My vision for Attard

On March 10, 22 localities will elect their local council for the next three years. This is a process that the Maltese people have become accustomed to in the 14 years since the first such elections were held.

The locality I have been living in for the past 15 years, Attard, will also be electing its representatives this time round. From the outset, Attard has been led by a council with a majority of Nationalist councillors, who have delivered what they had been elected for.

Under the first mayor, historian Professor Henry Frendo, various projects, which this locality had been longing for, came to fruition. Professor Frendo, who is also an author, provided the council with a much needed publication Attard: the life of a Maltese Casale, which not only helped build a profile of our village beyond our shores but also added a reliable source of information on the locality for our students, not to mention the sense of pride such a publication has instilled in us as residents of Attard.

Norbert Pace, who succeeded Professor Frendo, adopted a hands-on approach, especially in the first years of his tenure, when various roads in Attard were being asphalted. During these years the village core was also transformed into an aesthetically attractive place, not to say one of the most charming in the country.

Attard has since expanded outwards from its core with a population of almost 10,000 residents. Undoubtedly, the needs and expectations of residents have also changed.

From short conversations with residents who live in the various parts of the locality, I have come to understand that regular maintenance of roads, decent kerbs, cleanliness, traffic management and security are the main concerns.

People understand that a Nationalist-led council has upgraded around 60 roads in the past few years. But they want more. Those whose street has not yet been asphalted say they feel neglected.

It is therefore only fitting that the Nationalist Party has committed itself, as it is doing, that all roads in Attard will be built by 2008. Kerbs are also being replaced. Hopefully this work will be done at a faster pace.

Generally, the level of cleanliness in Attard is good. However, I feel that a new council should keep looking for cost-effective ways to consolidate the cleaning service and to reach all areas as regularly as possible.

Many express their frustration at the difficulty they encounter every morning to cross through Attard or to exit Attard to drive to their place of work. A comprehensive traffic management system has become a need.

A new council should increase its pressure on the competent authority to find a solution to the present bottlenecks, particularly the one in the area of the US Embassy. For me this is a priority.

The council should also ensure that the present facilities offered by entities, such as Maltapost and the banks, are either retained or increased. Why should a simple post box in Mdina Road be removed now after serving residents for so many years?

Is it not high time for HSBC to at least install an ATM machine in Attard? Shouldn't the ADT improve the Bus 40 service to Attard? From what I am told by those who use this bus very often, it does not stick to the schedule.

There are others who are more interested in seeing an increase in cultural activities organised by the council. Personally, I don't believe the council should necessarily organise such activities itself; not that there is anything wrong in this.

The council should empower and assist the locality's active groups to come up with ideas and make them work. Successful activities, like the Notte Bianca or Notte Magica, could easily be organised, albeit on a smaller scale, in the village centre or perhaps in other areas.

Many residents would like to see more sports facilities in their locality. A good number of residents, especially housewives, spoke to me about the need for more courses that help them improve their skills and qualifications.

The present local council has organised a number of ICT courses for beginners. It is envisaged that other such courses will be organised in the coming years reaching out to more people, including the elderly.

As promised, a new council will also strive to tap EU funds for projects that Attard needs but cannot materialise due to lack of funds.

The National Party could not have come up with a better slogan for the coming local elections - B'Impenn fil-Lokalità Tieghek (Committed to your locality).

All those who will be running for these elections need to commit themselves not only to make their locality a better place.

We need to commit ourselves to be closer to the residents.

Their needs should be our main focus.

Mr Bonnici is a Nationalist Party candidate for the Attard council election, e-mail info@charlobonnici.com.