Is autonomy the solution for Madliena?

Madliena is one of the two hamlets of Swieqi local council. This hamlet is unique in character and is as similar to Swieqi as chalk is to cheese.

Madliena covers a total surface area which is nearly half that of the whole locality. Its residents amount to less than 15 per cent of the total electorate. Because it has one of the lowest population densities in any local council the budget allocation is a great disadvantage to them and to the whole council. This low density skews the budget and the whole locality suffers.

Madliena lacks certain basic infrastructure. Villas are spread sparsely. One of the streets, Triq L-Inginier, is not surfaced and there are no main sewer drains or street lights yet. Habb il-Qamh is another road that is in the process of having electricity. The needs of these two streets would eat up the whole Maldiena budget for one year. It a catch 22 situation for a helpless council. Drainage is the prerogative of the central government.

When the first local council recommended autonomy for Madliena or its being joined to Bahar ic-Caghaq, our appeals were not headed by the authorities. Madliena was considered too small. So is Mdina, and the locality of Munxar has only 400 voters, less than half the total of Madliena.

Madliena's most vital infrastructural needs fall under the responsibility of the local government and far beyond the possibilities of the local council.

Roads: A number of new roads are in hand at the moment. However there are other roads that badly need attention but the council has no funds - Madliena Road from Tal-Balal end to the Wied id-Dis Bridge, Ta' Stronka Road and Triq il-Harruba.

Madliena today is not the same as it was 30 years ago. Triq Pedidalwett has definitely become an arterial road and the central government needs to classify it as such. It joins Bahar ic-Caghaq and Paceville with Tal-Balal. The Regional Road Bridge works have intensified the traffic through this road. The road needs to be reconstructed and designed for today's heavy traffic. A circular traffic route should be planned to ease access to and out of Madliena. This is an area which is used regularly by traffic bypassing St Andrew's Road, driving up Madliena Road from Bahar ic-Caghaq through Wied-id-Dis up to Gharghur to make its way to either Mosta or Naxxar/Iklin. This road is also used from Gharghur to Swieqi to Torre Paolina and Paceville.

The suggested route should provide access outwards through the Wied id-Dis Bridge area and inwards through the Xwieki Road which leads from Naxxar Road to Madliena Road where there is a fireworks factory. It is in the interest of all residents and of the fireworks producers that this factory should be relocated. The use of this circular route would complement the circular route outwards from Madliena to Tal-Balal and inwards to Swieqi through San Gwann valley.

Madliena chapel: This is the only historic landmark of Madliena. It is the pride of this hamlet. While the tiny parvis of this chapel has been upgraded, the council needs funds to maintain the chapel surroundings. A number of appropriate trees on either side of the chapel would surely embellish it further. Madliena Fort in Ta' Stronka Road: This fort is currently used as a medical storage depot by the Health Department. The state of the open areas is shabby and filthy with overgrown shrubs and is a breeding ground for rats. Even here the council needs help to remove this health hazard. It is a pity that the very old and rustic rubble walls surrounding this fort are being allowed to disintegrate.

Landscaping of the area beneath the Melita Cable headquarters: This area is crying out for some professional landscaping with a view to turning it into a family picnic area. This area is abandoned, looking very shabby and with a number of pine trees which had been burned by vandals. With a joint effort with Melita Cable, this place could become a haven.

Wied id-Dis Bridge and valley: The bridge is being used regularly by very heavy vehicles and therefore a report on the structural condition needs to be carried out. It may be pertinent to highlight that this bridge is used by a number of scout groups and other similar groups for abseiling courses and we need to ensure that the safety and well-being of these sports enthusiasts is guaranteed. Heavy vehicles should be prohibited from using this route. The valley surrounding this area could also be designed to cater for family picnickers.

Other issues: It is not possible to cover all the needs but the residents of this area cannot be taken for granted just because they keep a low profile. They have needs too, like all other law-abiding citizens. Residents of Madliena are among those that pay the highest taxes. There is a need for a study by traffic management experts about the numerous "sleeping policemen".

Construction sites: The areas undergoing construction should be better horded for safety purposes and proper measures need to be taken to minimise the fine dust clouds that can be seen rising on the hill. There is no doubt that all the good will of the council and the hard work of the Swieqi council members cannot make up for the lack of funds. Unless Swieqi is allocated special funds, it could be that autonomy for Madliena could be the only solution.

Mr Fenech is a PN candidate in the Swieqi local council election.