The mayor of St. Paul's Bay, Alfred Grima, has announced that he will be contesting this year's local council elections. He publicized this news on Facebook, saying that he "could not ignore the numerous messages and calls from diverse individuals encouraging [him] to run again."

Speaking to this newsroom, Grima said that these messages did not just come from the Labour Party, but also from mayors and councillors from the Nationalist Party. Acknowledging that he has changed his mind to contest this year's local council elections, Grima said that he was running out of local and national interest, and that his decision was not one taken for personal gain. He said that if he is re-elected as mayor, he will continue to be a voice of constructive criticism in the country.

Last August, Grima told The Malta Independent that he did not plan on contesting in 2024 due to two main reasons: to spend more time with his family and due to the lack of autonomy local councils have nowadays. He had said that "nowadays, local council's autonomy does not exist."

He has said that he is committed to do his best to fight for more autonomy by being diplomatic, being a genuine politician, and by respecting those who disagree with his arguments.

In his Facebook post, the St. Paul's Bay's mayor said that his council has secured an agreement with the government to relocate the council's premises via the construction of a new Civic Centre with underground parking. This project, worth €6.5 million, is "the largest project in 30 years of Local Council history in Malta", according to mayor Grima.

"This milestone achievement demonstrates our steadfast dedication to progress, all without burdening the Council with any debts," he said.

He said his family supported his decision to recontest

This announcement comes within the same week that his deputy mayor, Carlos Zarb, announced that he was not going to contest this June. Through the implementation of Vote16, Zarb was the first youth under the age of 18 to be elected to local government. Despite this, Grima told this newsroom that there has never been more unity within his local council.