Reference is made to your article “Wardens: a huge cash cow feed on fines – reactions” (TMIS, 12 May). The Tramuntana LES Joint Committee would like to clarify the inaccurate allegations regarding the running of the Local Enforcement System in the Tramuntana Region comprising the localities of Gharghur, Mellieha, Mgarr, Mosta, Naxxar and San Pawl il-Bahar.

The statement made by your informant (said to be a former local warden) indicating that local wardens assigned to the Tramuntana Region are forced to issue between three to four tickets an hour is unjustified and untrue. Official records disprove this claim. In fact, the actual statistics of average tickets remain way below your informant’s alleged “quota”. As from the introduction in March 2000 of the Local Enforcement System till the end of December 2005, the rate per hour of tickets issued by Route Wardens in the Tramuntana Region was of 1.35 per hour. Further for your information, the average rate per hour for each locality is as follows: Gharghur – 1.64, Mellieha – 0.98, Mgarr – 0.78, Mosta – 1.17, Naxxar – 1.46, and San Pawl il-Bahar – 1.5 (official documents attached). The Local Enforcement System was created with the aim of keeping law and order while educating the general public to respect itself, others and its environment. One of the major breakthroughs in the improvement of the system was the introduction of the Petitions Board set up on 1 January 2006, so that the general public can put their complaints in writing. According to official statistics acquired, 139 petitions were processed by the Board, of which 71 were accepted and 58 were refused.

Unfortunately, much attention is being focused on the enforcement part and issuing of fines while other work covered by the system goes unnoticed. Since the initiation of the Local Enforcement System, the Tramuntana LES Joint Committee has embarked on The Community Service Scheme. This service includes the handling of traffic near government schools and surveillance and traffic management during village feasts, cultural events/sports activities and emergencies.

Raymond Grima

Authorised Officer

Tramuntana Joint Committee