Ta' Xbiex council's work

I write to refute the false impression conveyed to readers by Eugenio Muscat, secretary of the PN Ta' Xbiex Club (February 21) on the state of roads and pavements in the Ta' Xbiex locality.

A fair number of pavements have in fact been maintained and reconstructed, including those at Ta' Xbiex Terrace, part of Ta' Xbiex Seafront, Triq L-Imradd, Triq Abate Rigord, Princess Elizabeth Street, A. Nani Street, Triq il-Prinjolata, Triq O-Breiss, Triq il-Halg and Testaferrata Street. Also, the sum of Lm38,000 has been spent on tarmac works which have been carried out in G. Cali Street, Ugo Mifsud Street, E. Galizia Street, St John of the Cross Street, part of Princess Margaret Street (in front of Blocks FI and FII) and in part of Princess Elizabeth Street.

The annual financial allocation is not adequate to cover the range of responsibilities imposed on the council by the central government. This is a sore problem which is the subject of this very issue, which has been submitted this year to the director of local government.

It is pertinent to point out that the sum of Lm14,049 for the tarmac works mentioned by Mr Muscat was left unpaid by the local council led by a Nationalist majority and this was only paid in the year 2001, when I assumed the office of mayor. This sum amounted to 23 per cent of the financial allocation of that year.

Other sums of money, amounting to over Lm6,000 for various other infrastructural works, were also left outstanding and had to be made good for by the succeeding Labour-led council.

Since that time, we have been working to improve the quality of life of all residents and the following are some of the more important initiatives which we have undertaken: Upgrading and embellishment of the locality, traffic management and safety, new council offices which are more accessible, a customer care unit, a medical clinic and a public library.

Having said all this, I concede that all my colleagues from both political parties are aware that there is more to be done to repair or maintain other pavements in the area. We have, however to work within budget limitations and to abide by priorities set democratically by my council.