Whenever a problem crops up, the government is usually the first to get the blame. In the majority of cases, we would be more than justified in criticising the authorities but there are times when the government is only part of the problem.

Reading the interview with the Urban Development and Roads Minister that was carried last Monday in The Malta Independent, one gets the impression that the neverending list of problems with the country’s roads can be solved if only there were a concerted effort to get our act together.

Minister Jesmond Mugliett did not shirk responsibility for many of the problems. He admits that there are difficulties, he admits that it takes time and resources to find and implement a solution, and he admits that the government is, at times, helpless to take action.

Mr Mugliett, however, refuses to accept criticism that nothing is being done. He said it is unfair to blame the government for every problem related to Malta’s road infrastructure. The resurfacing and maintenance of residential roads is the responsibility of the local councils, he said, and it is up to them to ensure that whatever work they outsource, is done properly.

The minister has a point... but he is not completely correct. For instance, the fact that local councils are responsible for road resurfacing

projects does not exonerate the government on all counts. On the contrary, if a local council is unable to get a work contractor to re-do a badly done job, then the government or the Malta Transport Authority (ADT) should step in.

The minister is correct in stating that the central government has to respect the role and autonomy of local councils in certain matters, but we disagree that the government is unable to help local councils put pressure on contractors or project managers.

That said, we believe that local councils have to get their act together as well. They have to establish clear guidelines when work is assigned to a contractor. The project manager must be held accountable if the work is not done properly and if necessary he or she will not be given the opportunity to apply for new work for a period of time.

A lack of enforcement is the bane of this country. It is useless organising press conferences to announce how much money is going to be spent on road resurfacing when, before the work has even begun, serious problems exist. Tighter controls on the quality of material used for resurfacing jobs, for street marking and general street furniture are a must.

Unfortunately, we doubt that these controls are in place. Project managers need to be able to stand up to contractors and not the other way round. The central government on the other hand cannot stand to the side and look on as if nothing is going wrong.

In all fairness, the minister is faced with a doubled-edged sword. Funding is a problem and even human resources are an issue. Much of the money spent on roads has to go towards regular maintenance, a culture that is not well-ingrained, as the minister pointed out. He also has a never-ending list of complaints and requests for roads to be built.

He said in the interview that his priority over the next two years will be to concentrate on around 450 residential roads that have to be built. This will involve a huge investment but it is desperately needed – thousands of residents have had to do with dirt tracks and not roads for many years.

Minister Mugliett knows that problems exist. He knows what needs to be done. Whether he has the means to do the job is an important consideration. However – as a start – his ministry needs to have a greater say in enforcement and in ensuring that taxpayers’ money is being well spent. Better planning, constant supervision and enforcement are the building blocks.

If Mr Mugliett gets these right, then his work will be much easier and Malta’s roads will be so much better.