers to leave their vehicles unlicensed, thereby falling foul of the law.

This situation begs very many questions. Who were the top public officials responsible for this accumulation of uncollected public funds? Who is accountable for this combined manifestation of lethargy and incompetence? Wasn’t there a minister or other who was politically responsible for this mess? And isn’t there an urgent case for smoking out whoever is or are responsible for this ineptitude which is the cause of embarrassment to the government? Of what benefit is parliamentary democracy, if the government seems to be comatose, and is incapable of sorting out a straight-forward problem of this scale?

All along the way, there seems to be a continuous thread of dereliction of duty, while the responsible officials appear to be singing the sonnambula!

There must be a better way to run the country..

The Maltese electorate has been hearing a lot of brave talk during the past years, assuring it that the EU connection will lead to improved and higher standards. But, behind the facade, there still lurks a propensity for procrastination, inertia and even inaction – while politicians engage so often in futile controversies, reminiscent of The “Littlest” World of Don Camillo...

Black Spots

It is as plain as daylight that the Maltese public service has its black spots. In a number of areas, it is not up to the mark. It is pointless to blame the lower ranks or the local councils for this critical and embarrassing situation. Deep down, it has all got to do with management acumen and administrative expertise.

The problem could not be solved simply by appointing more permanent secretaries at the Office of the Prime Minister and a super-permanent minister on top of the bureaucratic heap – and much less by passing the buck to resource less local councils.

The solution lies in raising a dedicated meritocracy, capable of standing up to political interference from overbearing ministers, able to plan ahead and uncompromising in the administration of discipline.

There are competent senior civil servants in harness who are capable of rising to the occasion.

There were some who tried to do their best, but who were held at bay or at a distance. The consequences could not be indefinitely concealed. At critical moments, they surface at unexpected spots – and, when they do, they usually do so with a vengeance.

All the heart burning and blood letting that will be associated with the draconian measures announced for mid-February could have been avoided if there was enough proper planning before the devolution of authority to local councils..

Crying over spilt milk at this late stage leads nowhere. At best, it merely highlights the short-sightedness of the powers-that-be, and the impotence of their watch dogs.

Unless there is political will, things will never change.

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