Labour councillors hold first congress

The first congress for Labour councillors, on the theme Insahhu is-Successi fit-Tmexxija (Consolidating success in administration), held yesterday at the Dolmen Hotel, Qawra, adopted four reports. They will be further discussed by the councillors' section, which will use them as the basis for a strategy for the future.

The reports, which were drawn up by councillor workshops in the past weeks, were on the environment, the link between central and regional administration, social welfare and financial aspects.

Labour leader Alfred Sant said that councillors had to help in developing forward-looking communities.

Communities had to be caring, modern and tolerant and everyone had to be respected. Diversity and civic sense had to be promoted.

A civic sense had to be developed in communities which would, at the same time, remain open to modern currents which enabled a better standard of living.

Families had to feel that through the work of councils they could give their wishes and aspirations for a better future a meaning.

To be successful, councillors had to remain close to the people leading towards the development of flexible communities which practised social solidarity in all sectors.

The congress, the Labour leader said, had brought councillors closer together.

He said that a survey carried out by the party in September and published yesterday showed that 50 per cent of the people believed that Labour councillors implemented what they promised. Only 18 per cent believed that Nationalist councillors implemented their promises. This was a sign of success for Labour councillors.

Another sign of success was the fact that the Labour Party was the biggest political party because it had the largest number of councillors. The party was facing greater responsibilities but it could not rest on its laurels. It had a greater responsibility towards those who showed trust in it and it also had a greater responsibility towards all Maltese and Gozitans.

Dr Sant pointed out that the party was currently rebalancing its structures. It would not diminish the central role of its committees in any way since this was still important.

However, it had to recognise the importance of councillors as an integral and organic part of the party.

Labour Party deputy leader Charles Mangion said that the MLP should analyse the devolution process to see how devolution could actually be implemented. A council could not be burdened with new responsibilities unless it was given the tools with which to see to them.

He also spoke about regionality which was stressed during the congress and said that this concept had been the brainchild of the Labour government. It had initially been ridiculed by the Nationalist Opposition but it had later taken it on although it only managed to implement it in a few sectors.