I am directed by the Central LES Joint Committee (Hamrun, Msida, Pieta`, Hal-Qormi, Siggiewi and Zebbug Local Councils) to refer to your contribution entitled “Wardens: a huge cash cow fed on fines – reactions”, in which you made specific, but completely ill-founded allegations regarding the running of the Local Enforcement System within the Central LES District (TMIS, 14 May).

Quoting a former warden as your source of information, you reported that route wardens in the Central District are burdened with an unofficial quota of five tickets per hour, as a result of which this particular former warden was compelled to “dump tickets on abandoned vehicles”.

We are providing you with official data clearly showing that you have been grossly misinformed by your source.

In the attached document you will find that, from the launching of the Local Enforcement System in 2000 up to the end of December 2005, the rate per hour of tickets issued by route wardens in the Central LES District was 1.97; a far cry from the reported five tickets per hour.

Naturally, the average number of tickets issued varies from one locality to another, but as shown in the document supplied, the average number of tickets per hour issued at Hamrun (2.39); Msida (1.87); Pieta` (1.88); Qormi (1.93); Siggiewi (1.17) and Zebbug (1.54) is nowhere near the five per hour claimed by your reliable (sic) source.

We would also like to comment on two other issues raised in your report, specifically to repeated tickets issued for the same offence and to decisions taken by the Petitions Board.

Conscious of the fact that the Local Enforcement System was never intended to boost their revenue, the local councils forming part of the Central Joint Committees are very vigilant in ensuring that offences of a continuing nature are not followed up by the issuing of repeated tickets. In this respect, these local councils have waived hundreds of fines resulting from such a misguided practice.

As regards the Petitions Board, it should be noted that this board was set up after recommendations put forward by the local councils with a view to providing added safeguards and an easier access to redress, not only against unjust or unfair tickets but also in respect of compassionate cases. To date, the board has received two hundred and three (203) petitions relating to tickets issued in the Central District by local wardens, Green Wardens and members of the Police Force. This figure represents 1.06 per cent of the total number of tickets issued at Hamrun, Msida, Pieta`, Hal-Qormi, Siggiewi and Haz-Zebbug since 1st January 2006 and is indicative that enforcement in this district is not applied haphazardly.

Our mission is that of maintaining law and order within the parameters of the powers delegated to local councils. Although we do not claim to be perfect, we always endeavour to educate the public without neglecting the enforcement element, which is pursued in a fair and just manner.

Anthony Borg Caruana,

Authorised Officer