The government intends taking steps to further curb the warden system in the face of massive public criticism.
This was announced by Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg when he was replying yesterday to Labour MP Joe Mizzi at Question Time.
Mr Mizzi asked what could be done to make the wardens persuade, rather than impose fines just for the fun of it. Mr Mizzi mentioned a case when a man who urgently needed to take his mother to hospital was fined by a warden.
Dr Borg reminded the House that this is a system that is not administered by the central government but by the nine tribunals made up of local councils.
Dr Borg said he agrees with most of the criticism that is levied against the wardens. The government has already acted to attenuate the harsh impact of the system.
Last January the government introduced the petitions boards to which complaints about fines and tickets could be sent. So far, 1,200 petitions have been sent to the three boards and 700 have been processed with 60 per cent of the decisions finding in favour of the people who appealed.
The government will soon announce that there is no longer the need for an appeal to be registered within 10 days of the ticket being issued. Still, no one who has paid can appeal.
Other changes must be made too: it is amazing to note, the minister added, that according to a table he gave in one of his parliamentary replies yesterday, the highest number of tickets were issued, all 24,000 of them, because the licence was not properly affixed to the windscreen.
Mr Mizzi asked what will happen if the car licence payment comes up but the appeal is still outstanding.
Dr Borg replied that this is one reason why the petitions process must be hurried up.
Meanwhile, in reply to a question by Labour MP Adrian Vassallo, the minister said that 224,000 tickets were issued by the local wardens in 2005 with the fines due amounting to Lm1.5 million.
Maltese arrested abroad
At least 14 people of Maltese citizenship are known to be arrested abroad. These include six in Italy, two in France, and one each in Turkey, Australia, Spain, Holland, Switzerland and UK.
Foreign Minister Michael Frendo was replying to Dr Vassallo.
Police backtrack on action with protesters
The police have been made to backtrack on action they took at the most recent protest against the presence of military ships in the harbour.
At that protest, the police took away material used in the protest but after an inquiry by the police authorities, this material has been handed back to the organisers.
Furthermore, the Justice Minister Tonio Borg told Dr Vassallo the police authorities have issued a series of rules governing police action at such protests.
As long as the protest does not disturb public order, nor cause public alarm, with the exhibition of weapons and seditious, racial or objectionable writing, or inconvenience traffic, and as long as the protest is peaceful, the police will not intervene. Every police action will be based on democracy in that the right of people to express their approval or disapproval is safeguarded.
Children born to
unmarried mothers
Out of 3,860 live births last year, 765 were born to unmarried mothers. And in the first quarter of this year, 888 live births were registered and 151 were born out of wedlock.
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi was replying to Dr Vassallo. Meanwhile, in another reply to Dr Vassallo, Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina told him that the number of unmarried mothers receiving social assistance at the beginning of this month amounted to 1,718.
No money for City Gate
There are no plans at present to spend vast amounts of money on City Gate, Urban Development and Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett told Labour MP Carmelo Abela. This does not mean, the minister added, that the area cannot be made better.
Mr Abela asked what steps will be taken to enhance the entry to Valletta and make the area more attractive to Maltese and foreigners alike.