Last week, Parliament had had to be adjourned because Urban Development and Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett, who at that time was tackling the bus strike, was not in the House to reply to questions by Joe Mizzi on a bus stop in Zabbar.

Yesterday the minister was present and, as a result, had to field many questions regarding roadworks from both sides of the House.

Mr Mizzi, first off the mark, asked about the bus stop in St Peter Street again. Mr Mugliett replied that nothing has been changed and that he had tabled the plans for the new bus stop some time ago.

In reply to Mr Mizzi’s later insistence that at least a temporary bus stop should be put up so that students and passengers do not have to wait in the rain, the minister said the new bus stop will be in place within a few days.

The minister was then asked how many streets the government has done and how many of them happen to be in localities where the local council elections will be held on Saturday.

Mr Mizzi, who asked this question, pointed out that this would mean that the previous system of planning which streets should be done has been changed. Mr Mugliett replied in the negative: he said that sometimes government decides to finish off all the undone streets in a locality, such as at Swatar.

At Marsascala 17 streets have been done, costing Lm178,000.

Localities such as Zabbar, Attard, Swieqi and Mosta need many of their roads to be redone. The government is reluctant to simply repatch such roads but something must be done to tackle the high number of streets and roads which need to be done.

Mr Mizzi again asked if there have been any representations from the EU regarding the San Lawrenz roadworks. Mr Mugliett said he has never received such a complaint nor does the Gozo Ministry, which is the lead ministry in this project, have received any complaint.

Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando pointed out that while some localities, such as the (Labour-led) Rabat one, have received Lm75,000 from central government to do the streets, they still try to give the impression that the streets were done by them alone.

Mr Mugliett agreed and pointed out that somehow the Rabat council chose to do the streets in Bahrija. A similar case happened at Gudja.

Labour MP Noel Farrugia then pointed out that the Hemsija Road, done as part of the Italian Protocol, is already defective.

Mr Mugliett confirmed. He said a trench has been dug three times as deep as the original road works and it was found that water was seeping into the street’s foundations despite the nearby presence of a watercourse.

In comments to this paper, Mr Farrugia pointed out that he had long been warning of such damage. He pointed out the many times he had spoken on this matter, even when the work was still in hand.

Mr Mugliett also confirmed some problems when the road to Mgarr was being joined up to the Hemsija Road which led to part of the road to be dug up again.

Dr Pullicino Orlando asked whether the minister had investigated the seepage of tar into the Saint Paul Grotto in Rabat.

Mr Mugliett said there was little for his ministry to investigate, and it should rather be the heritage authorities who should investigate.

Unbeknown to the minister, in a reply given yesterday, Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage has carried out its investigation and found that some pipes leading from the grotto to the Wignacourt Museum have been damaged, which creates problems any time there is rain. It looks like this damage was done during the recent surfacing works of the road by the local council.

Nationalist MP Mario Galea referred to the Marsascala Bypass, where, he said, the road is very winding and dangerous.

Mr Mugliett said that straightening the road was a priority and work on it should start this same year. The works may also be inserted into the 2007-2013 Financial Perspectives works.

Meanwhile, in a reply to Labour MP Evarist Bartolo, Mr Mugliett confirmed that the road leading up to Castille will be pulled up, again, after defects in the roadworks done by the contractor have been found. The asphalting of the road had cost Lm34,000. The necessary corrective works will be done by the contractor, who will bear the costs.