From Ms J. Formosa

In a few days time, a third of the population of the Maltese islands will vote in the local council elections. Both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, together with their cohorts, are rallying their troops; the former by quoting official statistics showing the Government’s successes in the implementation of its agenda, the latter by rubbishing everything that the Government says and does – character assassination and other unfair tactics aimed at discrediting the administration. Labour-led councils are portrayed as being the acme of dynamism in public administration, while PN led councils are portrayed as being the nadir. As in everything, the truth lies somewhere in between.

There are councils on both sides of the political spectrum that are managed competently and efficiently, with mayors who are capable, dynamic and forward-looking. Others are run-of-the-mill and just manage to get by, while others are a complete and utter disappointment, bereft of ideas, without a basic awareness of what it takes to manage a public entity and public funds. The people running such councils have no knowledge or comprehension of budgeting, finance or accounting procedures. The closest most of these people have been to managing money is managing the household budget, if that, as most household budgets are managed by the wives. And yet these people are entrusted with spending millions of liri of public funds that originate from taxes levied on our income.

A case in point is the council of the locality to which I have come home from my travels. For 12 years, since its inception, the council was run by a mayor now in his mid-thirties – a lawyer, who had vision, imagination and the energy of youth. The changes in the quality of life for the locality’s residents during these 12 years were revolutionary and palpable.

Today the council is run by a tired septuagenarian – a former waiter, whose level of education is the basic primary school education available to his generation over half a century ago, if that!

The council that for years was considered to be a role model for other local councils is now in a shambles. Council meetings reputedly degenerate into shouting matches and nothing is ever finalised. Political discrimination is rampant and council employees are constantly harassed. What a great pity, and all because some 58 people opted not to vote in protest against silly issues such as a bus stop, a street light or a pot-hole!

The only weapon that a resident has against mediocrity is his vote. Use it, and use it wisely, to elect into office only the people with the capabilities, aptitude and qualifications that will improve the quality of your life.

Jennifer Formosa

Pietà