The new PN mayor of St Paul’s Bay Censu Galea said that there is a reality in the locality where hundreds of people, both foreigners and Maltese, go to the Qawra church to receive free meals on a regular basis.

He said that this does not fall under the council’s remit, but the reality has developed over the years. Galea said that unfortunately, the probability is that the number of people going for free meals will continue to rise in the coming years

Galea spoke to The Malta Independent on several issues the locality is currently facing, which will be on his agenda for the next five years.

He said that several St Paul’s Bay tourist establishments are causing great disturbances to residents, and the issue has not been addressed.

He spoke of the excessive noise coming from tourist establishments, and was asked if the government should issue a legal notice for St Paul’s Bay like it did with the late-night noise controversy in Valletta.

Galea said that a legal notice would not work, as it is useless if not enforced. Galea said that his intention is to meet with the businesses involved, and communicate the purposes of the meeting to the residents to avoid speculations of deals being made between the business and local council.

Maltese people will continue using their private vehicle, despite free public transport

Throughout his political career, Galea was also Minister for Transport for 10 years under a PN administration. He was asked how he viewed the current situation in Malta in terms of infrastructure.

Galea said that the reality that a personal car will always remain the main tool for transport for the Maltese needs to be accepted, even if unfavourable, and this mentality is difficult to break.

Despite the free public transport initiative, Galea pointed out that traffic has remained as bad, if not worse.

"We cannot be happy by saying that the number of passengers on public transport has increased the way it has, but we must also look at the reason for this," Galea said, adding that evidently, a substantial part of those who use public transport are foreigners, and not Maltese people.

He said that the fact that Maltese people were not so attracted to using public transport means that something is either missing, or that there is something which is unacceptable by those who have used the public transport.

Galea said that preferring a personal vehicle also comes down to the lifestyle Maltese families have, where they would need to pick up their children after work, or else take them to extra-curricular activities, and other errands to run.

He said that it is difficult using public transport when one has more than one destination to get to. In spite of the fact that passengers on public transport have increased, traffic has also increased, Galea said. Solutions which encourage people to stop using their personal vehicles are not there, he continued.

Galea said that the country's mentality has been to widen roads to try to curb traffic, and this did not solve the traffic problem, but has rather forced more issues on other roads.

He said he did not know where the solutions lie, as the people's realities are difficult to control, and no government will try to limit the number of vehicles in the street, as this also means income for the same government.

Galea said that with regards to mass measures of public transport used abroad are too expensive and requires constant maintenance with the growing population in the country.

He acknowledged progress with the ferry to and from Valletta and the other harbour cities, but the same efficiency and success could not be said about the ferry between Malta and Gozo, as millions of subsidies are being paid for the operators to continue to operate.

PN must not satisfy itself with election results

Following the past elections, Galea was asked how he viewed the PN's chances in the next general election, in three years' time. He said that the results from the last European Parliament and Local Council elections were certainly positive.

"If we are being honest, I believe that everyone is expecting that the PN will increase its tally of votes, but the PN must firstly not just satisfy itself with those results, as what can be won can be lost if the party makes mistakes," Galea said.

Galea said that he believed the people have realised that there is a great difference between what is being proposed and promised by government, and what was implemented in reality

"Unfortunately for this country, each day more shortcomings from this government are being exposed, and I believe those who started realising, will continue to realise that they were right to have voted PN in the last elections, and taking this step against the government," Galea said, adding that this wave will strengthen over time.

He said that the PN must be cautious to avoid mistakes on its part.

Galea spoke about the locality turning blue after the last elections, with the council being previously headed by former PL Mayor Alfred Grima.

He said that in the 2019 elections, the PN in the locality gathered around 500 votes fewer than the PL, while in the past election, the PN now has a majority of around 700 votes over he PL, which he said meant a swing of around 1,200 votes to the other side.

Throughout his few weeks campaigning for the elections, Galea said that the lack of satisfaction by residents was being felt. He said that residents felt that in five years, very little was done to the locality's progress.

Galea continued that there was no attention to the issues residents of the locality spoke up continuously about, which made him realise there was a larger portion of people unhappy with the situation in St Paul's Bay.

He said that the results put more responsibility on all the Council's councillors, but especially on the seven PN councillors, so that what was achieved on 8 June is not lost.

Galea said that he has made it clear with all 13 councillors that regardless of their affiliation, they will all be given the liberty to work within the framework of the law, adding that he hoped all councillors would want to contribute.

Galea, who stopped serving as an MP in 2017, was still active at party level up to three years ago, serving as the President of the PN's General Council.

"I never truly cut off from activities, I was just not at the forefront," Galea said, adding that however, he continuously followed what was happening.

One of the considerations he made before accepting to contest the past local council elections, was the differing roles between minister and mayor.

Galea said that firstly, when one contests, it is to become a part of the local council, and not necessarily to be mayor, as that depends on several factors. He said he contested for the local council to be able to work in the council for the interests of St Paul's Bay.

Born, raised, and still his home locality, Galea said that the population in St Paul's Bay when he was a boy was around 15% of what it is today, even in terms of buildings, adding that the St Paul's Bay he once knew is no longer the same.

Galea said that being a resident gives him an advantage as he could see the development projects over time, and he knows the locality like the back of his hand.

"I know the areas which have large problems, areas with less, and areas which relatively have no problems," Galea said.

Having taken oath of office as Mayor on 3 July, Galea said that the reality of being mayor is very different to a ministerial role, adding that a minister does not go into certain details and specifics.

"You also find yourself in direct contact, on a more frequent basis with the residents of the locality, and in St Paul's Bay, you also come into contact with many of those who come for a period of time during the year in holiday homes, as well as a large number of businesses," Galea said, as well as the foreigners who reside there and visiting tourists.

The residents' needs are what he has most been focusing on in the past weeks, Galea said.

He said he has yet to have formal meetings with owners of businesses in St Paul's Bay, but he plans to meet with all of them by time, due to the large amount of businesses.

"Naturally, as I am not a new face in the locality, I will meet and speak with anyone who sees me around and voices their concerns," Galea said.

The first part of the interview was carried yesterday