From Notary J. Attard

On 16 March, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi held a press conference following the results of the local council elections and promised to reform this elected body. The Nationalist Party introduced local government to these islands 15 years ago, in 1993. During these years the local councils had a multipurpose function. Apart from administering to a limited extent the locality falling under its competence, the councils’ elections served to send clear messages to the government of the day. In the past five years the Labour Party used the local councils elections to anticipate a General Election victory that never happened.

I believe it is high time we started distinguishing between national and local politics. The Prime Minister promised to give more responsibilities to local government. The people must start voting for their local council according to its performance and not as a red signal to the national government. Giving more responsibilities to local councils would make the electorate vote with more care, therefore the locality itself would benefit from a more serious choice of councillors.

The best way of governance is having a government that takes place at the lowest possible and realistic levels. I believe a reform of the local government is vital for a healthier democracy. A stronger local government will mean more services delivered locally.

I also believe it is time to end local administration and to begin real local government where the people choose their decision makers and those decision makers are made answerable to the public. Furthermore, the role of the elected council must also change, in order to provide the citizen with a record or statement of money spent on public services. Councillors must have the power to seek accountability from any agency, whether public or private, providing public services in their area.

The new reform must give a mandate to the directly elected mayors to create a vision for their locality’s future. Councillors must be given more powers to effect change and policy. Mayors must make the day-to-day decisions based on advice of their officials.

Finally, what is sure is that our Prime Minister must simplify our lives by giving us a set of autonomous local government structures that work.

Joseph Attard