UPDATED: Birżebbuġa council decision to close offices 'unjustified' - OPM

Martin Büttner

Aug 16th 2008, 17:18

@ Maria Dolores Fenech

If I understand you correctly, you are stating that the elected mayors in Malta are not capable of their job. So even an illiterate farmer (nothing against farmers or illiterates!) could become mayor, if he belongs to the right party...?
May I say that something is very wrong with your system of local councils and their mayors!

D fenech

Aug 16th 2008, 12:30

L Kelly is right. The filth that appears every morning is incredible. Granted, it is filthy egoistic people who create this filth. They need to be disciplined somehow. However the other day i watched the man on the refuse van emptying the bins, where they happen to exist and have not been stolen. It was a case of eni mini mini mo! Some were emptied some were not. Does anybody supervise the cleaning job? Do green wardens exist in Bugia?
May i remind readers that the area we are discussing is where many tourists visit Ghar Dalam and Borg In- Nadur on a daily basis. St George's bay is a beach, which until last year carried a warning that it was advisable not to swim there. It is frequented by families mainly with babies or small children. In Spain they wash the roads every day. Here.......??????
What we are saying is that considering the large numbers of people who frequent this area
one would expect more attention to health and safety issues!
As for the phone, when i phoned the phone was always answered politely. But I too was informed that Ghar Dalam road is the responsibility of the LGov.

Liam Kelly

Aug 16th 2008, 11:19

@ Ms Fenech,

True i do not know most of them personally, but living in Birzebbuga and requiring forms and permits from them occasionally it seems that they continue to be arrogant and rude, thats just an opinion based on experience.

Well, the bottom line is that they are serving the people of birzebbuga, and if they can't even answer the phone im afraid they are failing us badly, no excuses, it REALLY isn't difficult.

And i BEG to differ on congratulating them for the state of our town.....i think someone should take them for a walk to st. georges and ask them why bbq litter is consistantly left lying, no bins at all, dog excriment, and ask why it took so long to re-lay a small stretch of road. I can guarantee you what their responce will be.....those problems are not our job....then one has to ask what IS your job now that you dont even answer a telephone either?

Answers on a post card.

D Fenech

Aug 16th 2008, 10:44

@Maria Dolores Fenech
I did not blame the Bugia Local Council for the state of the Road running from Ghar Dalam to St George's Bay. I wrote, shame on who is responsible.!Yes this is a main road and the responsibility of the Government. It is the duty of the Local Council to put pressure on the Government. It is imperative because a major accident is CRYING to happen. Cars SPEED down this this road and since the road surface is at present at various levels with some very sharp edges it is very easy for a car to overturn. Apart fom the fact that he road is filled with potholes and bumps! Part of the road had been thinly asphalted but then the contractor dug it up again and left it covered with rubble so each car which wizzes up this road leaves a cloud of dust behind it. Since the government seems to be oblivous to these dangers, can the Bugia Local Council stand up to be counted on this score as well besides the EC Clerk issue? Can the Local Government treat all local councils equally and not use colour as a criteria?Are there Green wardens in Bugia?

Maria Dolores Fenech

Aug 16th 2008, 08:23

@ Liam Kelly
My daughter worked as a student worker last summer at this council and one of the things she had to do was answer the phone. She used to say that MOST of her time was taken up only to answer the phone because it never ceased to ring.
There are only 2 clerks working there. Now say that one of them reports sick, or she is on leave (it is her right you know!), the other clerk has to do all the paperwork, answer the phone, deal with the people paying Melita Cable (!) bills and a hundred and one other things.
You are being unfair on these hardworking people. You do not know them personally; otherwise you wouldn't speak this way.
I would like to congratulate the people who work there for doing a very good job. Just look around the promenade, gleaming paintwork, more benches to sit on..........

Maria Dolores Fenech

Aug 16th 2008, 08:06

@Mr Buttner
Are you suggesting that the Mayor acts as Ex. Sec? This is insane. Tom, Dick and Harry may become Mayors if one gains the majority of the votes, but it doesn't mean that he can act as Ex Sec?? Don't you think? One needs Managerial Qualifications (Certificates!!) to be Ex Sec.
Got it!
@D Fenech
Only last week the Mayor pointed out the disastrous state of the road from Ghar Dalam to St George’s Bay on a local TV. Do not blame the state of this MAIN road on the council. That is the govt. job. If you are a frequent user of this road you may remember that prior to the election, workers were fast working after a long time of abandon ship. Now that the election has passed we are back to square one. But as you said we have to wait for an accident to happen for the govt to take action. Are you also blaming the council for the dog's 'presents' too?! This is the green wardens' job!
This council is one of the most hardworking councils of Malta. This dispute could be the reason of the neglect felt these last months.

Chris Grillo

Aug 15th 2008, 18:53

@Mr.Buttner...I am sure that what you mention is far too much work for us Maltese..you see..we have this LAID BACK attitude...especially for the majority of Government workers.

Helpdesk for foreign visitors my foot. I'd love to see that. These people couldn't organize a BBQ!

Liam Kelly

Aug 15th 2008, 15:49

@ J. Baldacchino

So why do they have so much trouble answering the phone?

Surely one of those bright sparks has the ability to think outside the box and take over that responsibility for the benefit of the locals who need it?

Martin Büttner

Aug 15th 2008, 12:10

@ joe baldacchino:

You say that the Executive Secretary has an equal responsibility as the Mayor. Why doesn't the Mayor take over the Sec's duties for a while?
May I ask what the Mayor was elected for and what his duties are?
Is being a Mayor in Malta really a fuill time job?
Local councils in Malta have much less responsibilities and duties than those in other countries.
By the way, my home village in Germany (Esslingen-Berkheim) with its 9000 inhabitants is roughly the same size as Birzebbuga. Our mayor is a policeman who works for the local council 75% of his time. All 14 elected councilors meet for debates and decision findings once a week in the evening. The administration work is mainly done by three full time officers and two parttimers. Their duties include registration of inhabitants, issueing passports, issueing work registration cards, issueing wage tax cards, public registry duties, civil registry office duties (weddings, births, deaths, etc.), budgeting local affairs, general administration, helpdesk for applications/forms/various, special helpdesk for foreign citizens, etc. Probably I have forgotten many more of their duties.
How about the local council of Birzebbuga?

joe baldacchino

Aug 15th 2008, 10:55

dear Mr Kelly,
The Local Council is not complaining about " a person who has the amazing ability of answering the phone". The Executive Secretary has an equal responsibility as the Mayor. He/She is the person responsible for all Financial duties, all clerical staff, and all other employees detailed with our council. With no Executive Secretary the Local Council is in an Irregular position

Liam Kelly

Aug 15th 2008, 10:28

Mr Farrugia says it was impossible for a council to operate without a council secretary? Then i am the answer to your prayers Mr Farrugia.

i posses the required skills for this post since i have the amazing ability to answer the telephone.

I know, i know, it took many many years to master this skill, but the goal of one day working for the B'bugia local council and have the honour of answering their telephone drove me to success.

D Fenech

Aug 14th 2008, 19:52

Excuse me!
Why should the people of Bugia have to resort to collecting signatures for petitions?

Let the local council handle the matter as they deem fit!

What the people of Bugia, whether local or summer residents,need and want is to be treated like other Maltese citizens who walk on safe flat pavements and drive on safe asphalted roads!
They also expect the law to be enforced by those responsible!

It is sad for MALTA to create a north/south mentalily with the attitude.......dump it on the south/Bugia! Only insignificant numbers live there!

Martin Büttner

Aug 14th 2008, 19:23

@ joe baldacchino

Have you contacted the Office of Local Councils after having received that letter today? I cannot believe that it is impossible to solve the problem of a new executive secretary with a few phone calls between the responsible people. Do the so called "short official channels" do not exist in Malta, where official channels should already be short due to the size of the country?
If there is need for protests against the government or its behaviours, can't this be done in a way without harming those, who are absolutely innocent?
Suggestion: Why don't you ask the people who live in the locality and who make use of the services offered by the local council for their support in this dispute? A collection of signatures, a petition could be a good tool.

joe baldacchino

Aug 14th 2008, 19:10

Wish to inform readers that the information requested had already been given to the Director of L:ocal Councils 2 months ago, and the council was informed that it was accepted by his Dept. and passed to OPM for the official rites. This was done after the Director sent for the nominated person for a courtesy interview in the presence of Mr Michael Cohen , the President of Local Council Association and an unofficial greenlight was given. But today we were surprised when we received a letter from The Office of Local Councils requesting for the same requisites.

D Fenech

Aug 14th 2008, 18:58

I will not go into the issue because I do not know all the details and also feel that the issue belongs to the stake holders but what i can say is this:
The main road leading from Ghar Dalam to St George's Bay is in a disasterous and dangerous state and has been for years now!Who will be held responsible when the next fatal accident happens? The state of the road is incredible! The pavement is is in the same pityful state!
Walking along the promenade one has to ziz zag between the dogs' "presents"!
People are allowed to camp for days on the beach creating a really shabby and unhygenic atmosphere! I thought this was illegal!
As to who is responsible for all this, I do not know but whoever it is ...Shame on you! This is not the way to treat people!
Ps I was under the impression that the contractor who was awarded the contract for the endless drainage works in above mentioned road was to be paid or has been paid a sum running into hundreds of thousands!
What he left behind him in terms of road surface damage is unbelievable!

Jean Paul Fiott

Aug 14th 2008, 18:09

@ Byron Camilleri :

Because the Government is not to blame in this case. The blame lies squarely with the Birzebbugia local council since it has failed to do something so simple as providing a detailed CV of the chosen candidate.

M. Debono

Aug 14th 2008, 18:06

@ Byron Camilleri: If I were you I would read the update to answer your question.

simon tabone

Aug 14th 2008, 17:47

i do not tink that we will see much diferance as birzebbugia is looking as niglected as never bor or broken pavments potholes and broken and half fixed streets i think tha the council had better wake up and do a better job than complane about small things

Joe Buttigieg

Aug 14th 2008, 17:31

Shame on you and your government Mr. Butler, How can A council work without an executive secretary for four months. I don't think this would have happened if the council was a Nat. magority.

Byron Camilleri

Aug 14th 2008, 17:28

Martin Büttner , and why not shame on the government for not appointing an executive secretary for 4 months?

C Calleja

Aug 14th 2008, 17:28

shame on the government who is always passive and arrogant when dealing with labour mayors.

A.saliba

Aug 14th 2008, 17:26

Nationalist council , Nationalist Goverment...flop!

Once again the people will suffer in a locality which is popular with tourists and maltese people!

Martin Büttner

Aug 14th 2008, 17:12

Dispute between a local council and the government. And who will suffer from this again? The people. Shame on you, Birżebbuġa council staff!