The headline dedicated to this Opinion might not go down well with the genuine candidates who invest so much in their campaigns and are so dedicated to their communities.  However, there are questions and reflections we need to make on this segment of our public administration that by design comes to light a couple of months before every election, the first being; Do we really want Local Governments?  and, are we really interested in ‘subsidiarity’, defined as "the principle that a central authority should have a subsidiary function, performing only those tasks which cannot be performed at a more local level"? (Oxford English Dictionary)

These are by no stretch of the imagination questions directed at the main political parties who see Local Governments simply as being an opportunity to test-out potential general election candidates, a pseudo-nursery in other words.  Neither is it directed to the party duopoly which is usurped with turning our Local Government into a new form of ‘street leaders’, id est those who would know all about the voting preferences of each and every member of the household!  Neither are Local Governments simply a hock in the nanny state that this country seems so much affianced with, a post-colonial syndrome that still runs in our DNA. 

Should Local Governments exist in the first place?  Are they worth the time, effort and resources?

Our Local Governments, if they have to exist, need a complete overhaul, and no I am not just speaking about the perpetual reforms, another senseless mannerism of this Country.  Neither am I talking about a set of proposals that one Party throws at the other - what this is doing is simply negotiating the mechanics when we are not even convinced if the principles are in place!  If you had to ask people for example, what is it that they want from their Local Governments, most probably very little will come ‘your’ way.  Our citizens have always been myopic looking at Local Government just as another way of by-passing the system.  Most candidates are probably voted in ‘ghax jaqdini’ and the opposite happens if ‘ma jaqdinix’.   I believe that as things stand Local Governments are not serving the purpose I understand they should have and are by and large fruitless.  Once again, not that there aren’t a lot of well-intentioned people who are trying their utmost to make this enterprise work.  From where I stand they are simply outnumbered and consequently incapacitated.   

I believe in subsidiarity and there is no better way to show it than through the relocation of power to the citizens and their communities.  Local Governments should be there to help ‘on the ground’.  The privilege of serving is second to none.  Not only that, Local Governments are perfectly placed to leave an (instant) positive impact on the community, if permitted.  However, there are issues that I feel need to be addressed to make these structures function effectively. 

As a starter, the process of citizen participation in decision making should be central so that faith is rekindled in these structures. 

Secondly, we need to guarantee that civil society is rich and abundant in our communities.  It should be a priority and at the forefront of the work of Local Governments to make sure that they create the environment for civil society to flourish, not by interfering in their operations but by providing funds, resources, offering opportunities for networking, supporting them in applying for programs and giving the much needed psychological support.  

Thirdly, Local Governments should be less about being an extension of the favouritism culture dominant in our political parties and more about creating proficient structures to ensure that the citizens are well accommodated according to law.   

Fourthly, waste management is a task that could easily be taken up by the Central Government.  It is not only a terrible waste of time but also drains resources from the Local Governments. 

Fifth, Local Governments should be about empowering young people and giving more authority beyond that of just slipping a vote in the ballot box once every five years or so.  Young people are the only hope I have left for this Country.  Young people are our critical mass and they need to be allowed to express themselves. 

Sixth, Local Governments should make better use of the digital evolution we have seen unfold in our nation.  Local Governments should be focused on finding ways how AI and technology are used for improved communities. 

Seventh, political parties and the narratives they carry with them should hit the road.  Let me just give one example of the polarization they are encouraging; it is weird that you hear one Leader speak highly of those localities his Party has a majority of seats in and the other leader saying the direct opposite. 

Finally, Local Governments should be investing in having a social worker, community worker and youth worker in their midst not only to respond to crises but to help communities progress.  If we want to have Local Governments at all, at least we need to be more proactive, have better leadership, improved administrators, more funding and a willingness to grow as a community together.